House House, the studio behind Big Walk, has confirmed the game will not be released on Xbox for the foreseeable future, citing a boycott of companies with ties to Israel. The decision aligns with the Palestinian-led BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement's call to boycott Microsoft and its designation of Microsoft Games (and Xbox) as a priority target.
Why Big Walk skipped Xbox
In a statement, a House House spokesperson said: "In June 2026 we announced that the release of Big Walk would be limited to Steam, Switch 2 and PS5. Since then, we have received many messages and comments, asking about a future Xbox release. We would like to address those questions here."
The spokesperson added: "We have made the decision not to release Big Walk on Xbox, in accordance with the Palestinian-led BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement's call to boycott Microsoft, and their designation of Microsoft Games (and Xbox) as a priority boycott target."
Impact on players and future plans
The studio acknowledged the decision's impact, stating: "It has always been our intention for Big Walk to be played by groups of friends, and we know that keeping the game off Xbox runs counter to those intentions. This decision means that some people will miss out on playing Big Walk with their friends, and we understand the disappointment we're causing."
House House expressed hope for change, saying: "We are disappointed too. We would love for people to be able to play the game on Xbox, but not until Microsoft and/or Xbox have been removed as BDS boycott targets. We've made this decision with the belief that meaningful change can be made in the world, that coordinated collective action can confront even the most powerful interests, and that one day, Palestine will be free."
Big Walk, released on August 4, 2026, for PS5, Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2, earned a 91 Metacritic score on PC and PS5 and sold over 1 million copies across the three platforms within six days. The boycott is connected to the ongoing conflict with Palestine, which some governments recognize as genocide, though the UK, Canada, and Australia defer to the International Court of Justice's future ruling.
