Xbox has seen two acclaimed indie titles, Celeste and TowerFall, removed from its digital storefront. Maddy Thorson of MaddyMakesGames confirmed the decision, stating that the games were pulled in solidarity with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
This action follows a similar announcement from developer House House, which stated that its game Big Walk would not be released on Xbox in support of BDS. The removals come amid growing sentiment within parts of the game development community against Microsoft's parent company due to its alleged technical contributions to the conflict in the Palestinian territories. A collective known as No Games For Genocide, comprising developers and other industry professionals, is advocating for a boycott of Xbox games and services as part of the broader BDS movement, which targets various multinational corporations.
Previously, the game Penguin Colony also took a stance by banning sales in Israel and criticizing the wider games industry's silence on the conflict. This game was accompanied by a message from its developers addressing the genocide in Palestine.
TowerFall, described as a "Super Smash Bros. but make it archery" style game, was originally released in 2014. Its acclaimed successor, Celeste, launched four years later in 2018. Celeste garnered significant praise for its challenging platforming, memorable soundtrack, and its poignant narrative, ultimately earning it recognition as one of the best indie games of its decade and winning best indie game at The Game Awards. Notably, The Game Awards itself has faced criticism for its host's stance on acknowledging the Palestinian genocide.