Celeste and TowerFall delist from Xbox in BDS support

Two prominent indie titles have been pulled from Xbox's digital marketplace in solidarity with the BDS movement. Celeste and TowerFall, both critically acclaimed games, were delisted by their developers to support the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign, which has identified Microsoft as a priority target alongside other major technology companies.

Maddy Thorson, creator of Celeste through Maddy Makes Games, announced the decision on BlueSky, confirming that both games had been removed from Xbox's storefront specifically to align with BDS objectives. The move follows a similar decision by House House, the developer behind Big Walk, who earlier this month explained their choice not to release their co-op puzzle adventure on Xbox due to Microsoft's status as a BDS target.

The delisting strategy works by cutting off a revenue stream for Microsoft. The company collects a percentage of every sale made through its proprietary digital distribution platform, much like how Valve operates Steam. Console manufacturers typically operate at a loss on hardware sales, relying on software sales and digital storefront commissions to offset those costs. By removing games from Xbox's digital store, developers prevent Microsoft from earning revenue on those transactions.

Xbox owners who wish to support the boycott have limited options for obtaining these games. They can purchase used physical copies where available, though this also removes the option for digital convenience. Alternatively, players can switch to other platforms to access the titles. Both Celeste and TowerFall remain available on Steam and other digital storefronts outside Microsoft's ecosystem.

The delisting represents a growing trend of indie developers using their platform availability as a form of political activism. While the impact of individual game removals may be modest in financial terms, the cumulative effect of multiple developers taking similar action could create meaningful pressure on the company's digital storefront revenue. The BDS movement continues to expand its list of corporate targets and supporter actions across various industries.