Today more than ever, it is clear that social issues, political controversies, and global events that affect society have a major impact on the video game industry and the people who work in it. Many developers, in fact, have spoken out against difficult situations unfolding in different countries.

In this context, 2 critically acclaimed games are no longer available for purchase on any Xbox console. While fans wondered what was going on, the people behind these titles explained why they decided to pull them from Microsoft’s platforms.

Xbox Series X juego físico disc to digital

Creators of Celeste and TowerFall Join the Boycott Against Xbox and Microsoft

Today, October 29, 2026, some players began noticing that Celeste, considered by many to be one of the greatest platformers of all time, had mysteriously disappeared from the Xbox digital store. The game’s sudden absence raised questions.

Things got even stranger when players soon discovered that TowerFall, another game from the same developer, was also no longer available for purchase. This unexpected move raised plenty of questions, especially since both titles can still be purchased as usual on PlayStation, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

In a brief post on her personal BlueSky account, Maddy Thorson, co-creator of Celeste, confirmed that she and her team had decided to stop selling both games on all Xbox platforms. According to her, the move was intended to support the boycotts against Microsoft.

Currently, several companies and conglomerates are showing their support for the BDS campaign, a movement organized by Palestinian institutions and public figures that aims to put pressure on Israel through economic, cultural, and institutional means.

The initiative seeks to boycott companies that, in one way or another, support the Israeli military and government amid the conflict affecting hundreds of people in Palestine. Microsoft is known to have ties to Israel through the provision of its AI systems and Azure Cloud services.

As a result, Xbox has become a target of recent protests. For now, it is unclear whether Maddy Thorson and the team at Maddy Makes Games Inc. intend to bring Celeste and TowerFall back to Microsoft’s platforms anytime soon.

In the meantime, players who were planning to buy either game will have to do so on PC, PlayStation, or Nintendo platforms. The good news is that Xbox users who already own these titles can still download and install them as usual.

Celeste eliminado XBOX

More Video Game Companies Are Boycotting Xbox

TowerFall debuted in 2014 and became a cult classic thanks to its fun multiplayer gameplay. However, Maddy Thorson’s most successful project is undoubtedly Celeste, which arrived in stores in 2018. The platformer boasts near-perfect reviews, with a score of 92 on Metacritic and a 97% approval rating on Steam.

It is unfortunate that both games will no longer be available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, and everything seems to indicate that they will only return if Microsoft withdraws its support for the Israeli military. Until then, fans will have to purchase them on other platforms.

It remains to be seen whether more companies will join the BDS campaign in the coming days. In mid-October, members of indie studio House House confirmed their support for the initiative, which is why they did not release Big Walk, one of the highest-rated games of 2026 so far, on Xbox.

Other indie teams and smaller companies have also expressed solidarity with the movement and urged players to cancel their Xbox Game Pass subscriptions as a form of protest. In addition, Arkane Studios, the company behind the Dishonored series, demanded that Microsoft stop providing technological support to Israeli forces.

But tell us: do you support this boycott? Let us know in the comments.