Celeste and Towerfall have been removed from digital distribution on Xbox, a move confirmed by their creator Maddy Thorson. The decision was made to support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which targets Microsoft for its technological collaboration with Israel in what the movement describes as colonialism, apartheid, and the occupation of Palestine.
Players noticed the removal of both titles from the Xbox Store earlier this week. While some gamers expressed regret over the unavailability of Celeste, widely regarded as one of the best platformers of the last decade, Thorson addressed the situation directly on Bluesky. In her message, she stated, "For those asking: yes, we have removed Celeste and TowerFall from Xbox. We did this to support the BDS boycott."
This incident follows a similar trend involving other developers. Earlier this month, House House announced that it would not release its highly anticipated 2026 title, Big Walk, on Microsoft's console for the same reasons. Additionally, Tenderfoot Tactics withdrew from Xbox in 2025 citing identical motivations. Although these withdrawals have so far been carried out by smaller studios, there is potential for the practice to expand to larger teams and publishers.
The BDS movement aims to pressure Microsoft through a boycott of its products, including consoles and major franchises such as Call of Duty and Candy Crush. According to the movement's description, it is led by Palestinians advocating for freedom, justice, and equality, upholding the principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity.
Sources: Vandal.