Indie developer pulls game from Xbox in support of pro-Palestine boycott
https://www.eurogamer.net/indie-developer-pulls-game-from-xbox-in-support-of-pro-palestine-boycott
The developer behind acclaimed indie role-player Tenderfoot Tactics has removed the game from sale on Xbox, and said the decision was made to support a growing Palestinian-lead boycott of Microsoft.
"We have removed Tenderfoot Tactics from sale on Xbox in solidarity with BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions]," Tenderfoot Tactics developer Badru wrote on social media. "We call on others in our community to do whatever they can to fight this historic injustice. Free Palestine."
Earlier this month, the Palestinian BDS National Committee added Microsoft to its list of companies flagged as having links to the Israeli military. In Microsoft's case, the BDS Movement states that the maker of Windows and Xbox has provided Azure cloud and AI services "central to accelerating Israel's genocide of 2.3 million Palestinians in the illegally occupied Gaza Strip". Eurogamer has contacted Microsoft for comment.
The BDS Movement has subsequently issued a call for a boycott of Microsoft products, including Xbox specifically, as a visible way to pressure the company. Its website suggests cancelling your Xbox Game Pass subscription, and avoiding key Microsoft-owned franchises such as Minecraft, Call of Duty and Candy Crush.
"By boycotting the Xbox brand, we're pressuring Microsoft to end its complicity in Israel's genocide, occupation and apartheid against Palestinians," the BDS Movement states. "Palestinians call on everyone to boycott Microsoft's Xbox and Microsoft gaming products since viable gaming alternatives exist. Genocide is not a game."
Other companies listed by the BDS to be boycotted include computer manufacturer HP, and Reebok, which sponsors the Israel Football Association.
AP reported earlier this month that Microsoft had swiftly fired two employees who interrupted a presentation on AI held during the company's 50th anniversary celebration to protest links to Israel.
Indie Dev Who Pulled Game From Xbox In Solidarity With Palestinian-Led BDS Hopes Others Will Do The Same
https://aftermath.site/ice-water-games-tenderfoot-tactics-xbox-store-removed-bds
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Speaking with Aftermath, Badru, a Seattle-based game worker who considers Tenderfoot Tactics his “baby,” said that though this represents a small loss of revenue for those at Ice Water, there wasn’t any notable pushback against his decision from the group. Ice Water is not a business entity – instead functioning as a calling card for a group of creators who maintain ownership of their games – but it still operates on a consensus-like model.
Badru, already part of a Seattle-based group called Boycott War Profiteers, proposed the idea of pulling Tenderfoot from the Xbox store to Ice Water after BDS declared Microsoft a target, and while some members did not respond at all, the “core people” – including Daniel Crane, a dev who’d just finished porting the game to Xbox – gave him a resounding series of thumbs ups.
"I think for us, it wasn't a super difficult thing to decide, because Tenderfoot Tactics Xbox sales aren't what's supporting all of our lives,” Badru told Aftermath, noting that those sales amount to a few hundred dollars per month. “It's nice to have it on that platform, but it's nice to be able to make the gesture, especially when it's just so exhausting watching what's happening and feeling like we can't do anything. ... I think it's important to be able to use that limited amount of power [we have on platforms] to put whatever pressure we can on things."
He noted that, at least in the short term, increased sales of Tenderfoot Tactics on other platforms – seemingly in support of Ice Water’s tactical retreat from Xbox – have already made up the difference.
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"I know the gaming community has two very different faces, but the side of it that I see the most, especially among indie developers, is very progressive, cares a lot about peace and justice, and does not like to see what's been going on in Palestine,” he said. “People have been really enthusiastically positive about [Tenderfoot Tactics’ removal from the Xbox store]. It's been really nice to see."
