Undead Labs
Undead Labs LLC is an American video game developer and is known for creating the State of Decay franchise. Microsoft acquired Undead Labs as part of Xbox Game Studios, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation.
Microsoft's Corporate Complicity
As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, Undead Labs is implicated in its parent company's extensive military contracts and surveillance operations. The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement has designated Microsoft as a "priority BDS target" due to the company's central role in supporting Israeli military operations and facilitating apartheid and genocide.
Microsoft provides critical cloud computing and AI technologies to the Israeli military through its Azure platform. Leaked documents reveal that the Israeli military became one of Microsoft's top AI customers, with Azure cloud storage increasing 60% above pre-conflict levels and AI tools usage seeing a 20-fold increase during military operations in Gaza.
BDS Campaign Targeting Undead Labs Games
The Palestinian BDS National Committee has specifically called for boycotting Microsoft's gaming division, which includes Undead Labs portfolio of games. The BDS movement describes Microsoft as:
perhaps the most complicit tech company in Israel's illegal apartheid regime and ongoing genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza.
Undead Labs' State of Decay games represent revenue streams for Microsoft Gaming. BDS organizers state that:
Microsoft Gaming, which includes Xbox consoles, Xbox Game Pass, Candy Crush, Call of Duty, Minecraft, and gaming accessories, make up a considerable portion of Microsoft's profit. By boycotting the Xbox brand, we're pressuring Microsoft to end its complicity in Israel's genocide, occupation and apartheid against Palestinians.
The campaign encourages gamers to:
- Uninstall games that Microsoft profits from
- Cancel Xbox Game Pass subscriptions
- Avoid purchasing upcoming games that Microsoft profits from
- Boycott Microsofts's online services and micro-transactions
Sources:
- BDS Movement Microsoft
- BDS Movement Boycott Microsoft's Xbox
- Microsoft Form 10-K
- Microsoft Microsoft finalizes acquisition of ZeniMax Media
- The Guardian Revealed: Microsoft deepened ties with Israeli military to provide tech support during Gaza war