At the last E3, Microsoft announced a revamp of the Xbox avatars that was supposed to be released in 2017. After several media outlets reported that the cute player characters would come to home consoles as early as April, Mike Ybarra, Corporate Vice President Gaming at Microsoft, put a stop to that.
At the last E3 in June 2017, Microsoft announced a major overhaul of the Xbox avatars. The original figures, which players were supposed to use to express themselves on the platform and which were also used in various games, were brought to the Xbox 360 in 2008 and have since nearly been forgotten on the current Xbox One.
At the last Electronic Entertainment Expo, a new avatar system was unexpectedly announced, which is not only supposed to bring the little figures up to date, but also make them more customizable.
Cute and Diverse
Microsoft focuses entirely on diversity with the new avatars. In a trailer, avatars with different body shapes, in wheelchairs, or with amputations were shown. The figures are also supposed to reflect various moods, life circumstances, or players’ hobbies.
The new avatars are created with the Unity engine, making them particularly cute and detailed. One might think they sprang from the latest Pixar film. With the switch to the new engine, it should be particularly easy to customize your avatar and add additional props to it.
As with the old player figures, there will also be a dedicated store for the new avatars where additional customizations can be purchased. At a later date, third parties will also be able to create and sell additional accessories for the figures.
Whether the props of the old avatars, which could be purchased or earned in Xbox 360 games, will find a place in the new system and could be used there is still unknown.
The new avatars are coming…when the time comes
After several media outlets reported that the new avatar system would be examined by alpha testers this month and distributed to all players in April, Mike Ybarra, Corporate Vice President Gaming at Microsoft, spoke on Twitter.
The avatars would be released as soon as the time comes. There is currently no set date for the update, which would come to consoles only after feedback from the testers.
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