Microsoft has announced that the Xbox Avatar Editor, which was first introduced during the Xbox One era, will be shutting down on January 9, 2025. However, Xbox 360 Avatars will remain accessible.
The company revealed this news through a support page, stating that players will no longer be able to use or access the Xbox Avatar Editor starting next year. Users who made any purchases for their avatar in the last year (since November 1, 2023) will automatically receive refunds for those purchases. Although players who use their avatar for their Xbox Gamerpic will still be able to do so, they will not be able to update it via the Xbox Avatar Editor after January 9.
Microsoft cited 'low engagement' and a 'shift in focus to delivering other player experiences' as the reasons behind the shutdown. On a positive note, Xbox 360 Avatars (now officially called Xbox Original Avatars) will continue to be accessible. These avatars, first introduced in 2008 for the Xbox 360, were later carried forward to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. They are still used in some Xbox 360 games, particularly Xbox Live Arcade titles like 1 vs.100, A Kingdom for Keflings, and Doritos Crash Course. Players can also continue to use them as Gamerpics and customize them via the Xbox Original Avatars app on consoles and PC.
Despite the popularity of Xbox 360 Avatars due to their Nintendo Mii-like appearance, the modern iteration of avatars for Xbox One never gained significant traction and has long been an afterthought. Microsoft emphasized on its support page that even with the discontinuation of Xbox Avatars, players can still personalize and customize their Xbox experience through other means, such as dynamic backgrounds and custom Gamerpics.
Source link: https://www.gamespot.com
