Key Takeaways
- Microsoft’s Xbox Avatar Editor will be discontinued entirely beginning in early January.
- According to a report from Pure Xbox, “low engagement with the program” is part of the reason why the feature is being removed.
- Refunds will be issued for players who spent money since Nov. 1, 2023.
Since the dawn of the Xbox 360, Avatars have been an integral part of the Xbox identity and user experience. A more customizable version of Nintendo’s Miis, Avatars allowed players to customize their character to fit their exact personality, complete with varying options for clothes, accessories and features.
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Unfortunately, if recent reporting is anything to go off of, then beginning in early January, Avatars will be going away permanently. The decision marks the end of one of gaming’s most unique and celebrated features.
Pour One Out For Avatars
As first reported by Pure Xbox, the Xbox Avatar Editor will be discontinued entirely. Players will have from now through January 9 to make use of the app, including making their gamerpic their avatar.
According to information obtained from Xbox, “low engagement with the program” is the reason why the editor will cease to exist. In doing so, MIcrosoft will be able to focus on “delivering other player experiences.”
In a statement, Microsoft said the following:
“All Xbox Avatar purchases from November 1, 2023, through January 9, 2025, will be refunded to your valid payment instrument after the Xbox Avatar Editor app is no longer available. You can check your purchase and refund history here.”
The refund part is a nice consolation on the part of Microsoft, especially given that some players likely did spend real-life dollars on customization options.
That said, it’s important to note that what is going away is the Xbox Avatar Editor, which is available on modern Xbox consoles. The original Xbox Originals Avatar app will still be available, which specifically affects the Xbox 360, will still be available.
With many gamers having long left their 360s behind, the discontinuation of the modern Xbox Avatar Editor is a massive blow to fans of personalization. While its focus has certainly lessened over the years, compared to how Avatars were used on the 360, it still was an integral part of what made an Xbox, well, an Xbox.
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