Xboxis discontinuing its long-running custom Avatar software, Xbox Avatar Editor, next year. Originally released three years intothe Xbox 360’s life cycle, Avatars gave players a chance to create custom characters that looked just like them (or didn’t), and have those characters represent them in various only interactions. Despite repeated evolution and innovation of the Avatar customization process, Avatars have been carried over faithfully across three generations of Xbox consoles, with players still able to use their Xbox 360 customization options on the Xbox Series X/S.
That program is coming to an end next year, though:the Xbox Avatar Editor is officially shutting down on August 03, 2025, according to a report byPure Xbox. Microsoft cited “low engagement” as the reason for the shutdown - i.e., few players are still making use of the Avatar Editor in 2024, and Microsoft would rather spend the time and money elsewhere. Pre-existing Avatars will become unavailable for further viewing or editing. Any cosmetic purchases made between November 2023 and the date of the shutdown will be refunded, as long as the player has a valid payment method on file.
Xbox Game Pass Without Consoles Would Be A Win For Everyone
Xbox Game Pass without consoles would give everyone a way to play games from Microsoft and others without spending a lot of money on a console.
However, there’s a silver lining:Xbox Original Avatars, a recreation of the 360 version of the Avatar Editor, will remain available indefinitely. Playable on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S consoles, and Windows PCs, the Xbox Original Avatars app lets you create and edit custom characters just as before - albeit with limited customization options.
Xbox Avatars Have A Long, Complicated History
Consistency Through Change
First introduced during the Xbox 360 era, the Avatar program was seen as something of a rival to Nintendo’s Miis. They allowed for a greater sense of customization and ownership over a player’s console experience, and could be used to distinguish between different users of the same device. Butit wasn’t long before Avatars actually became playable. Free titles likeDoritos Crash Courseand the iconicAvatar Dropallowed you to control your Avatar directly in-game.
Later,AAA games likeGuitar Hero 5andTony Hawk’s Pro Skater HDstarted allowing players to import their Avatarstoo. This legitimized the customization process and led to a greater sense of immersion in these massive, celebrity games. Now, players could turn their Avatars into rock stars, pro skaters, game show contestants, et cetera - and the options only expanded when Xbox Avatars became the mascotsfor official Kinect releases. Some games even offered special Avatar cosmetics as rewards for obtaining certain achievements, while other cosmetics could be purchased from the Avatar Store.
Avatars fell off slightly with the advent of the Xbox One era. They could still be accessed and customized, butin-game integration was unheard of. Instead, Avatars stood on the sideline, distinguishing between different users of the same console but having little purpose otherwise. To that end,Xbox Avatars underwent a major overhaul, hurtling into a new generation. Customization options included new body types, non-gender-restricted clothing, changeable colors, customizable limbs, and assistive devices like wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs.
Xbox 360 games that featured Avatar integration were compatible with the Xbox One, butnone of the console’s original releases supported Avatars.
These were eventually transferred onto Xbox Series X/S consoles with little change. However, through all of these generational shifts,Avatars have always been backwards compatible: many players are still using their original Xbox 360 Avatars today.
Screen Rant’s Take: Avatars Are A Thing Of The Past
But We’ll Still Miss Them
In the current generation,customizable console avatars are a little bit passe. They’re a seventh-generation hangover, a remnant of an era gone by. Their gradual disappearance is a consequence not only of the lack of avatar integration in most modern games, but also of the emergence of sophisticated, game-specific character creators, which are nearly ubiquitous by now. There’s just not as much need for custom avatars in the current generation.
That said,Xbox Avatars are a charming relic. They represent a bygone era that prioritized customization and immersion. And, since they’ve been fairly consistent since the Xbox 360, they bring up a lot of nostalgia. With the recentclosure of the Xbox 360’s digital marketplace, Avatars are one of the only relics of that era that still remain. That’s what makes the end of theXboxAvatar program so upsetting: it’s almost like saying goodbye to an old friend.
