Microsoft has quietly confirmed that it is ditching avatars on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles next year after a decade of support. You might have assumed avatars had already been killed off in the past, but nope. Apparently they were still around, but not for much longer.
Xbox avatars were introduced back in the Xbox 360 era during a major update that landed in 2008. And for a few years, Microsoft really pushed these digital avatars, letting you buy them clothes and use them in games and apps, as well as making them a prominent feature on the console’s dashboard. But by the time the Xbox One arrived in 2013, avatars were already being pushed aside and in recent years (and after numerous Xbox updates), avatars are hard to find, barely have a presence on the dashboard, and feel like a relic of a different era. And starting next year, they will be removed entirely.
As spotted by GameSpot, Microsoft updated its support page for Xbox avatars and confirmed that on January 9, 2025, they will be removed from Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles. You will no longer see avatars on profile pages after this date.
Microsoft says that “due to low engagement,” the avatars are being removed, and the Xbox Avatar Editor app is going with them. So if you want to have your avatar as your profile pic, you have until January to do that.
Any players who purchased items for their Xbox Avatar on Xbox One or Series X/S since November 1, 2023 will have those purchases refunded.
Microsoft clarified that this change won’t affect Xbox 360 avatars, which are officially known as “Xbox Original Avatars.” Those will continue to live on for the time being in games and apps that support them.
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