How Microsoft Got Avatars "Right"

Back when the 'New Xbox Experience' (NXE) was revealed one of the sticking points with so-called 'hardcore' gamers was the Avatar system. Previously on the Xbox 360 you were identified visually by your Gamertag (your ID, or handle) and your Gamerpic, a small bitmap much like those on Twitter or most other social networks. Gamerpics could be purchased from the Xbox Live Marketplace but essentially there was only a finite number of different images.

[Shadow Flare]

Do these avatars do anything? Apart from standing there like a lemon? I like how the article takes a sly knock at ps3's home avatars for having to walk to a shopping mall to get clothes. The difference between the 2 avatars are that the ps3's are actually used very well, in a whole virtual world. They don't just stand there. And stand some more. And then just stand a little more

[GWAVE]

Avatars are pointless to the hardcore gamer. That's a fact, and anyone who denies it is just worshipping Microsoft for no good reason, because the hardcore community denounced Miis and HOME characters before Avatars even came out.

Hardcore gamers should cringe that Avatars exist, because it shows that Microsoft is moving quite swiftly in the wrong (read: casual) direction.

[Godmars290]

But you have to admit, Home avatars are equally worthless to hardcore gamers, but it looks like to use a hardcore gaming feature like cross-game chat and friend game launching, they have to use it.

[StanLee]

That's where you're wrong. Avatars are less about gaming, and more about expressing your individuality and personality. My friends and I have spent hours changing and experimenting with the look of our avatars and ripping on each other's avatars. A friend I had never met visited me in New York from Florida and it was so hilarious because I literally looked and dressed like my avatar and he like his. For anyone, a hardcore gamer or a casual gamer, avatars mean the same thing; a way for you to express your individuality and a bit of your personality and style to a community of persons where the vast majority don't know you personally. I know I have a friends lists of 60 plus people but only a handful I have ever actually met or we are friends in real life. Avatars give me an insight into just a little something about them and they about me.

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

Wrong!!!

*Insert pix of Lex Luther from Superman Returns.

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

"My friends and I have spent hours changing and experimenting with the look of our avatars and ripping on each other's avatars."

It's understandable that you and your friend would spent hours messing with your avatars. With no great games to play, what else is there to do on the 360? After all, 360 has a very weak 2000 line up.

[poopface1]

Ive never used home and I probably wont. Avatars are ok because most my friends on live are my real friends and most their avatars look like them.

Other than that I dont really care. Its no worse than a gamerpic. You can make it look like you or not.

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

N4G don't fail. It's fanboys that do.

[Nicaragua]

"Avatars are less about gaming, and more about expressing your individuality and personality. My friends and I have spent hours changing and experimenting with the look of our avatars and ripping on each other's avatars..."

Wow, next time you do this you have simply got to invite me too ! I totally love expressing my individuality and personality through a badly designed virtual bobblehead - FABULOUS !!!

Im glad ive finally found someone to share the hilarity of swapping their little clothes with - good times indeed !!!

[BadboyCivic360]

@PS3FANBOY

you sound really juvenile and immature dude...as Stanlee said, avatars are visual expressions of who you are...nothing more, nothing less...I bought my PS3 to play uncharted 2 and i never hate on someone else console just for the sake of hating...N4G fails because of you...i hope you are not really that dumb in real life because you fail in life also...

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

You have inspired me.

Now, go forth and convert everyone else on N4G.

[XxZxX]

LOL at TotalPS3Fanboy's comeback. NICE one

nobody got avatar right. i prefer custom profile pic which is more than enough

[Arnon]

"Do these avatars do anything? Apart from standing there like a lemon?"

You incorporate them within XBLA games, which is the reason why the avatar store exists. They're also used for different applications on Xbox LIVE and honestly, that's more than what Home avatars or Mii's do already. Mii's are like... a lesser version of what these do, and Home avatars aren't even able to be used outside of Home... so they're almost irrelevant unless Home is an application you use every single day.

It really is amazing. In the past 2 days, you silly people have shown that you do absolutely no research to back up any of your statements or arguments, UNLESS someone calls you out on it.

[Eddie20101]

Tittle should be how Nintendo may have gotten it wright and How Microsoft copied them.

Personally Microsoft's avatars are not that exciting and aren't anything to sing about. I don't want to use an ugly avatar in my Guitar Hero games, kinda pointless.

[ubiquitious]

The difference is you play games with 360 avatars. You shop to a very limited selection with PS3 avatars. Lol considering no one I know actually uses HOME Sony should probably just hit the restart button on their avatars.

But then again, HOME is still in the beta stage. And the 360 is holding back the PS3. And the moon landing was staged.

(super eye roll)

[Shadow Flare]

Honest question (because I don't know), what games use the avatar and do any of them require activity like wii sports or are they just standing still in the game? Also, you may not like home, but thats because its not targeted at someone like yourself. I don't use home a whole lot, but everytime I go into it, its always full. Everytime and in every room. So some people must be liking it. Those people who want to socialise with their friends within it I assume

[kapedkrusader]

...that argument might have flown when Home came out, but not any more. Avatars in Home can play a variety of games like bowling, chess, pool, arcade games, fly planes, poker and that's not counting all the additional games that developer spaces have, which are very deep like the Uncharted 2 and Rachet and Clank spaces. You can even film you're own machima movies with the stage set, which even has a working green screen. In regards to "shopping to a limited selection" as you put it. You must be insane, there are almost 1000 articles of clothing to choose from not counting costumes and jewelry, hats, furniture etc. You'd go broke if you thought you could buy every article for your avatar. To finalize, being that you have no idea what you are talking about and are wrong about pretty much everything...YES!!!...the 360 is holding back the PS3. You only need to compare multi-plat games to first party to see that. Get out of 2006 and join us in 2009 when the PS3 does everything.

[SHOTGUN MANIA]

Most common games you see people use their avatar's for are games like bomberman live, UNO and 1 vs 100. The majority use the avatar system for a good gamer pic pretty pointless to be honest, why people buy a 400 MS lightsabre is stupid when they can get Wolfenstein 3D for 400 MS.

[Shadow Flare]

Yeah, so 360 avatars are used in games exactly how I thought they'd be used. Just as a picture of them standing there. Rubbish. Home has gotten really good lately. I really like the Buzz! space

[toaster]

I have only bought ONE thing from the avatar marketplace and that was from leftover points. I don't think I'll ever be stupid enough to spend REAL money on FAKE merchandise. My gamer picture isnt even an avatar.. its an icon i got FREE with a game. i think the avatars are pretty pointless but I don't look down on people who use them.

[bigrudowsky]

nah the third party developers are holding back ps3 if you look at rage,brink,fallout,bioshock,ff 13,the new castlevania you can see there are a few developers that are investing quite a bit of resources into their games.

[BadboyCivic360]

i just said earlier not to hate for the sake of hating...i know some people that love HOME and i know some people that love avatars...its a personal preference

[Eddie20101]

You are miss informed, there is much more virtual items in Home than there are for Xbox live avatars. Lots of clothes and costumes(much more varied), lots of furniture, lots of personal spaces, lots of games, lots of video content in the Home theater, and there is always lots of people taking advantage of it all, especially in the US. There is also a lot of free virtual content and you can win a lot of it by playing the more than thirty games that are in the Home spaces. Some of the games in Home could easily be sold as PSN games but they are free in home.

Also they are selling shiitloads of content in home and probably making boat loads of money from those sales.

Home is a very popular service just go on at any time and you will see.

How would anyone know how much people take advantage of Xbox live avatars, you can only see how ever many you invite to your space.

[rawd]

Ok, now I'm starting to feel bad for you bots. Avatar articles and arguing about Netflix disc changing, which you guys are experts at anyways

OHHHHHHHHHHHH

[bruddahmanmatt]

Microsoft got Avatars right by modeling the bottoms of their shoes.

[gdguide]

Style wise, I hate them. Where they placed them though and how they are used? Very good. I wish Sony would at least allow Home Avatars to show up on the XMB. Just the head or something in the top corner. Click on the avatar head, and launch straight into Home.

[BadboyCivic360]

i was thinking the same thing...a simple update could get that done...

[NotSoSilentBob]

I disagree that a "simple" update would intertwine them. Don't forget that Home is a online feature. Not something that is required to use. TO make it part of the XMB they would open a door to programmers nightmare. Every time you start the ps3 up to the XMB you would have to connect online and that is additional loading that shouldn't be required.

[MAGNUM-RAM]

What's to talk about?
The best avatar representation is home.
Thanks to universal game launching I'm rarely disconnected from home.
It's the definition of expanding your games & I love it.

Alot of you guys have no personality. That's your fault not Home.

[gololo]

well to be honest...i wish sony/ms wouldve saved that money in dev cost for home/avatars and give us a free game lol....(yeah if u havent noticed, I dont like avatars/home)

[LCF]

Microsoft is doing everything wrong this gen.

1. No mandatory HDD for all X360
2. Using a small/hacked optical disc.
3. Shoddy/cheaply made hardware
4. Paying to play online
5. Does not output true HD 1080p (Microsoft stated HD this gen and now it's not mandatory, flagship sub-HD)
6. Only console out still using a disc tray
7. Mii rip-offs (just fuglier)
8. NXE (blades had less ad spam)
9. Forcing developers to charge for download content (Valve)
10. Taking gaming studios and closing them down.
11. Insulting & worrying so much about the competition (No style/class)
12. Became the "Me Too" company (Natal, ect.)
13. Just being an all around greedy-ass company.
14. Buying exclusives/DLC from 3rd parties instead of investing in your own house.
15. No open network (Internet access/browsing)
16. Proprietary HDD and WiFi adapter.
17. Still using batteries in the controllers (wavebird 64 anyone?)
18. Huge-ass powerbrick that is half the size of the X360.
19. Out-dated GPU with little to no support from it's slow CPU.
20. Holding the industry back and for 3rd party to make it equal due to lack of improvements listed above.

Xboxlive service is good when its NOT a P2P connection (rare) But I give it to Bungie for what xboxlive is.

Microsoft did not improve upon the original xbox. The X360 is like the Wii. Sells alot but does not have the high-end HD feel to it, though I believe the user base is inflated due to replacement purchases. But games and consoles are not about sales. It's about the GAMES and the platform they run on and not how much shyt you can shove into your console so you still have a reason to charge $50 a year, even after 5 years out. Isn't competition suppose to bring price down?

Exclusives define your console and X360 lacks in this department. Exclusives mean just that, you can't play on any other platform, even PC. Having 2-5 1st/2nd party against over 20, there is just no competition there. Sony's in-house is only competing with themselves at this point.

The X360 is more like a 5 year console then a 10 year console and it shows. Will Natal and these Mii rip-offs make X360 relevant 4-5 more years down the road? Looks like The Me Too company is putting all bets on it.

[Godmars290]

Does any of that really matter if they get the marketing right?

[LCF]

You mean Brainwash? Or kinda like how GM is doing it in the auto industry? worrying about your competition so much you have to say their names in your ads?

EDIT: All the disagrees, guess I touched a nerve lol.

[Godmars290]

What?

MS does that?

Really?

Get outta town!

Next you'll be saying XBL avatars are in direct response to Miis, and is now "replicating" the most notable aspects of HOME after repeatedly criticizing both.

[LCF]

No comment lol.

[ManiacMan4004]

What the HELL did your little rant have to do with Microsoft's Avatars? Did you realize that you posted in the Gamer Zone? I can understand if you want to level criticism at Microsoft, but you just went ballistic against Microsoft. You could have just at least said why you hate the Avatars and backed it up with some facts.

I encourage everyone to report the rant as either Off-Topic or Spam.

[LCF]

I'm no troll, I own a X360, but you are right. I might have been a little too harsh on poor ol' microsoft.

[Crazyglues]

Now I have both systems let me just start by saying that, and I have used both systems, avatars...

and I must say Microsoft did get it right with the avatars, they are really easy to use and you can make something that actually looks like you.

You can do this on the PS3 too, but only in home and for some reason it's easier and feels cool when you do it on your 360.. -plus add the way they are using them in games.

Dirt 2 for example, that's actually pretty cool use of the avatar.

and while their is no world to walk around in, you don't need it because you really just want your friends to see your avatar when they log-on and see what you are doing.

So in that sense it's pretty cool I would give Microsoft that one. Pretty cool design and use of it.

AND to all the people who are going to disagree, that's fine - I still love my PS3... -LOL

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[Wikkid666]

LCF has no clue... just another 12 year old that has no idea about the video game industry.

I could counter each and ever little point you made... but you wouldn't understand it. When you graduate high school maybe you can try to make your point.

[LCF]

You sound like a bitter X360 loyalist. I would be too if I backed the wrong horse.

From the list above tell me what is to be countered? Go though each on the list and state what is not true?

[Wikkid666]

1. NO HDD - It's called Scalability. Why should a consumer pay for something that isn't used. Man console owners are not hardcore gamers and don't download content, etc. But they still have the option at any point to add it.
2. DVD Drive - Still the standard of the world and will be for a number of years ahead. Small yes... but guess what? You can install games if you choose to... No disc swaps.
3. Shoddy Hardware? Maybe.. My launch console is still going strong... but no matter what they are taking care of the issue. Warranty and Redesign wise.
4. Paying for Live - You get what you pay for. LIVE is still the best period. In every way. PSN is still playing catch up and always will be.
5. 1080p - Funny my 360 has 1080p output. Not every game supports it, but most PS3 games don't either.
6. Disc Tray - LOL... wow! How dare they
7. Avatars - being Mii rip offs. Ummm... Avatars have been around for may years before Wii. 360 is becoming a social console, so that's why Avatars have been added.
8. NXE - is a great update - love the new blades - spam? News and info is spam now?
9. DLC - MS doesn't force to charge for DLC... I've download countless amount of free content. Map packs etc.
10. Taking gaming studios and closing them down - This is just stupid! It's a business world out there if there is no return on an investment you close down.
11. Worrying about Competition - you always have to worry about the world around you. It's a dog eat dog business.
12. Natal - is far beyond the Wii. PS3 is the one making a copy.
13. Geedy Company - they are in business to make money.. Do you work for free. I know I don't
14. Buying exclusives/DLC from 3rd parties instead of investing in your own house - what's wrong with this? Please tell me
15. Internet - Browsing on console is just dumb.. that's what computers are for. And I have a web browser for my 360. It's in Windows Media Center.
16. Proprietary HDD and WiFi adapter - this is how they are making money, so why is this wrong. Any real gamers doesn't use WiFi anyway.. My 120gig HDD is fine.
17. Every controller has batteries.
18. Powerbrick - this is just a stupid comment.
19. 360s GPU is actually more powerful than the PS3s
20. 360 isn't holding back 3rd party developers. 360 is very PC like and is very easy to develop on, since games are made on PCs.

[Random404]

Replaceable batteries = 100% wireless. Buy rechargeable batteries and you have all the benefits of the ps3 controller without the drawbacks of diminishing charge and plugging into ps3 to charge.

[LCF]

"1. NO HDD - It's called Scalability. Why should a consumer pay for something that isn't used. Man console owners are not hardcore gamers and don't download content, etc. But they still have the option at any point to add it.
2. DVD Drive - Still the standard of the world and will be for a number of years ahead. Small yes... but guess what? You can install games if you choose to... No disc swaps.

. 360 isn't holding back 3rd party developers. 360 is very PC like and is very easy to develop on, since games are made on PCs."

All you said here makes no sense.

1st No mandatory HDD does not make it like a PC or PS3, where a game can be cache on the HDD for better game performance and im not taking about installs im talking about simple cache on the HDD.

If they dont use the HDD, then why download into the HDD? or the option to download to the HDD? Arcade users are left out huh? Oh thats right microsoft is making money on the add on like the HDD for $80-$100 bucks and to you there is nothing wrong with ripping off the gamer. You a microsoft employee?

Natal is not proven tech. But if you like where micorsoft is going toward the casuals, then more power to you.

I'm a gamer and like playing video games and has been for a long ass time. To me microsoft is in the console buisiness for a quick buck and I see no real passion for games and the gamers that play them. Instead of investing in games like Sony and Nintendo are doing, you see microsoft focusing on social/casual aspects then games.

I have a X360 and after a few games, whats left? I see nothing this year or next that will give me a reason to use my X360.

"15. Internet - Browsing on console is just dumb.. that's what computers are for. And I have a web browser for my 360. It's in Windows Media Center."

Can you slap yourself any harder?

"Powerbrick - this is just a stupid comment
Disc Tray - LOL... wow! How dare they"

I dont know about you but I got an expensive home theater system and that powerbrick sticks out like a sore thumb and the disc tray makes the X360 looks even more cheap.

Microsoft is not a hardware/electronics company, it's a software/OS company and it shows.

[Eddie20101]

1. No HDD - Yes you have perceived scalability at the cost of standardization. Every game has to be designed to run from a disk, theirs less space to cache data in it internal memory. Also many games have to be patched, some of those patches are for single player bugs. Where do you store those patches when the internal memory runs out or you run out of memory on your expensive Microsoft branded memory unit.

2. DVD Drive - A standard yes, doesn't mean its the best option. The DVD drive in the 360 is very loud, limited in storage, and generates lots of heat. It is also one of the things that fails quite often in the Xbox 360.

3. Shoddy hardware? Yes, not maybe. Aside from the failure rate, it is just poorly designed, excellent parts in a very poor package. As far as warranty goes, they did what they had to save face and it took them year and a half to do that.

4. Paying for Live - PSN Is free and you have everything you need to play online. PSN online works just as well as Xbox live. Cross game chat is not enough to make Xbox live worth $50 a year.

5. 1080p - Agree with you.

6. Disc Tray - Agree with you.

7. Avatars- So close to the look of the Mii's on The Wii that yes they could be considered a rip-off.

8. NXE - Me personally, I don't like the look of it. That and they ripped-off iTunes. there is quite a bit of advertising mixed in with the news an information, and yes that can be considered spam. Plus you are paying a yearly fee to look a advertising.

9. DLC - There have been cases where the developer was forced by Microsoft to charge for DLC. Bunji and Epic have said as much.

10. Taking gaming studios and closing them down - Agree with you.

11. Worrying about competition - Agree with you.

12. Natal - it is just a bragging point for fanboys. Real gamers aren't even going to use it. Cool tech but not practical for real gaming.

13. Greedy company - Yes they are in business to make money, but the way they go about it is pretty questionable. Can you say anti-trust law suite?

14. Buying Exclusive's - Agree with you.

15. Internet browser - Don't need it but it's a nice extra on the PS3.

16. Proprietary HDD and WiFi - Just kinda dumb to defend overpriced accessaries.

17. Every controller has batteries - Yes but some COME WITH rechargeable batteries that are not an added expense and don't contribute to land fills.

18. Power brick - Big, Ugly, and another thing that can break.

19. 360's GPU is actually more powerful than the PS3's. True, but the PS3's CPU and GPU combination is more powerful than the 360's CPU and GPU combination. PS3 over all is more powerful.

20. 360 isn't holding back 3rd party developers - Well, I think it is. We've all seen what first party developers can do with PS3. I think if they could focus on just PS3 development they would come up with games that equal what the first party studios are doing.

[OhReginald]

How Microsoft Got Avatars .....

[Dampsack]

People !PAY REAL MONEY! for avatar "accessories"! HAHA, MAN people are so very very retarded. Need I say any more?

[Wikkid666]

LCF
"To me microsoft is in the console buisiness for a quick buck and I see no real passion for games and the gamers that play them. Instead of investing in games like Sony and Nintendo are doing, you see microsoft focusing on social/casual aspects then games."

You are entitled to an opinion and that's all you have. No facts. Quick buck! How many billions have they invested in to the 2 consoles and seen little if any return. They're still new to the industry and are building towards a future. They aren't in the same life cycle as Sony or Nintendo. This is the video game industry... all businesses are in it for one reason... to make money. MS is getting away from being a hardcore system. Is it wrong to offer something for everyone? They want to be an entertainment center piece... not a game console.

You say they did everything wrong... but you supposedly own one. Why?

[rmedtx888]

I'm sorry to say this but Xbox Avatars are horrible. Those out of proportion heads are not cool they look like they were designed for kids not for serious players.

[paladin_veltron]

First off the ps3 eye can already do what natal will do. It already works with games too. I love my ps eye, mesmerize is awesome and it works so well with LBP. HOME is the right place for avatars. MS did nothing new with avatars, playstation did. Playstation said you know what lets give our PS3 customers some avatars to customize and make them look like themselves. Wait lets do it in a realistic way with beautiful 1080p display. Better yet lets give them a virtual world where they can play mini games socialize and launch into their games without leaving home. And lets reward them with virtual furniture and clothes when they play our mini games, better yet let some of the games they buy reward them when they do something in the game. Batman AA gave every home user A FREAKING BATCAVE WITH EVERYTHING IN IT PLUS TV SCREENS JUST FOR INSERTING THE DISC, A FREAKING BATCAVE. That right there tops anything any other console has done with their avatars. I get on home almost everyday because they add new things every week. Almost about 90% of everything i have on home (clothes,furniture,props) was free because i won them all playing my games and mini games. Home is better than anything out there hands down. What can you do with the 360 avatars? nothing but just watch them do nothing, oh wait my avatar has a RC warthog that circles me. Oh ya my avatar gets to fly a freaking plane through the red bull island, my avatar can play bowling and poker and golf and saucer pop and arcades and many other mini games and run around and dance and do whatever and compete in contests. Home does all this and more. And its just the beginning. Home does charge for some stuff but there are tons of stuff to win playing the mini games. I am a ZOMBIE right now tommorow who knows. Yes my zombie outfit was free because a friend invited me to his deadquarters and when i entered it gave me all the clothing to dress like a zombie, how awesome is that. Im sorry but MS did not do the right thing with their avatars. Hell whats funny is MS bashed home and said they would never go that direction, but now they are looking into doing something like home for 360 avatars. God i love my ps3.

[Wikkid666]

paladin_veltron

My Avatar can play golf, drive cars, skate board, use it in Guitar Hero 5, dance its ass off, and I can even throw the damn thing off a building... if that's just standing around doing nothing then my Avatar is bored.

[Eddie20101]

Give your avatar a kiss for me.

[kapedkrusader]

...you're avatar only does that in games which you pay $60 for, Home is free.

[TheGameFoxJTV]

the fanboy tab is the Open Zone. Please find your way to it. Everyone else would love to be able to look at the comments on a gaming website without seeing people randomly insulting things. Get a life, losers.

[OSIRUSSS]

Avatars Are a useless waste of time money and bandwith.Avatar's will not sell one 360 and the people I know, hate the damn things. So I would say MS got it damned wrong. No self respecting gamer plays dress up with virtu-dolls.