For those who fondly remember Xbox Avatars, it might come as a surprise that they haven’t been in the spotlight for quite some time. Conversations around them have dwindled, and with that quiet shift, Microsoft has now revealed that it’s phasing out the Xbox Avatar Editor.
Mark January 9th, 2025, on your calendar because that’s when this particular app, which showcases the current Avatar style you can see above, will cease to exist. Once that day arrives, any Avatars birthed from this app will vanish as well, taking any purchased items along with them.
So, why this decision? According to Microsoft, "low engagement with the program" is the culprit. This change allows Team Xbox to dedicate their energy towards creating "other player experiences." If you bought Avatar items after November 1st, 2023, look forward to an automatic refund post-January when the Avatar Editor app is retired.
Avatars won’t disappear entirely, though. It might sound a bit confusing, but the Xbox Original Avatars app isn’t going anywhere. This original version, first introduced in 2008, remains alive and well on the Xbox 360 and in games like Doritos Crash Course. It’s here to stay, at least for now.
So, what does this mean for you? Essentially, it’s only the modern generation of Xbox Avatars that are bidding adieu next year. Not much can be done about it, but if you’ve enjoyed showing off your Avatar as your gamerpic, now’s the perfect moment to capture its essence. Just head to your profile, select "change gamerpic," snap a shot, and preserve it for posterity.
For a visual comparison, here are shots of both the soon-to-be-phased-out Xbox Avatar Editor app and the Xbox Original Avatars app:
Microsoft, in a reassuring statement, emphasized their commitment to offering exciting experiences for players and a variety of personalization tools. From dynamic backgrounds to customizing Xbox Original Avatars, profile themes, and gamerpics, there’s no shortage of ways to tailor your Xbox experience. Plus, a nifty new feature recently rolled out lets you craft gamerpics from achievement art or screenshots, with the ability to zoom and crop images for your console’s home background.
What do you make of these updates to Xbox Avatars? We’re eager to hear your thoughts in the comments section.
Fraser Gilbert, serving as the News Editor at Pure Xbox, keeps his finger on the pulse of the most significant happenings in the Xbox universe and beyond.
