Kinect Means A New Look For Xbox 360 Avatars

Rare senior programmer Nick Burton recently told Official UK Xbox Magazine that Xbox 360 users can expect to see a new version of avatars coming with the launch of Kinect this November. Burton has nicknamed the update "Avatar 2.0", saying that they will take on a slightly more realistic appearance. The reason for the new realistic look apparently is due to difficulties players of pre-release versions of Kinect have had with hand-eye coordination when using the device with the current Avatars, which have cartoon-like proportions. The details of this breakdown were not explained by Burton, nor were any details or examples of this look shared. Avatars were launched in 2008 as a part of the system's "New Xbox Experience" dashboard redesign and have offered gamers the opportunity to customize their online identity, as well as purchase accessories such as clothing. Launch titles Kinect Adventures, which comes as a pack-in with the Kinect priced at $149, and Kinect Sports both make use of Avatars in-game.