14 DAY TRIAL // So, Microsoft is getting Avatars, which are just like Miis for the Nintendo Wii, only that they are destined to be used by Xbox Live users. In other words, Microsoft saw a nice concept that someone else created and decided to clone it and offer it as a great novelty to its users. They seem to have a lot of experience in doing that.
John Schappert, who is one of the corporate vice presidents at Microsoft, recently talked about how the idea would actually be implemented on the console and also addressed the problem of the new addition being monetized by the company.
He said that the idea of Avatars was born when the developers decided that the players needed a simple and intuitive way of creating a representation of themselves. He explained that "avatars are a logical extension to give us countless ways to personalize our own styles". He also pointed out that the Avatar would be differentiated from the Mii by the fact that "it's not too cutesy. It's in the middle. It dresses up the core first-person shooter, who can be edgy. And the more casual player can dress up to look friendly", although the developers looked at how the Miis were integrated with Nintendo Wii games as a source of inspiration. Microsoft is not aiming at integrating Avatars directly in most videogames, but they believe that the Avatars will greatly enhance the social possibilities of the consoles.
The downside to Avatars will be that Microsoft will move quickly to monetize the system. Schappert stated that, as soon as autumn, Xbox 360 users would see "a great library of accessories" while micro transactions would be introduced in the future. Basic customization of the Avatars will most probably remain free while more complex options will require players to pay up.