Microsoft: NXE Avatar clothing updates will be free ... for now
by Randy Nelson 
{ Nov 21st 2008 at 3:30PM }
We've known for some time that Microsoft has been planning additional clothing and accessories to differentiate (and bizarre-ify) your New Xbox Experience Avatar. In fact, on Wednesday, MS announced that new Avatar content will be rolled out biweekly for six months. Today we know that, at least for now, it will be free.
Germany's Xbox product manager, Boris Schneider-Johne, told dreisechzig.net that the early offerings will be free of charge. After that? "What's going to happen as of spring is yet to be announced," he said. We do know that for-pay and sponsored Avatar goodies are definitely on Microsoft's mind, as evidenced in remarks made by Xbox Live chief John Schappert in August.
Germany's Xbox product manager, Boris Schneider-Johne, told dreisechzig.net that the early offerings will be free of charge. After that? "What's going to happen as of spring is yet to be announced," he said. We do know that for-pay and sponsored Avatar goodies are definitely on Microsoft's mind, as evidenced in remarks made by Xbox Live chief John Schappert in August.
[Via X3F]
Curious about the New Xbox Experience? Check out our ridiculously informative nine-video feature, covering everything from Avatar creation, Netflix integration, and the 8-player party system to installing games to the hard drive, the new Marketplace, the Blade-like "Guide" interface, and more!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
FSK405K @ Nov 21st 2008 3:33PM
So that means they'll add at least a couple items of clothing that actually look like what I wear? Not more of this too-tight, Wii-looking clothing? And where are some sandals, for shame?
AoE @ Nov 21st 2008 3:43PM
yes, sandals and bare feet too would be appreciated! Not all of us rock shoes or sneakers
SlimPickinz96 @ Nov 21st 2008 4:20PM
@ AoE
Chad Kroeger is that you?! zomg! Nickelback rocks. Check out all the fan messages left to you guys on the post Joystiq put up today.
;)
aMac @ Nov 21st 2008 4:20PM
Goddamn hippies
AoE @ Nov 21st 2008 4:26PM
@aMac,
Nah I am a hardcore capitalist my friend, sandals are just the thing to wear here in Santa Monica! Bare feets for the beach and around the pad.
sk8monroe81 @ Nov 21st 2008 4:47PM
at amac-
lol.. yeah when its 70- 85 degrees in los angeles during the end of november and other parts of the country have already experienced blizzards and snow,
sandals are really just another pair of shoes around here.
+ they are more comfortable and allow the feet to breathe.
SlimPickinz96 @ Nov 21st 2008 3:34PM
Umm?
YES!
*Pumps fist...
for now*
Kye - Capcom DF @ Nov 21st 2008 6:36PM
Bi-monthly?
Once every two months or twice a month?
Before anyone gets anal, it DOES mean both ways.
gweazel619 @ Nov 21st 2008 3:35PM
Hopefully the choices get a little more interesting. We also should have the ability to change the color of any item of clothing we have.
Ghen @ Nov 21st 2008 4:44PM
Seriously. I wear a red band around my wrist in memory of my dad. Its nice that they offer a blue one in game, but why just blue? That's gotta be the easiest item to offer 10+ colors on..
As for pay vs free: they better offer as much choice as miis do for individuality before they start charging for more.
Cal @ Nov 21st 2008 6:09PM
Changing colours of clothing is something so obvious that it being missing is a pretty good sign that MS are going to try and charge people to get clothes in a vaguely sensible colour...
WiredKnight @ Nov 22nd 2008 3:59AM
You should be able choose any color for your hair as well.
I can't believe that MS would try to cater to a larger audience and forget that a lot of people (especially gamers) like to dye their hair.
Myth84 @ Nov 21st 2008 3:36PM
Just give me a shirt, shorts, and pants where I can choose the color...that's all I ask.
Cal @ Nov 21st 2008 10:10PM
That'll be 1600MS points, please.
Eric @ Nov 21st 2008 3:36PM
Well that is a surprise.
copa @ Nov 21st 2008 3:39PM
This is useful. The avatars are kind of cool when you are assembling a party, although it gets old real fast when you and three of your buddies are all wearing the same outfit.
As for the other NXE annoyance, is there any way to get the dashboard to boot into the 'My XBox' channel instead of the 'Showcase' channel?
Showcase is completely useless to me 99% of the time, and being forced to navigate out of it every time I boot is a pain. It's like an interstitial web ad, except there's no AdBlock.
xFenixKnightx @ Nov 21st 2008 3:51PM
Yeah, as stupid as this sounds my buddies and I were arguing over who gets to were the Rocker T and the Jersey. lol
DBoyFlex @ Nov 21st 2008 3:54PM
YES! My beef too. I want to boot up to My xbox, not the spotlight channel. Amen brother. I have looked through everything and have not found a way to do so. Maybe a future update will allow startup channel. I think they should add more channels, too. I think the wii had a weather channel, and others. How cool would it be to have your theme change depending on the outdoor conditions and time of day? Same with avatar clothing. Have a night outfit, day outfit, bad weather outfit.. etc. That could be cool. Don't see that ever happening though.
SaltyGary @ Nov 21st 2008 3:54PM
The guide not going to "my xbox" is my only gripe with nxe. everything esle is real slick.
StrangeBum @ Nov 21st 2008 4:04PM
I would have to also agree with what was said. Although I do keep my live account password protected so it technically jumps to the My Xbox channel first. Though as soon as I login, it jumps me right down the Spotlight
Otherwise, I'm really pleased with the nxe as a whole. Netflix is pretty great stuff and I know they aren't for everyone, but I really dig my Avatar. Looks just like me.
Marty @ Nov 21st 2008 5:22PM
"Showcase is completely useless to me 99% of the time, and being forced to navigate out of it every time I boot is a pain."
I agree that we should be able to set defaults (or at least have the option to set the My Xbox tab be the default), but it's not really a pain to navigate away from. Just press up or down on the joystick, or hit the shoulder buttons. Painless.
Obie @ Nov 21st 2008 6:06PM
The Spotlight channel is awful, getting hit with ads the moment I start my Xbox is very annoying. Imagine starting iTunes and getting pestered with new music ads.
Even worse, I live outside the US, so I don't have access to any of the video marketplace, so why the hell do I have to look at it?
The new dash is a step in the right direction, but we should still push MS to let us get rid of stuff we don't want.
Oh and why do I have to scroll past the marketplace tabs to get to my damn friends???
343 Guilty Fart @ Nov 21st 2008 6:41PM
Yeah, I don't even understand why we have both a Spotlight channel AND a Inside Xbox channel. It would at least eliminate ad clutter if they could consolidate the two.
iFester @ Nov 21st 2008 3:41PM
Soon Microsoft will be incorporating the "Free for a Fee" DLC policy. They'll charge you a one-up price for an "all you can wear" buffet. :D
Sure hope they aren't watching.
Dirty @ Nov 21st 2008 4:40PM
Its called a gold account.
Scfyi @ Nov 21st 2008 3:41PM
Are female gamers going to be allowed to buy a new set of boobies, currently the female avatars look like my 14 year sister.
xFenixKnightx @ Nov 21st 2008 3:48PM
Yes, this also concerns me.
StrangeBum @ Nov 21st 2008 4:05PM
This is relevant to my interests.
Hala Madrid!! (THE BIRD IS THE WORD!!) @ Nov 21st 2008 4:13PM
Yeah, so we have something to look at while playing with them.
edgore @ Nov 21st 2008 4:22PM
"currently the female avatars look like my 14 year sister."
And how is your older sister doing?
samfish @ Nov 21st 2008 5:09PM
I TRIED to make nakedPeach, I really did...but...it was just too limited :(
Zertoss @ Nov 21st 2008 5:14PM
You too, samfish?
FSK405K @ Nov 21st 2008 3:41PM
New idea: use the xbox live camera, whatever it's called, to add whatever image you want to the clothing your avatar is wearing! I'd spend 100 MS points to do that.
copa @ Nov 21st 2008 3:55PM
Yes, what could possibly go wrong?
squeevi @ Nov 21st 2008 4:21PM
Excessive use of genitalia to adorn clothing will prevent this from ever happening. Just saying.
SlimPickinz96 @ Nov 21st 2008 4:25PM
Roffel
Nothing screams macho like a penis on your T Shirt...
:P
FSK405K @ Nov 21st 2008 5:13PM
You can use the camera to set your gamerpic, so it's not much to ask.
Shagittarius @ Nov 21st 2008 3:45PM
How about some downloadable man-hips?
squeevi @ Nov 21st 2008 4:26PM
I vote for this too. I hate looking at a version of myself that looks too curvy. The way every Avatar stands with their weight shifted to one side doesn't help matters either. Really, who stands like that??
Dirty @ Nov 21st 2008 4:40PM
I think man shoulders would help
Obie @ Nov 21st 2008 6:17PM
Screw that, they need some Moobs!
zuburi @ Nov 21st 2008 8:25PM
Pot tits
xFenixKnightx @ Nov 21st 2008 3:49PM
Or pectoral muscles...
Dirty @ Nov 21st 2008 4:41PM
... and a cod piece.
xFenixKnightx @ Nov 21st 2008 4:49PM
Oh but of course, a cod piece is KEY!!! Some firm buttocks are also welcome.
Katt Lee @ Nov 21st 2008 5:16PM
Bah, beaten to the chase with the codpiece. I suppose that’s what I get for going spellcheck and editing crazy on my comment.
Dirty @ Nov 21st 2008 5:52PM
Spell check is for loosers.
Kizzle @ Nov 21st 2008 3:50PM
Nice to see we'll get at least some free stuff. About a week before it went public, NXE had a lot more stuff available for avatars and it was yanked before release. No idea why, but I bet at least some of that stuff is the "free" content we'll be seeing.
Haon @ Nov 21st 2008 3:50PM
I hope they will attach a few of them to achievements instead of paying. It would at last make achievements worth something.
squeevi @ Nov 21st 2008 4:27PM
That is a great idea. +1