Possible pictures of new NXE features emerge
by Richard Mitchell 
{ Jul 8th 2009 at 5:15PM } 
GameCinema HD is hosting some images of what could be some of the new Xbox 360 features announced at E3. In the screen above, you can see sections for both the Avatar Marketplace as well as a space for Avatar Awards. Other shots show off these areas themselves, though they are understandably empty right now. The screens also include new Xbox Live Marketplace entries for Games on Demand and Indie Games (no shots of the inside of either of these areas, unfortunately).
We find it a bit strange that someone willing to leak images of the new features would fail to edit out their own gamertag, though -- you'll notice it's in the upper left corner, clear as crystal. A quick check reveals that there is no Hobbtao gamertag listed on Xbox Live, which could mean a couple of things. One, these images are from an Xbox 360 dev kit, meaning Mr. Hobbtao is probably in violation of a Microsoft NDA. Two, the images are fakes.
Regardless, we're talking about menus here, which aren't nearly as exciting as what they contain.
[Via VG247]
We find it a bit strange that someone willing to leak images of the new features would fail to edit out their own gamertag, though -- you'll notice it's in the upper left corner, clear as crystal. A quick check reveals that there is no Hobbtao gamertag listed on Xbox Live, which could mean a couple of things. One, these images are from an Xbox 360 dev kit, meaning Mr. Hobbtao is probably in violation of a Microsoft NDA. Two, the images are fakes.
Regardless, we're talking about menus here, which aren't nearly as exciting as what they contain.
[Via VG247]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Captain Planet @ Jul 8th 2009 5:21PM
Not a fan of the Avatars but at least there's more variety with my XBL avatar than there is my Mii.
dynnnbag @ Jul 8th 2009 9:36PM
Uh, i disagree
Premature ejaculation man @ Jul 8th 2009 9:54PM
Yeah. Sure Avatars have clothes. But where Mii's have a one up is customisation in the sense you can chanbge so many aspects rather than having predefined only.
The amount of awesome Mii faces is huge and humuours. The customisation of Avatar is unfortunately lacking :(
Caveman @ Jul 8th 2009 5:22PM
The Games on Demand sounds like a cool idea. Can't wait to find out more information on that.
CzAr @ Jul 9th 2009 1:04AM
Can't wait to see how fast a 20gb HDD fills up. Or the force to buy overpriced Microsoft HDDs..
Prox @ Jul 9th 2009 10:28AM
I have no interest in Games on Demand unless a game that would be $60 at retail is priced around $40.
Digital copies < Physical copies
Caveman @ Jul 9th 2009 10:47PM
I have the 120GB drive so it's no problem for me.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 8th 2009 5:24PM
"Regardless, we're talking about menus here, which aren't nearly as exciting as what they contain"
Eh, not necessarily true. If this "leak" said the dashboard was blazing fast now I'd personally be thrilled.
whylekat @ Jul 8th 2009 5:24PM
Ugh "avatar marketplace" !! Clothes for these dumb characters should be FREE or Reward Based!!! Please no one pay .99 cents for a lame jacket for your even lamer avatar!!
It's only gonna get worse from here... =/
Captain Planet @ Jul 8th 2009 5:28PM
No, it got worse 3 years ago when we got charged $2.50 for "horse armor".
Peter Moore @ Jul 8th 2009 5:29PM
Well, to be fair, they have been adding free clothes for awhile now.
Not that it really matters... been wearing the same shirt since NXE launch.
whylekat @ Jul 8th 2009 5:33PM
True horse armor was out of line. Especially when they DOUBLED the price on April fools..
And the amount/quality of avatar clothes released so far is laughable! Majority of my friend's avatars are all wearing the same things.
Caveman @ Jul 8th 2009 5:37PM
They are reward based.
That's why Avatar Awards is hyperlinked.
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/27/microsoft-beta-testing-avatar-awards/
whylekat @ Jul 8th 2009 5:40PM
I know they are reward based. I said they should be ONLY free or reward based.
Say NO to micro-transations!
Sphenster @ Jul 8th 2009 5:55PM
I feel bad for you console gamers, I really do.
Sure, you could buy the horse armor on the PC too, but why would you when theres so many awesome Oblivion mods...
Rein @ Jul 8th 2009 6:08PM
I don't know about you, but my avatar is fabulous...
Thatoneguy64 @ Jul 8th 2009 6:25PM
What? .99 cents is a steal, man! Less than a penny for Avatar clothes? Although I don't exactly know what that translates to in Microsoft Points.
whylekat @ Jul 8th 2009 6:45PM
haha Dude you know what I meant =P
TwEE @ Jul 8th 2009 8:36PM
"I feel bad for you console gamers, I really do." Just as Im sure "real" console gamers feel bad for Pc gamers.
The Dark Wayne @ Jul 8th 2009 9:48PM
If they were actually only a .99 that wouldnt be bad, only thing is some earlier leaked screens showed like 370 points for a t shirt
whylekat @ Jul 8th 2009 9:51PM
Ugh that's even worse, Wayne! That means you can buy a TV show for LESS than a stupid article of clothing!
Prox @ Jul 9th 2009 10:30AM
Well, you can RENT a TV show for less.
SL33P4H ISIIKIz @ Jul 8th 2009 5:30PM
If I could make a game today it would be
Call Of Duty Avatar World War 3
Imagine your avatar in second chance, or with a newb tube :)
whylekat @ Jul 8th 2009 5:35PM
No can do, one of the rules for createing avatar based games is they cannot be shown doing anything violent. =/
djbuhhda @ Jul 8th 2009 5:31PM
i think i'll only buy clothes and such when i have left over points from other purchases, or at least if i Really NEED a shirt.
whylekat @ Jul 8th 2009 5:37PM
Ugh noooo don't ever buy them !! Then they'll just make more crap to sell and it'll get worse and worse !
Demand free avatar clothes!
PollockRoc @ Jul 8th 2009 8:14PM
Why do you think they make it so none of the point amounts you can purchase are divisible by the price of the items you can spend them on. So you HAVE left over points that buy nothing but this useless crap.
Also, when would your avatar ever NEED a new shirt?
Hyams @ Jul 8th 2009 5:32PM
Want to see an Avatar's menu? BAM, there it is.
(There, now no one else has to say it.)
Girugamuk (Moptimus Slimed) @ Jul 8th 2009 5:52PM
Ever wonder what someone defying your post looks like? Well BAM! Here it is
Hyams @ Jul 8th 2009 6:01PM
It's beautiful.
Paul @ Jul 8th 2009 5:58PM
hmmm here is something achievement whores might like....
http://www.gamecinemahd.com/game/gchd_exclusives/images/489148/
shows all of your games that are 100% on the very first slide of the achievements section.......
WREturns @ Jul 8th 2009 5:58PM
Give me an eye patch and I'm good.
The Dark Wayne @ Jul 8th 2009 9:49PM
ill wait for the Arkham Asylum achievements Batsuit thank you
Drauglim @ Jul 8th 2009 6:07PM
Couldn't Hobbtao just be an extra account?
Spliffdizzle @ Jul 8th 2009 6:53PM
Yeah, I would assume Hobbtao would just be a local gamertag on the machine the image was snapped, not and XBL Gold or Silver gamertag.
Rhamsey @ Jul 8th 2009 6:20PM
nothing really new that we dont know is already coming.
Shagittarius @ Jul 8th 2009 6:30PM
It needs a "Change my Sexual Orientation" that causes the avatar's stance to change.
sc00by_y00 @ Jul 8th 2009 9:27PM
I watched one of my friends tarting up his avatar on the 360, did they purposefully make all of them gay ? Is that an inside joke from bungie or whoever designed these avatars.. oooh big boy look atth youu ooooh (say it with a very gay lisp. I was sitting there laughing hard watching the avatar move around..
They should definately include the 70s handle moustaches and some torn leather gear, shit add in the whole of the ymca uniforms..
That way in the 1 vs 100 show you can get some freaky shit going on..
Smoke_me_a_Kipper @ Jul 9th 2009 7:55AM
Not to mention all the goth/emo-make-me-a-twilight-vampire crap.
Ryan @ Jul 8th 2009 6:39PM
Maybe they just photoshopped the name?
wyerock @ Jul 8th 2009 6:51PM
You can create an avatar on a local account. It doesn't have to be Silver or Gold.
K1LLER HORNET @ Jul 8th 2009 8:21PM
a gamertag called Hobbtao does not exist,
probably meaning that it is just a spare account not connect to Live.
Jcarpio @ Jul 8th 2009 8:23PM
unfortunately, we have the PSN crowd to blame for the avatar marketplace. They kept buying clothes for their Home characters and MS saw a market to expand to.
or they could of been planning it all along. I'll just blame Home. =)
j.howlett @ Jul 8th 2009 10:27PM
i blame gamer pics
TwEE @ Jul 8th 2009 8:39PM
Theres no way to have multiple avatars like miis so they should add the feature to save and name any changes to your avatars face and body size, like they do with the outfits. I only mention this because I like to dress mine up as various ghouls and weirdos and this would help me out.
The Dark Wayne @ Jul 8th 2009 9:50PM
Biggen1103 from here is on my friends list and he's constantly changing his, for awhile it was Conan Obrien,which was my favorite of his celebrity avatar impersonations. I think he might be Michael Jackson now
RedSonRising @ Jul 9th 2009 8:25AM
i have the best dressed avatar on xbox live, that ive seen. she's been lois lane, michael jackson, mirror's edge faith, blair butler, olivia munn, eva longoria, marilyn monroe..
most of the time its obvious, i usually delete the ones that dont work in a day.. i usually relax for a 1/2hr or so in party chats at some point.. helps kill time..
http://avatar.xboxlive.com/avatar/Red%20Son%20Rising/avatarpic-l.png
MJ tribute gamerpic, Long live the King..
hammerclawpc @ Jul 8th 2009 10:31PM
Since Xbox Live's targeted demographic is now children, I couldn't care less. The CONCEPT of avatars is OK; the fact that they look like they were designed by the BRADY BUNCH, isn't.
LuiginDaisy @ Jul 8th 2009 10:48PM
If I don't buy all the Halo clothes, I can't hang out with the cool kids and their bullet-proof horse armor.
xtremeholymuffin @ Jul 8th 2009 10:59PM
YES!
Now I can make my token black avatar even more stereotypical!