Xbox Avatars will be discontinued, but Microsoft will offer refunds

Microsoft first launched Xbox Avatars in 2008, and in 2019, the company released a modernized version of the feature for Xbox One and Windows 10.

In a support document published on its website, Microsoft announced that it would begin sunsetting Xbox Avatars, with the feature being removed from Xbox consoles and Windows 10 on January 9, 2025.

The company discontinued the feature due to “low engagement.” According to the support document, Microsoft will automatically issue refunds to players who made purchases from the Avatar Store between November 1, 2023, and January 9, 2025.

According to Microsoft, customers can expect refunds within the first few months of 2025.

All Xbox Avatar purchases from November 1, 2023, through January 9, 2025, will be refunded to your valid payment instrument after the Xbox Avatar Editor app is no longer available. You can check your purchase and refund history here:

Refunds will cover a range of Avatar Store purchases, including clothing, accessories, props, and more. The exception is Avatar Store items that were part of a bundle, in which case Microsoft says it cannot issue refunds for the entire bundle.

Microsoft says players can continue to personalize their gaming experiences through other means. The company plans to introduce new features over time, including the ability to change a player’s background and profile color on Xbox consoles.

Microsoft’s original Xbox 360-era Avatars aren’t affected by the changes. Even after the modernized Avatars are removed from Xbox consoles and Windows 10, players can still use their old Avatars and the original Avatar Editor app to create new ones.

Microsoft will also continue to support the Xbox Original Avatars app on Xbox consoles and Windows 10 for the foreseeable future.

In other news, the company has recently launched the AI-powered Support Virtual Agent, designed to help Xbox users resolve their support-related issues more efficiently.