Product Mini Profile Xbox 360 in: Xbox 360 links » user reviews faqs/guides

Most Xbox 360 gamers appear to have taken to the NXE, or New Xbox Experience, for those who aren't in the know.  Hey, don't laugh.  There are gamers out there who just don't know their acronyms.

When Microsoft first launched NXE, I was plenty excited, like many of you.  The new look was disorienting but aesthetically pleasing, a sleek improvement over the previous version if only in a visual sense.  While some poked fun at the Avatars for looking like more attractive Miis from the Nintendo Wii, most of us were able to look past the vague resemblance, diving right into customising our little digital representations.

Following its November launch, we saw a few lag issues and a sad selection of options for our Avatars, but Microsoft left users a note explaining that the customisation would expand over time via free updates every few weeks.  This was to go on for several months, at which point they'll begin charging for the extra Avatar content.

It's January and nearly two months since the launch of NXE, which technically isn't a very long time.  Yet the updates come slowly, and I sometimes wonder if Microsoft hired monkeys to design the Avatars' apparel -- if they hired anyone at all.  Needless to say, I have a female Avatar, and the selection we have is quite dismal.  I've browsed the male clothing too, and while a few of the upper body options are quite nice (a great deal cooler than the female inventory), options are still lacking in number.

I'm not one to complain about free stuff, but at least from a female gamer's perspective, I find myself wondering following each update whether Microsoft has a firm grasp on their demographic.  Perhaps that's the trouble of attempting to hook a wider user base, consisting of both the casual and hardcore (and everything in between).  An example would be their holiday update, which one might expect to see Santa outfits or other festive clothing.  What we got, however, was rave oufits.  Now I'm not an expert on clubbing, but I'm certain even drugged out ravers have a better fashion sense than whoever came up with the Avatar party accessories.

Really?

Microsoft's aim to attract more than just the pretentious and hardcore may have placed the company in an unique position.  There's no doubt that the NXE and Avatars are a very real attempt at bringing in the casual crowd, much like Sony's PlayStation Home.  Yet something like this has such a broad appeal that even the Halo-heads and Gears-addicts may find something they like.  Sifting through the men's selection, I came across t-shirts, polo shirts, preppy jackets (including sporting a vaguely Porche-like insignia), sports jersies, "baller" bling, Hot Topic reject-wear, and so on.  For females, we pretty much have shirts, a few brightly colored jackets, maybe a tank top, and a few pieces with questionable patterns that remind us of our grandmother's vinyl tablecloth.  Gee, thanks, Microsoft.

The full body outfits aren't exactly bursting with good taste either.

Hopeful fans are hoping Microsoft's discomfort with charging for Avatar content will mean continuous free updates even after the start of this next fiscal year, with the occasional special costume or third party item that would warrant a fee.  If that does prove to be the case, this becomes nothing more than a waiting game, a test of patience for those of us who feel inexplicably drawn to pimping out our digital clones.

I wouldn't mind a few more improvements made to the Avatar system though.  Instead of creating such a huge gap between the male and female Avatars, Microsoft should also consider releasing corresponding outfits; guys have a sports jersey, so why can't girls wear one too?  The male clothing selection also includes a little something for your inner angst-bucket -- you know, that I'm-so-tortured look.  I've seen plenty of goth chicks, so why can't our Avatars be hardcore emo too?

Oh, and palette swapping the clothes and accessories seems like a nice feature most users would appreciate.