Work has been underway on an overhaul of the Xbox One's Avatars system for some time now, following its first unveiling back at E3 2017. These player-designed digital characters were once a major aspect of Xbox Live and this latest revision is expected to debut a fresh new look, integrating them deeper into the console.
Updated March 14, 2018: Xbox platform Corporate Vice President, Mike Ybarra, has taken to Twitter to state the new Avatars will "ship when they're ready." Stating no firm date has been set internally, we'll have to wait for official word from Microsoft on when the feature can be expected.
After being delayed beyond their planned 2017 release, Microsoft has been committed to delivering the refresh in the coming months. A new report from The Verge now expects the next Avatar overhaul this April, with sources indicating a preview release for Xbox Insiders later this month.
First look at Microsoft's gorgeous new Xbox avatars
As previously announced by Microsoft, the upcoming Xbox Avatar overhaul will bring a variety of new customization options with increased diversity. The Verge reports that Microsoft is also looking to open an accompanying Avatar store in May, with plans for support from third-party developers too. This may also tie into the new Xbox "Career" system, featuring Avatar loot crates, that we reported on last year.
This new Avatar system can be expected as a part of the upcoming Xbox Spring Update, which also adds support for 1440p displays, FreeSync, Mixer controller sharing and much more.
