AfterDawn: News

Microsoft to ban gun avatars from Xbox Live

Although unconfirmed by Microsoft, Epic Games community manager Will Kinsler says the software giant will begin blocking gun avatars from Xbox Live starting on January 1st.

Says Kinsler: "Heads up! Starting on Jan. 1, 2012, the Lancer and Hammerburst avatar items will no longer be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. If you've purchased the items prior to Jan. 1, you will be able to keep them. A new policy goes into effect for all gun-like avatar items on the Marketplace, so get them while they're hot." There are additional guns besides the Lancer and Hammer, and those are posted here: Neogaf.



Other weapons appear to be okay, including tanks, lightsabers, chainsaws and armored helicopters, so it is unclear where the policy sets its boundaries.

PCM speculates that the new policy is related to Kinect's ever-improving ability to map avatar movements to real-life gestures. This does not make all too much sense, however, as users who have already purchased the avatars get too keep them.

Perhaps Microsoft just needed a quick revenue boost from its Xbox Live division.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 Dec 2011 16:12

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• 5 comments

• SAW_FIEND

  ...seriously??
  

  OH YES ... THERE WILL BE BLOOD.

  27.12.2011 08:23 #1

• Jeffrey_P

  Blood from graphical guns? OOOoooo, I'm shaking in my shoes.
  Is this really news worthy?
  
  Jeff

  27.12.2011 11:51 #2

• llongtheD

  Have to agree with the author of the article on this one, microshaft is looking for a quick buck. It Doesn't really make sense to ban a gun avatar, then you can jump into a game and cut someone's head off with a chain saw.

  27.12.2011 19:02 #3

• dab0ne

  Originally posted by llongtheD: Have to agree with the author of the article on this one, microshaft is looking for a quick buck. It Doesn't really make sense to ban a gun avatar, then you can jump into a game and cut someone's head off with a chain saw. Although you make a good point a little kid or a grandma/grandpa won't necessarily be playing the violent game you speak of but they can still see your avatar while playing a more kiddy game. However I can still hop on a kiddie game with a Unicorn avatar and call they little kid and his grandparents a no good C@#* S@*&$%ing dirty M*&%@$ F&@^%!... Which still defeats the purpose of "Family Appeal".
  
  This is dumb and pointless especially since people who already have the avatars can keep them.
  

  28.12.2011 09:21 #4

• Zoo_Look

  And of course, guns spread more carnage then tanks and attack helicopters...
  

  29.12.2011 23:03 #5