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E3 09: In-game rewardables, Avatar Marketplace revealed photo

Think your little Xbox 360 avatar men/women thingies don't have enough character? Microsoft hopes to remedy that soon. 

Following their media briefing today, Microsoft confirmed that they're now allowing the ability for games to unlock and/or provide items for your Xbox 360 avatars. They're being called "in-game rewardables." This won't simply be shirts or new pants, either. Things like full costumes (like the above Halo: ODST costume, for instance) as well as "props" (like cheerleader pom poms or a Warthog radio-controlled car). 

Additionally, since Microsoft thinks you love dressing up your avatars so much, they're planning to give you the option to purchase new clothing, accessories, costumes from an Avatar Marketplace. The marketplace will give you more options for you Avatars, including real-world brands as well as game-related items. 

Microsoft is very clear that the free items -- like the ones they been offering -- will continue to be available, but it appears that many of the items will be price. (An example in the demo we saw, a Halo t-shirt, was marked at 80 MS Points.)

So what do you think? You ready to purchase some items, or will the in-game rewardables be enough for you? Do you think these options will give your avatars more character? 

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32 comments | showing # 1 to 32
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Rabite's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:10
Rabite
Fuck avatars.
aaronf's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:12
aaronf
Meh.
Bob Muir's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:13
Bob Muir
So...what they announced last year. Kind of underwhelming when they announce it two years in a row, like sharing movies on your 360 in a Live Party. I certainly won't be buying any clothes.
Shin Oni's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:15
Shin Oni
As i'm all for the increase of "avatar dress up", I don't plan to be buying any of the priced ones..unless they're really that awesome. (which I doubt.)

though I do like the game related ones that you can get via in game. At least Microsoft is pushing the avatars unlike Nintendo and Miis.
Dan CiTi's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:15
Dan CiTi
Lol avatars. I can't believe this is going so strong. They are the embodiment of everything wrong with modern gaming.
Bacchus's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:16
Bacchus
Very surprised it has taken this long for microsoft to milk that avatar cash cow.

Get ready to pay up, monkeys!
fetusmilk's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:20
fetusmilk
derpa derp, sony did it first with home, microsoftee is just copying sony dur hur hur

i hope there is a bayonetta strap-on you unlock when you beat it.
Havoc Fang's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:20
Havoc Fang
Surprise, motherfuckers!

This was expected, really. Blaming them is nothing. This was downright OBVIOUS.

Sony can't abuse their users more than MS! That doesn't work! It was time that MS fixed that up.

Still pro-360. Sony, step up a gear and save yourself now.
HarassmentPanda's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:22
HarassmentPanda
I like the idea of unlocking gear for my avatar; it has the same appeal as achievements. However, I will never pay money to dress up my avatar.
Los255's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:27
Los255
The keyword is "unlock", cause I ain't paying for SHIT.

Raiden cyborg suit? Yes please.
welkstar's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:27
welkstar
I've been waiting for unlockable Avatar clothes.

Buying them though? Fuck that noise.
Tarvu's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:28
Tarvu
Well, if they can sell a cloak of invisibility, I'm sold!
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:31
Chronic Logic
Maybe they should allow us to upload our own avatar pictures?
Polo Guy's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:32
Polo Guy
That's ridiculous, who would pay for virtual clothes? Now if they let you use your Achievement points for these obviously pointless accessories that could be reasonable, not sure I'd still get them, but it wouldn't make me lose more respect for MS in the way that Themes already do.
Discarded Couch Sandwich's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:32
Discarded Couch Sandwich
Oh dear at paying money for virtual clothes. Bugger that to hell.

Still, Home is proof that people actually will do that. Its a sad world.
Char Aznable's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:33
Char Aznable
Unlocking stuff through games should have been in from the get-go, because it seemed like such a no-brainer. But yeah, cool little bonus that has virtually no impact. No complaints here.

You should unlock a Mega Man outfit for getting all the achievements in the Mega Man 10 XBLA game that I just made up (but am desperately yearning for).
manasteel88's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:36
manasteel88
took them long enough to get the clothing achievements...now all we have to wait for is christmas before the first retail game offers it. kinda shoulda been at launch...but at least they got around to it. Since they're beating Nintendo to the show I can't wait for an achievement to win some Sonic sneakers.
LsTr Of SmG's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:40
LsTr Of SmG
I like the idea of in-game unlocks adds to the achievement aspect, but paying for the buggers? Yeah screw that.

Mind you if they did a 'Micro$oft' t-shirt I'm betting they'd be able to flog them to the mass influx of PS3 fanboys and jaded 360 owners alike! ;-)
Guagloves's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:44
Guagloves
I'm all for in game unlocks but fuck buying clothes. I would rather buy more dashboard themes that I barley look at.
SephirothX's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:46
SephirothX
I like the unlockable idea. And I like that they're at least giving people the option to buy clothes, not that I'm going to use it... but I'm glad the option is there.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:53
Holyetheline
I'd never pay for them.
PEICanada7's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:56
PEICanada7
Microsoft can go fuck themselves. When it come avatars, I'm not buying one single damn thing for it. I knew they would start charging for this stupid shit, it was only a matter of time! WTF ever happened to the whole "Velocity Girl" idea?

You know, how people we're suppose to be able to designed, and sell things on XBL Marketplace? Yeah right, that went away pretty fast didn't it? Because no casual, or none gamer is going to buy a $300 machine to make crappy virtual clothes, so Microsoft's just going to sell it to you instead!
Darren Nakamura's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:57
Darren Nakamura
I like the idea of "Rewardables," but I won't pay money for virtual clothes and accessories, ever.

Still, if getting 1000/1000 Gamerscore in a game gave a custom costume, I'd rock it. Another chance to show off the ol' e-peen.
LukienAkeela's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 15:58
LukienAkeela
Unlockables FTW. I'm not personally offended by them selling outfits. If you don't want it, don't buy it.
JLanphear's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 16:02
JLanphear
Boo. Unlockables are awesome but I disapprove of a marketplace.
AlienGuy18's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 16:31
AlienGuy18
Hopefully these will even out my otherwise unusable MS point total. After that, I'll stick with the free stuff.
Arttemis's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/01/2009 18:23
Arttemis
Never... ever. I'd be much more appreciative of achievement/unlock-only clothes that could be worn as (literal) badges and symbols of accomplishment after completing certain games/achievements.

But I'm not going to pay for my avatar to look any different. I'd rather pay 80MS points to make them all disappear from my screen and show gamerpics instead.
Aziel13's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/02/2009 01:02
Aziel13
Feck that if I buy set game I should be getting free shit from it anyways 64.64 for a game Feck that
thats crack prices
not that I would know
nebones's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/02/2009 04:02
nebones
heh
exodus1925's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/02/2009 04:49
exodus1925
If I can get the armour from Mass Effect I'm so there... so there.
zombiekiller13's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/02/2009 07:49
zombiekiller13
Unlockables are pretty cool. I don't see myself buying junk for my avatar, since it doesn't do much except stare at me when I'm waiting for the disc to be read. But hey, I'm sure there are people that will drop the cash for stuff.

Though, I'd buy stuff if it allowed me to turn my avatar into a zombie...
kepler's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/02/2009 12:25
kepler
Its all well and good giving us clothes to put on, but when will they let us take them off...?
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