games  anime  |  toys
Destructoid is gaming news, community, videos, and sometimes love. Take the tour or jump in with Facebook:

 


MS believes Avatars are more popular than Gears of War 2? photo

According to Xbox Australia, NXE Avatars are ranking amongst the country's most popular wastes of time. Being "played" more than likes of Gears of War 2 and Grand Theft Auto IV, the Avatar Editor would rank at number four on the Xbox Live retail chart if it were a retail game. 

Perhaps it's because Australia has spent so long with neutered or banned games that it's forgotten what quality software is, but I'm struggling to rationalize the idea of Xbox Avatars getting so much "play" time in any country. I think this has more to do with Microsoft forcing you into the Editor when you create a new Xbox profile, which isn't really worth boasting about.

What do you think? Are Avatars seriously that popular, or is Microsoft beaming for no reason? Also, why are Avatars so rubbish and pointless?


Continue: More Xbox 360 stories





prev next

23 comments | showing # 1 to 23

StickFlick's Avatar
StickFlick at 07/08/2009 10:25
More popular that Gears 2?

I keep on forgetting there are avatars since I don't even pay attention to them and just jump straight into any game I want to play.

--Made the avatar once after update, never touched it since.
Havoc Fang's Avatar
Havoc Fang at 07/08/2009 10:27
...What? How? HOW?!

This implies people are SERIOUSLY spending more time making their digital counterpart wear different clothes that actually play their games?

MICROSOFT, WHY ARE YOU NOT PATCHING THIS.
glandseck's Avatar
glandseck at 07/08/2009 10:27
Yeah, I don't see them as being especially popular; they're actually pretty lame and always have a dumb grin in their face. If they could do more than just stand around with that stupid smile and occasionally point in the air so that they can barely say that they are animated, maybe they would be more interesting.
Until then, the forced menu 'play time' is the truth; If they're going to play the numbers like that, the dashboard must be the best software ever.
Chronic Logic's Avatar
Chronic Logic at 07/08/2009 10:28
How does Microsoft know that Avatars is more popular than Gears of War 2? In fact, how can they count the number of people "playing" Avatars?
Zeta Crossfire's Avatar
Zeta Crossfire at 07/08/2009 10:28
I like the avatars. I keep updating mine every few weeks. I want to make a ODST and have him wear pom poms and a cheer leader outfit. Fking win
eternalplayer2345's Avatar
eternalplayer2345 at 07/08/2009 10:34
I hear the power button the xbox would be number one if it was a retail game, same with the dashboard and hitting buttons on the controller
hoppo254's Avatar
hoppo254 at 07/08/2009 10:38
My avatar looks nothing like me , its a bald red-neck looking cowboy.

Excellent work Microsoft thats really the future
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 07/08/2009 10:46
Lies. MS isn't in with the kids, what do they know?
AgentMOO's Avatar
AgentMOO at 07/08/2009 10:48
Well, you have to go out and buy Gears of War 2, but avatars are mandated if your system is online so this is no surprise. This is an apples and oranges comparison, like all those charts that count Wii Sports as having sold a copy everytime someone picks up a Wii.
Monodi's Avatar
Monodi at 07/08/2009 10:50
Remember those days were the consoles were designed for games? Yeah.
Blasto's Avatar
Blasto at 07/08/2009 10:53
Are we talking Gears 2 versus, or campaign/horde? Because I enjoy making my avatar look retarded way more than Gears 2 versus for sure. And it gives me fewer aneurysms as well.

Seriously though, number 4? Definitely sounds like suspect data interpretation. No way is this accounting for total play time, duh.

@ Chronic: I suspect you don't have a 360, eh? It shows when you're in the avatar editor in a little box by your av on the dashboard, same as a game. And like a game, they monitor all of that data.
Mikebot 3000's Avatar
Mikebot 3000 at 07/08/2009 10:55
I prefer avatars to Gears 2 solely for the reason that Gears 2 was a heaping pile of garbage. Besides that, avatars really need their overhaul fast. The limitation of wardrobe and activity makes them dull fast.

I want the fabled "win the costume for beating the game" type of thing. Give my avatar a Big Daddy suit.
GoldenGamerXero's Avatar
GoldenGamerXero at 07/08/2009 11:09
WTF!? It's Wii Sports ALL over again.
Discarded Couch Sandwich's Avatar
Discarded Couch Sandwich at 07/08/2009 11:24
I put a trilby hat on my avatar when the update came out. That is all.
Professor Pew's Avatar
Professor Pew at 07/08/2009 12:14
It's because the 360 doesn't have any games!!!
covah's Avatar
covah at 07/08/2009 12:18
Hey microsoft, want to know why more live users use avatars more than Gears 2?

BECAUSE THEY'RE REQUIRED TO MAKE AN AVATAR

all you need to do is make it mandatory to play gears of war 2 once you sign up for Xbox live.
Zeno's Avatar
Zeno at 07/08/2009 12:54
I don't think the fact that it's required has anything to do with it. It doesn't require you to do it more than once or for any real length of time - it takes maybe ten seconds to pick a default avatar and be done with the whole mess forever, if you're so inclined.
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 07/08/2009 13:37
Food! It's what all the cool kids are cramming into their throats! Food is more popular than driving.
Dexter345's Avatar
Dexter345 at 07/08/2009 14:55
So a free application that you are forced to play at least once has been played a bunch? Whoa!
Usedtabe's Avatar
Usedtabe at 07/08/2009 15:02
Not surprising considering Gears 2 is a giant piece of shit.
Black Nexus's Avatar
Black Nexus at 07/08/2009 18:41
avatars more popular than chainsaw guns, yeah that'll be the day.
Naim Master's Avatar
Naim Master at 07/08/2009 22:10
Dammit , people are stupid .
hood_954's Avatar
hood_954 at 07/09/2009 02:47
If you took a look at our dashboard and our [joke of a] marketplace and what it has to offer, you'd play dress up with your virtual dolls too
prev next

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

 
New on Destructoid.TV play all videos

Loading
Loading Destructoid Videos



    Win this!
    Reminder: We're giving away six copies of Magnacarta 2!



    Dtoid Twitter    Got news?   tips@destructoid.com

    Reviews & Previews
    Mahjongg Artifacts 2 review
    Dragon Age: Origins review
    Lost Winds: The Winter of the Melodias review
    Osmos review
    Space Invaders Extreme 2 review
    Half-Minute Hero review
    JU-ON: The Grudge review
    Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble review
    Thexder Neo review
    Domino Rally review
    more reviews
    PS3's 256-player MAG
    Rooms The Main Building
    Skate 3
    Hudson's bringing back the Bonk
    James Cameron's Avatar
    Bomberman Battlefest
    Calling
    Bad Company 2's multiplayer
    Partying like it's 1959 in BioShock 2's multiplayer
    BioShock 2 through the eyes of Big Daddy
    more previews


    - The Dtoid Army is 49538 strong -

    Showing Cblogs with 3+ faps   show all

    Call for entries: do the wrong thing
    New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide




     Originals
    Jim Sterling: Ten 'classic' games that did not age well





















    More Destructoid Originals



     Popular now more
























    Destructoid's editorial lovefest is:
    Nick Chester
    Editor-in-Chief    		 Jim Sterling
    Reviews Editor
    Dale North
    News Editor    		 Hamza Aziz
    Community Manager
    Anthony Burch
    Features Editor    		 Rey Gutierrez
    Video editor & director
    Niero
    Founder, publisher
    Letters to the editors
    tips@destructoid.com
    Associate Editors
    Ashley Davis Jonathan Holmes
    Brad Nicholson Jonathan Ross
    Brad Rice Jordan Devore
    Chad Concelmo Matthew Razak
    Colette Bennett Tom Fronczak
    Conrad Zimmerman Topher Cantler
    Dyson Samit Sarkar
    Contributors
    Adam Dork
    Ben Perlee
    Daniel Lingen
    Joseph Leray    		 Joe Burling
    Mikey
    Will Maddock
    Stella Wong





     

     
      get involved

    register or login
    post a blog
    post a forum
    enter a contest
    contribute a news tip
    suggest a feature
    be a guest editor
    		 support

    new member's guide
    login assistance
    tech support
    report abuse
    email our editors
    read our dev blog
    nuclear crisis?
    		 keep in touch

    RSS feed
    Twitter
    Facebook
    Myspace
    Flickr
    Game nights
    Meetup+play online     		seriously

    about Destructoid
    advertising
    terms of use
    privacy policy
    jobs at MM
    buy our crap     		our network

    Tomopop
    Japanator
    Despingation?



    Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
    living the dream since March 16, 2006