Avatar clothing to be gender-neutral in Xbox update

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June 15, 2017 | Online

Avatar clothing to be gender-neutral in Xbox update

Xbox 360 hopes an upcoming update to the system will make more people feel welcome on the popular gaming platform.

The Xbox Live Avatars program -- which allows players to create online representations of themselves -- plans to eliminate gender norms when it releases an improvement for the system this fall.

"Male" characters will be able to use "female" clothing options and styles, and "female" characters will be able to do the same with "male" clothing options.

“When we think about what we want to design, at the end of the day, avatars are meant for whatever you want your digital self to represent,” explained project manager Bryan Saftler. “We don’t want to put you in a box. There are no more checkboxes.”

“No matter what you think you look like,” Saftler added, “this whole avatar system is designed so that you can represent your best self on Xbox Live.”

Company exec Rachel Franklin said that soon “female Sims can wear sharp men’s suits like Ellen [DeGeneres] and male Sims can wear heels like Prince.”

Designer Kathryn Storm added: “Our new Avatars are built with inclusivity absolutely in mind, with more options and flexibility. We want people to feel like we have endless options to really reflect who they are.”

And the move to inclusivity won't end there, as wheel chairs, prosthetic limbs and pregnant avatars will also be available.

Well, there better be a jockstrap option or we're going to be less than impressed.