Xbox quietly shutting down seriously underrated app for good

Microsoft has just announced that it will be closing down one of its Xbox-related apps in January, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to the five people who actually use it.

Shout out in advance to Fraser Gilbert over at Pure Xbox, who was the first person to detail the announcement.

The Xbox Avatar Editor app will be closing down on January 9th 2025, as revealed by Microsoft.

The announcement was quietly hidden away in an update to the “Xbox Avatar Editor app FAQ” support page on the official Microsoft website.

“Starting on January 9, 2025, the Xbox Avatar Editor app will no longer be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows devices,” states the top line of the FAQ.

So, why are they closing it? Take a wild guess. Here’s the official explanation on their FAQ page.

“Microsoft is dedicated to delivering great experiences for players including a variety of options to personalize their gaming experience with Xbox. Due to low engagement and our shift in focus towards delivering other player experiences, the Xbox Avatar Editor app will no longer be available starting on January 9, 2025.”

On the plus side, if you’re reading this and feeling hard done by because you just spent a load of money on the app then don’t stress.

Microsoft has assured players that “All Xbox Avatar purchases from November 1, 2023, through January 9, 2025, will be refunded to your valid payment instrument after the Xbox Avatar Editor app is no longer available.”

Considering the majority of comments I’ve read through regarding the app’s closure are from people who had no idea it even existed, Microsoft’s decision to close the app makes a lot of sense.

Still, people who actually did use the Xbox Avatar Editor app reported that it was simple and fun to use, so I’m sure there’s a decent chunk of people out there who are disappointed.

Man, we are never getting Doritos Crash Course 3 are we?