http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/54032
The Xbox 360 avatars aimed to debut in the upcoming fall dashboard update will be restricted for use only in titles rated E10+ and lower by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, Microsoft has revealed.
Speaking at Microsoft's GameFest event in Seattle, Xbox Live general manager Eric Kilgore explained that while the Avatars—Microsoft's answer to Nintendo's Miis—are currently planned only to be allowed for use in titles rated E10+ and lower, that restriction may change in the future.
"We are still developing the final policies," Kilgore stated, as reported by Develop. "The final guide we have this year is to think of them in an 'E10' context. That doesn't mean it won't change—but this Fall they won't be able to blow each other's heads off."
Kilgore further noted that the company is currently exploring various implementations of the avatar data, and noted that the avatars can be incorporated as full 3D models or simple 2D images in realms beyond the Xbox dashboard such as websites, forum profiles and Facebook.
"We think it's really important that these things can scale between in game and out of game, and how we can use them on the web," Kilgore stated.
The avatars will launch alongside an entirely revised Xbox 360 interface as part of a downloadable system update this fall.
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It seems like Microsoft is taking a page out of Nintendo's book by not letting your Mii Toos get maimed on screen. Pity, because there are some people that I would really enjoy watching get crushed by a giant alien. Oh, and the first comment killed me.
