Secure your place at the Digiday Publishing Summit in Vail, March 23-25
Xbox avatars are getting a wheelchair option following suggestion from Twitter
Not everyone can claim to feel represented by their Xbox avatar, but it’s getting a whole lot closer.
Microsoft revealed that new wheelchair characters will soon be an option for Xbox Live following a user suggestion on Twitter. “Hey @XboxP3 I’m pretty serious– depending on how skeletons are done on avatars, wheelchairs might be relatively simple and the #rightthing,” someone asked.
Another fan asked if they considered started a petition, but Microsoft’s Phil Spencer jumped in and said that wasn’t necessary since the brand is already working on the option.
He tweeted this:
@goldennike11 @SeamusBlackley No petition needed, we hear you. This is something that we’ve already looked at, not far off.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) July 4, 2016
An Xbox developer even gave the fans a sneak peek at what the new players will look like:
@XboxP3 @goldennike11 @SeamusBlackley Sneak peek… pic.twitter.com/szoTUGR6ef
— ike Ybarra (@XboxQwik) July 5, 2016
The tweets drew a positive response from Xbox fans, praising the employees for including the wheelchair avatars:
@XboxQwik @XboxP3 @goldennike11 @SeamusBlackley so proud to be a @Xbox user seeing the company’s commitment to inclusion in so many ways.
— Ryan Russell (@xryanrussellx) July 5, 2016
@XboxQwik @XboxP3 @goldennike11 @SeamusBlackley The #Xbox team just does such great work.Listening to the fans.For the gamers
— ickGamesOz (@mickg1681) July 5, 2016
@XboxQwik @XboxP3 @goldennike11 @SeamusBlackley hey seriously thank you guys for this. It is very incredible that you are doing this
— Chris Valentino (@T00muchF00D) July 5, 2016
No word on when the new avatars will roll out, so to speak. Xbox is the major gaming platform to be inclusive because Playstation and Nintendo don’t offer wheelchair options on its avatars. Also, Microsoft joins a growing list of brands, like Lego and Tommy Hilfiger, in becoming inclusive to disabilities.
More in Marketing
WTF is Meta’s Manus tool?
Meta added a new agentic AI tool to its Ads Manager in February. Buyers have been cautiously probing its potential use cases.
Agencies grapple with economics of a new marketing currency: the AI token
Token costs pose questions for under-pressure agency pricing models. Are they a line item, a cost center — or an opportunity?
From Boll & Branch to Bogg, brands battle a surge of AI-driven return fraud
Retailers say fraudsters are increasingly using AI tools to generate fake damage photos, receipts and documentation to claim refunds.