Xbox One will support avatars, but Microsoft expects more 'real images'

Xbox One will support avatars like Xbox 360, but Microsoft believes that users will use more "real images" to represent themselves on the next-gen console, Ben Killgore, corporate vice president of interactive entertainment business, told EGMnow.

"Avatars are still around," Kilgore said. "Identity is a big thing for us. We believe on Xbox One, people will start to use more real images of themselves as well, but we still support Avatars."

Avatars were introduced to the Xbox 360 in 2008 alongside the New Xbox Experience. The revamped user interface also allowed players to create and customize avatars to represent their profiles. Several games, including 1 vs. 100 and Guitar Hero 5, allow players' avatars to be used in-game.

After Xbox One's unveiling yesterday, Microsoft representatives told Polygon that Xbox Live Gold accounts would work both on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One and that users will be able to chat and communicate across platforms. For more on the Xbox One, check out our StoryStream below.