Microsoft job listing says it will take Xbox avatars 'to the next level'

Microsoft plans to revamp its Xbox avatars and bring them "to the next level," according to two job listings recently posted by the company.

Notably, the job listings hint that avatars will be spread across multiple platforms, as it notes that Microsoft will soon "cross the threshold to a unified operating system and product experience." The listings, for a senior software engineer and an avatar software engineer, also say that avatars will boast "higher fidelity."

Given the specific mention of a unified operating system being home to the new avatars, it's possible that they could be revealed when Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft's Xbox unit, discusses the company's gaming plans for Windows at its Jan. 21 event.

Avatars were introduced for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console in November 2008, though they have largely been left unchanged since then. Currently, Xbox One avatars are largely relegated to profile images, whereas they previously were animated directly on the Xbox 360 dashboard and in the friends feed. Rare, which developed the original avatars, is currently working on an unannounced game and likely isn't involved in the new version of the digital personas.

Source: Microsoft Careers via Joystiq