If an official forum posting from Epic Games’ Community Manager Will Kinsler (under the username “Raczilla”) is accurate, Microsoft will be celebrating the New Year by removing all firearm avatar accessories from its Xbox Live Marketplace. Kinsler confirmed that the Lancer and Hammerburst items from Gears of War will no longer be available as of January 1st, but only hints at a larger policy regarding all “gun-like” avatar items. Whether this includes all digital arms (including military vehicles and other accoutrement) or merely the more realistic looking guns, is yet to be determined.
“Heads up! Starting on Jan. 1, 2012, the Lancer and Hammerburst avatar items will no longer be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace.” read Kinsler’s post on Epic’s forums, “If you’ve purchased the items prior to Jan. 1, you will be able to keep them. A new policy goes into effect for all gun-like avatar items on the Marketplace, so get them while they’re hot.”
(via Game Trailers’ Side Mission)
Think a Marketplace-wide ban on all avatar firearms is likely, EGs? What do you think Microsoft’s reasoning behind the removal could be? Comment below!