Rare: Avatars have "changed the face of Xbox"

Rare's head of animation, Louise Ridgeway, has claimed that the New Xbox Experience - specifically the avatars - have "changed the face" of Microsoft's gaming platform.

Speaking to VG247 at Develop this week she played up the impact that the characters - designed by Rare - have had on the accessibility of the console.

"I really think that we've kind of changed the face of the Xbox," she said. "It's gone from something that was always perceived as a hardcore gamer's console.

"I mean, I really like games. I like Resident Evil, I like Street Fighter, I like the typical boys games, but when I boot up the Xbox 360 and my daughter gets on there to play Street Fighter - she’s really good as Ken - I’m feel really proud of the fact that she can join in.

"It's just that little bit more inviting, you know, and I think it broadens it to a whole new demographic of people. It's a really great console, and there's so many great things on it to play that everybody should be involved," she added.

Rare, part of Microsoft Game Studios, is now being overseen by Lionhead founder Peter Molyneux as part of the latter's promotion announced at E3.