Beanie guy and the panda
Xbox has “reimagined” a pair of classic Xbox 360 Gamerpics for the modern era, and I was not prepared for all the memories these images would kick up. The team dropped a set of new avatars this week, and two of them — a bubble-gum punk with a beanie and a happy panda — should look familiar. Their roots go back to the early days of Gamerpics.
Who else used the bubble gum Gamerpic? 🙋♀️🙋♂️
Upgrade your profile with some reimagined Xbox 360 Gamerpics (and a few new additions), available on your Xbox dash. pic.twitter.com/GEysvf0SoN
— Xbox (@Xbox) June 14, 2022
At the risk of strolling too far down memory lane and collapsing into a pile of dust, it’s fun to think back on the original Xbox 360 Gamerpics — which profile pic did you use?
If you aren’t a digital avatar hoarder (or if it’s simply been way too long), here’s a refresher.
Classic Gamerpics from the early Xbox 360 days
These Gamerpics were so pervasive, and I’m reeling. From the pink-haired cat girl, to the black skull with a flame backdrop, to the classic dog.jpg, these gamer pictures should be nostalgic for anyone who remembers the early blade-flipping days of Xbox 360.
As someone who has drifted away from the Xbox ecosystem in recent years, I haven’t thought about these profile pics in a long, long time, but the memories are rushing back. Xbox 360 was such a dominant force, and while I’ve largely gotten away from competitive online gaming in my 30s, I sure had some late nights with Xbox Live in the 360’s heyday.
I’m not sure if anyone will want to suddenly “upgrade” their gum-chewing guy or panda if they’ve held on after all these years, but if so, you can change your Xbox avatar in a browser over here. The reimagined classic Gamerpics should be at the top of the list.
As Reddit user ktsmith91 argues, the beanie Gamerpic “doesn’t look as douchey as it should,” which partially goes back to the types of people who used that pic back in the day. Another user, FredFredrickson, shared a gallery of their fan-made HD Xbox 360 Gamerpics. If you’re looking for something higher-res but still really faithful to the originals, there you go. It’s hard to move on from an established online look.
