Avatar Kinect: Get Cosy With Your Virtual Xbox Live Friends

Your Xbox Live avatar leads a lonely existence. Or did, anyway, before Avatar Kinect came along. Microsoft’s got a new way for your virtual self play nice with others, and it looks looks like quite a party.

We knew Avatar Kinect was en route, but the details are even more impressive than the speculation. Avatar Kinect not only puts your avatar in a virtual conference-type of room with those of your friends, it tracks your facial expressions for an eerily realistic chat experience.

It’ll be available this spring for free – free! – to Xbox Live Gold members.