Snapchat just made a move that has the social media world buzzing. After switching to 3D Bitmoji avatars back in 2023, the platform is bringing back a classic 2D style. There is a catch. The company revealed on Monday that a fresh avatar option called Comic Bitmoji will roll out to Snapchat+ subscribers in the coming days, according to Fast Company. Nearly 100,000 people signed an online petition demanding the return of the original 2D design, as reported by Fast Company, and CEO Evan Spiegel even added his signature, Engadget notes.
Why users rejected the 3D makeover
Snap pitched the 2023 switch as a major upgrade with more body types, hairstyles, and makeup looks, Engadget reports. The reaction, however, told a different story. Longtime users felt attached to the flatter, comic-book feel of 2D, according to research from Lavacow. Beyond nostalgia, the 2D style is easier to spot in a busy chat list, and some people ran into performance hiccups on older devices with the heavier 3D render, Lavacow found. The most deflating part, Screen Rant discovered, was seeing careful 2D tweaks fail to map cleanly to the 3D version. When you pour time into an avatar, losing that work stings. It is not just aesthetics, it is identity.
The technical approach behind Comic Bitmoji
Snap is not reverting to the old system. Comic Bitmoji functions as a filter on top of the existing 3D infrastructure, Engadget explains. Snap says it keeps the charm of classic avatars while preserving the benefits of today’s 3D setup, according to Engadget. Pulling that off meant adjusting proportions, shading, and outlines so animations and expressions still land in a 2D look, Engadget reports. It is not a simple flatten button, it is a translation layer that preserves expanded customization while restoring the familiar vibe users wanted.
When users activate Comic Bitmoji, all Bitmoji avatars they see within Snapchat render in the classic 2D style, creating a consistent visual experience across the app, Engadget notes. Consistency shapes the whole social feel, not just your own profile.
What this means for Snapchat's avatar ecosystem
More than 320 million people use Bitmoji daily, which makes getting the 2D rendering right critical for satisfaction, Engadget reports. These avatars are not just decorations, they stand in for people across the interface and populate the Snap Map feature that reached 400 million users this year, Fast Company found.
Research suggests that avatar-based communication provides more effective online social support than text-only interactions, with users experiencing stronger relationship stability and enhanced emotional expression, according to academic research. That backs the idea that avatar fit affects how people relate to the platform and to each other.
The timing lands alongside Snap’s broader growth moves, one week after the company announced a partnership with Perplexity AI and reported 10 percent year-over-year revenue growth, Fast Company notes. User satisfaction with identity features like Bitmoji is looking more and more strategic in an AI-tilted fight for attention.
The paywall decision and what's next
Here is the rub. Snap is restricting Comic Bitmoji to Snapchat+ subscribers only. The move has drawn criticism, with some disappointed that a widely requested feature sits behind a paywall, Engadget points out.
It also mirrors how freemium platforms make money. Snap has been expanding Snapchat+ perks, and Comic Bitmoji tests a simple question, can you monetize preference for the familiar? By turning nostalgia into a premium toggle, the company is betting that emotional attachment to digital identity has real value.
Looking ahead, this is a reminder that listening can change roadmaps, even after big investments. Nearly 100,000 signatures and a CEO co-sign make that point loud and clear. I would not be surprised to see other platforms try similar hybrids, multiple rendering styles sitting on one avatar backbone to match different tastes, based on Engadget’s analysis.
This whole episode shows how social apps juggle invention and attachment. Rather than treating the 3D shift as a flop, Snap turned pushback into an advantage, proving that meeting users halfway, and building the tech to do it, can beat a single, take-it-or-leave-it vision of digital identity.
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