Razer AVA avatars: AVA, Sumi and Niko, and what happened to Faker and Sao
Razer's official AVA page shows three avatars: AVA, Sumi and Niko. Here's how Razer describes them, what else is known about each one, what became of the five avatars shown at CES 2026, what's known about skins and customization, and which one suits you.
Update — Oct 22, 2026
This guide now includes what we used to cover in a separate piece on skins and customization (section 05). We rewrote it on October 19. The previous version gave each avatar profiles and specialties we could not find in any source (PC diagnostics, map analysis, League of Legends coaching…) and talked about paid avatars and a "season pass" Razer has never announced. We now use the descriptions on the official page and what the press has published, with sources at the end.
01. The three official avatars
Razer presents them on its page under the heading "Choose your personality", with a disclaimer that avatar selection and animations are still under development and not final.
AVA
How Razer describes it
"A steady, dependable AI companion that delivers clear answers, useful help, and a calm presence when it matters most."
What else is known
The avatar the product is named after. At CES 2026 it was a stylized Razer logo. It now appears as a sphere of green particles.
Sumi
How Razer describes it
"A caring friend who listens, offers thoughtful support, and brings a touch of warmth to life's quieter moments."
What else is known
Formerly Kira. According to Fortune, she is an illustrator from Tokyo with a calico cat who enjoys "cozy gaming", and she comes across as kind and warm.
Niko
How Razer describes it
"A quick-witted advisor that sharpens your perspective, fuels bold moves, and gives you the confidence to keep moving forward."
What else is known
Formerly Zane, and the most redesigned of the three. According to Fortune, he is a freelance engineer and skater living in downtown Los Angeles, more curt and to-the-point than Sumi.
We cover the Kira and Zane to Sumi and Niko change here.
02. What they do, whichever avatar you pick
Razer describes AVA's features without tying them to a specific avatar. What changes when you pick one is the personality, voice and look. According to the official page, you can change looks while keeping the memories, personality and bond you've built.
Daily planner
Plan your day, brainstorm outfits, decide what to eat or what to do with your free time.
Quest companion
Access in-game lore, item stats or character backstories without pausing the action.
Gaming wingman
Celebrates your wins and encourages you after tough losses.
Sees and hears your world
Built-in camera, mic and speaker. PC Vision Mode analyzes what's on your screen over a wired USB-C connection to a Windows PC.
03. The five avatars from CES 2026
At CES 2026 in January, Razer showed five avatars. This is where each one stands:
| Avatar at CES | What it was | Today |
|---|---|---|
| AVA | A stylized Razer logo | Still there, with a redesigned hologram |
| Kira | Anime-style avatar with Razer green accents | Renamed and redesigned as Sumi |
| Zane | Muscular masculine counterpart with snake tattoos | Renamed and redesigned as Niko |
| Faker | An avatar in the likeness of Lee Sang-hyeok, the T1 League of Legends player | Not on the official page |
| Sao | Inspired by Saori Araki, the viral Japanese salarywoman | Not on the official page |
Faker and Sao: unconfirmed
Faker and Sao were announced at CES, but they weren't ready even there: in the demo Engadget tried, they couldn't appear as holograms yet. Today they're not on the official page, and Razer hasn't explained why or said whether they'll arrive.
Razer has also never detailed their personality or features. If you've read that Faker would be a League of Legends coach, or that Sao was a Sword Art Online collab or a Korean idol, no source backs that up. We published it ourselves in earlier versions of this site.
04. Which one suits you?
Based on what Razer has said, the difference between the three is character, not features. And since you can switch avatars without losing what AVA knows about you, the choice isn't final.
- You want clear, no-nonsense answers: AVA, the most neutral and calm option.
- You want company and a warm tone: Sumi, the warmest and most attentive.
- You like being pushed to decide: Niko, more direct, with quick advice.
05. Skins and customization: what's confirmed
When people talk about Razer AVA "skins", they usually mix up two things. What Razer offers is avatars: different characters, each with its own look, voice and personality. What doesn't exist, at least for now, is a skins catalog, meaning alternative looks for the same avatar, paid or free. Razer hasn't announced any, nor prices, a store or season passes.
There was no "Faker skin" either: Razer showed an avatar in his likeness. No source confirms special effects, Worlds animations or reactions to League of Legends matches.
This is what Razer has said about customization, with how firm each statement is:
Choosing and switching avatars
You can choose between the available avatars and change looks while keeping memories and personality. That's what the official page shows.
Avatars that learn
In its CES blog post, Razer talked about "potentially customizable avatars that learn and evolve based on your interactions". It's an intention, not a dated feature.
Creating your own avatar
According to Engadget, Razer hopes to add the ability for users to create their own avatars and companions. No date or details.
Third-party characters
At GDC 2026, Razer invited game developers to get in touch about bringing their characters and IP into the Razer AVA ecosystem. A route for studios, not users.
Skins, paid avatars, store and mods
Razer hasn't announced skins, paid avatars, a character store or modding tools for the community.
Razer AIKit often comes up alongside Razer AVA, but it's a different thing: an open-source kit for running and fine-tuning language models on your own PC. Razer hasn't presented it as the tool for creating AVA skins or avatars.
What Razer AIKit is and how it relates to AVA.
06. Frequently asked questions
How many avatars does Razer AVA have?
The official page shows three: AVA, Sumi and Niko. Razer warns the lineup isn't final, so it could change before launch.
What happened to Kira and Zane?
Razer renamed and redesigned them: Kira is now Sumi and Zane is now Niko.
Will Faker and Sao be included?
It's not confirmed. They were shown at CES 2026, but they don't appear on the official page and Razer hasn't said whether they'll arrive.
Can I switch avatars?
Yes. According to the official page, you can change your AI companion's look while keeping the memories, personality and bond you've built.
Does Razer AVA have skins?
No skins have been announced. Razer offers different avatars (AVA, Sumi and Niko on the official page), but hasn't announced alternative looks for the same avatar.
Will I be able to create my own avatar?
Razer has said it would like to allow it, but there's no date or tool. The only concrete step is that it invites game studios to bring their characters to AVA.
Are any avatars or skins paid?
Razer hasn't said anything about paid avatars or skins. Any price you see is a guess.
Our take
The avatar lineup today is shorter and more cautious than what Razer showed at CES. Of five avatars, three remain, and the two tied to real people (Faker, who is one, and Sao, who is inspired by one) are exactly the ones that have disappeared. What remains is better defined: three personalities with official descriptions and, for Sumi and Niko, a small backstory. For buyers, the important decision isn't the avatar, which you can change, but whether the features convince you. For Razer, the challenge is making the lineup actually grow, whether through user-created avatars or characters from studios, as it has promised.
Sources
- Razer — official Razer AVA page (checked Oct 19, 2026)
- Fortune — interview with Min-Liang Tan on AI and Razer AVA (Oct 14, 2026)
- Engadget — Razer put a waifu in a bottle at CES 2026 (Jan 8, 2026)
- Razer Blog — Razer AVA goes agentic: a new chapter at GDC 2026 (Mar 9, 2026)
- Razer Blog — Meet Project AVA at CES 2026 (Jan 7, 2026)
- Razer Newsroom — Razer AIKit