Microsoft's Next Xbox is Actually Just Called 'Xbox', Apparently

[Terronium-12]

It might not be technically correct but for everyone it's simple because the Playstation one is still the same Console and the PSX is soo rare most people dont know it even exists.

The Xbox is clearly more confusing especially when it comes to people not familiar with gaming, explaining it to non gaming people is not as easy as you make it sound.

You raise an interesting point. I'm obviously speaking from bias, as I think we all are, so for whatever reason I cannot fathom any confusion.

Place the word Super in front of it, job done.
Worked for Nintendo, for those of you old enough to remember the excitement of the early 90s...You have a Super Nintendo!?!

Super Xbox.

I think Xbox Super rolls off the tongue better, no?

 

[FPV MIC]

I will just call it "New Xbox" or "New Xbox Series" when talking to someone about it. There, how hard was that?

Me: What are you playing (insert game title here) on?

My friends: Xbox.

Me: Which one?

My friends: The new one.
Or if they have the top spec one it will be: The best one.

 

[Doomotron]

Xbox One 2 X S 360 Series X Xbox Original 360 S

 

[Robin]

So if Xbox is the name of the console it makes me wonder, what is going to be written on the game cases? Can you imagine the confusion its going to cause on the shelves for less informed customers.

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

So if Xbox is the name of the console it makes me wonder, what is going to be written on the game cases? Can you imagine the confusion its going to cause on the shelves for less informed customers.

Because there's still original Xbox games on a store shelf somewhere?

The cases will say "Xbox" on them.

Incidentally, I think it's funny how much of the conversation around the name of the next Xbox hasn't been people who are actually confused by the name - but people who aren't confused at all, whimsically imagining how confused OTHER people are going to be, based on some theatrical re-enaction of a soccer mom or grandpa entering Wal-Mart and scratching their thick monkey brains about what Xbox to get.

 

[mustafur]

Because there's still original Xbox games on a store shelf somewhere?

The cases will say "Xbox" on them.

Incidentally, I think it's funny how much of the conversation around the name of the next Xbox hasn't been people who are actually confused by the name - but people who aren't confused at all, whimsically imagining how confused OTHER people are going to be, based on some theatrical re-enaction of a soccer mom or grandpa entering Wal-Mart and scratching their thick monkey brains about what Xbox to get.

Considering they are the most likely to be buying the consoles it's a legitimate concern.

 

[Aphelion]

As much as I think its silly to believe that the stupid naming scheme is going to somehow effect the consoles sales significantly...

What an irritating stupid naming scheme. It has “I'm the head of marketing and I'm sssssuper hip “ written all over it.

 

[Castrol96]

Might aswell call it "Box"

 

[Northstar]

Considering they are the most likely to be buying the consoles it's a legitimate concern.

If only stores had someone on staff that could answer a confused customers questions.

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

As much as I think its silly to believe that the stupid naming scheme is going to somehow effect the consoles sales significantly...

What an irritating stupid naming scheme. It has “I'm the head of marketing and I'm sssssuper hip “ written all over it.

Not really. This actually sounds like Microsoft getting ready to switch to a more standardized naming convention moving forward, in the vein of cellphones. If the name is just Xbox, with various series permutations therein, then you can have a limitless number of them all under the "Xbox" umbrella.

Series S for a lower power or slim model. Series C for an xCloud receiver. Series XR for a potential Series X hardware refresh.

I think consumer confusion will be nonexistent based on the form factor alone, because it's very memorably different from the typical console design.

 

[Aphelion]

Not really. This actually sounds like Microsoft getting ready to switch to a more standardized naming convention moving forward, in the vein of cellphones. If the name is just Xbox, with various series permutations therein, then you can have a limitless number of them all under the "Xbox" umbrella.

Series S for a lower power or slim model. Series C for an xCloud receiver. Series XR for a potential Series X hardware refresh.

I think consumer confusion will be nonexistent based on the form factor alone, because it's very memorably different from the typical console design.

An idea which is immediately obseleted by just calling it “xbox 4”

or even just any other name that hasnt come before it. “Xbox scarlet”, or any other one of their production names that made more sense than the official names.

No product should ever need a brand name convention reset after 4 iterations. That just makes it even more confusing.

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

An idea which is immediately obseleted by just calling it “xbox 4”

or even just any other name that hasnt come before it. “Xbox scarlet”, or any other one of their production names that made more sense than the official names.

No product should ever need a brand name convention reset after 4 iterations. That just makes it even more confusing.

True, but they made that bed the second they called the Xbox 2 the "Xbox 360". Calling it the "Xbox 4" would be no less confusing. You'd have four consoles with the following names:

Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox 4. LOL.

Someone who doesn't know what they are looking for next holiday will just ask for "the new Xbox" or 'the new PlayStation". And 97 times out of 100, they should get exactly that, unless the clerk is incompetent or malicious.

 

[Northstar]

Going by this thread it's a miracle anybody manages to buy a new Camry, Corolla, Civic, F-150, Camaro, Fiesta etc...

 

[ImaRobot]

I’m going to be so upset when I go to the store to buy an Xbox and I leave the store with the Original Xbox that they’re still selling side by side :/

 

[Robin]

Because there's still original Xbox games on a store shelf somewhere?

The cases will say "Xbox" on them.

No, because if the cases just say 'Xbox' customers won't know if they play on the 360, the One or the Series X,Y,Z. There will have to be some ugly subheadings or tick boxes going on.

It's not a matter of people confusing Series X games as original Xbox games, it's a matter of people mistaking them for working on any Xbox.

Bare in mind that we live in a world where people buy Xbox games for a PlayStation and call all consoles Playstation's.

Incidentally, I think it's funny how much of the conversation around the name of the next Xbox hasn't been people who are actually confused by the name - but people who aren't confused at all, whimsically imagining how confused OTHER people are going to be, based on some theatrical re-enaction of a soccer mom or grandpa entering Wal-Mart and scratching their thick monkey brains about what Xbox to get.

That's why it's our civic duty to discuss it because those people do exist

 

[ImaRobot]

No, because if the cases just say 'Xbox' customers won't know if they play on the 360, the One or the Series X,Y,Z. There will have to be some ugly subheadings or tick boxes going on.

Bare in mind that we live in a world where people buy Xbox games for a PlayStation and call all consoles Playstation's

So what you’re saying is that it doesn’t matter what they call it at all because people are going to be getting it wrong anyways, and that the problem with the name are therefore non-issue?

 

[Aphelion]

True, but they made that bed the second they called the Xbox 2 the "Xbox 360". Calling it the "Xbox 4" would be no less confusing. You'd have four consoles with the following names:

Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox 4. LOL.

Someone who doesn't know what they are looking for next holiday will just ask for "the new Xbox" or 'the new PlayStation". And 97 times out of 100, they should get exactly that, unless the clerk is incompetent or malicious.

This is both true, and kinda what I mean. I think if they had names the XBone anything other than that, say, the scarlet, it could been okay.

Xbox, xbox 360, xbox scarlet...

Id say that could have passed. Then the new one could have been anything but the xbox series x. Or the Xbox.

 

[Robin]

So what you’re saying is that it doesn’t matter what they call it at all because people are going to be getting it wrong anyways, and that the problem with the name are therefore non-issue?

I'm saying that although there will always be incidents of people not getting 'it' having a name other than just Xbox certainly can't hurt in alleviating confusion. Which is why console names are supposed to change from one generation to another.

Also if the name is such a non issue why is it literally the most discussed thing going round about this console at the moment, other than the shape.

 

[ImaRobot]

I'm saying that although there will always be incidents of people not getting 'it' having a name other than just Xbox certainly can't hurt in alleviating confusion. Which is why console names are supposed to change from one generation to another.

If you didn’t mean that than I’m not sure why you’d bring up the fact that people will call it a PlayStation.

What’s it going to alleviate? You go to the store and it’s likely you’ll see three different types of Xbox games. One will Say Xbox 360, one will say Xbox One, and One will say Xbox. I get what you’re trying to get it, I just don’t think it’s going to be as prominent an issue as you’re making it out to be. Also, if we get backwards compatibility then it would make it even less an issue.

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

This is both true, and kinda what I mean. I think if they had names the XBone anything other than that, say, the scarlet, it could been okay.

Xbox, xbox 360, xbox scarlet...

Id say that could have passed. Then the new one could have been anything but the xbox series x. Or the Xbox.

If you're saying you think simply "Scarlett" would have been a better name, I actually agree with you - with the massive caveat being if we are talking about a single next-gen console.

I suspect Xbox's new naming scheme will make more sense once we have the larger picture of what their next gen plans actually are. Likely closer to E3.

 

[Robin]

What’s it going to alleviate? You go to the store and it’s likely you’ll see three different types of Xbox games. One will Say Xbox 360, one will say Xbox One, and One will say Xbox. I get what you’re trying to get it, I just don’t think it’s going to be as prominent an issue as you’re making it out to be. Also, if we get backwards compatibility then it would make it even less an issue.

I think it might be for the general public. You see Xbox on a game and you may think it plays on everything called Xbox, it's a pretty reasonable assumption. The simple name gives a perceived forwards compatibility with older consoles.

If you didn’t mean that than I’m not sure why you’d bring up the fact that people will call it a PlayStation.

I didn't say people will call it a PlayStation, that was just a comment about how 'PlayStation' has become occasionally used by ill informed people as a genericized trademark. Like when people say Dyson Hoover.

 

[ImaRobot]

I think it might be for the general public. You see Xbox on a game and you may think it plays on everything called Xbox, it's a pretty reasonable assumption. The simple name gives a perceived forwards compatibility with older consoles.

I think it’s more straightforward and easier for the unknowing to get a grasp on.

“I don’t remember little billy telling me a name that had a bunch of numbers or extra words on it, so maybe that’s not it.”

And then they ask the store reps for help and boom easily solved. Asking a rep from the start is likely what most of those not in the know will do, regardless of name. In this day and age it’s also very likely that they’ll have some sort of available information at your finger tips anyways, maybe the kid showing them exactly what it is.

 

[TheGeologist]

Okay so let's get this straight...

1. XBOX
2. XBOX 360
3. XBOX One / XBOX One S / XBOX One X
4. XBOX

Does... does that mean the next console to follow will be the XBOX 360 again?

 

[ImaRobot]

Okay so let's get this straight...

1. XBOX
2. XBOX 360
3. XBOX One / XBOX One S / XBOX One X
4. XBOX

Does... does that mean the next console to follow will be the XBOX 360 again?

They should just do thy can say they went a full 360.

 

[Robin]

I think it’s more straightforward and easier for the unknowing to get a grasp on.

“I don’t remember little billy telling me a name that had a bunch of numbers or extra words on it, so maybe that’s not it.”

And then they ask the store reps for help and boom easily solved. Asking a rep from the start is likely what most of those not in the know will do, regardless of name. In this day and age it’s also very likely that they’ll have some sort of available information at your finger tips anyways, maybe the kid showing them exactly what it is.

Proper store guidance will of course make all this a lot simpler as it should do for any purchase. But there are still people that barrel into a shop with no clue, don't ask anything and walk out with the wrong stuff hence returns.

 

[ImaRobot]

Proper store guidance will of course make all this a lot simpler as it should do for any purchase. But there are still people that barrel into a shop with no clue, don't ask anything and walk out with the wrong stuff hence returns.

And I’m sure trying to cater towards that crowd would likely be a futile attempt since they’re going to do that regardless of name.

 

[Corsa]

I think Xbox Super rolls off the tongue better, no?

Ah, as Nvidia has done. Yes that sounds better. Would you rather have a 2060 or a 2060 Super?

They got my money.

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

Just give the console a hundred different names that appeal to every demographic. For the racing crowd you could just call it the Xbox Kansei Dorifto. For FPS fans you could call it the Xbox NoScope Brah.

 

[SestoScudo]

Xbox 720??

 

[RolexGTP]

Xbox 360 S1X