Microsoft have decided to make the naming of the freshly revealed Xbox Series X just that little bit more confusing. The Xbox Series X isn’t actually called Xbox Series X, it’s called Xbox… Series X. That is to say that while it’s called Xbox Series X, the next generation console family name is Xbox, and this model is Series X.
Clear as mud.
It’s safe to say that the reveal of the Xbox Series X has been a little bit divisive, whether it’s the tower-like design, the potential difficulty of fitting it into a TV cabinet horizontally, or the name and how similar it sounds to Xbox One X.
A Microsoft rep explained it to Business Insider, saying “The name we’re carrying forward to the next generation is simply Xbox, and at The Game Awards you saw that name come to life through the Xbox Series X.
“Similar to what fans have seen with previous generations, the name ‘Xbox Series X’ allows room for additional consoles in the future.”
While there have long been rumours of Microsoft having multiple models of Project Scarlett console, and we’ve seen a form of that in the current generation, I think everyone expected that Microsoft would be following the naming conventions of the Xbox One. There it was the letter appended to the end that denoted the model, whether it was the slimmer S, more powerful X, or all-digital SAD.
Following the Xbox One’s naming convention naming, it could have been Xbox Series S, Xbox Series E, Xbox Series X. Instead, with ‘Xbox’ the generational console name and not ‘Xbox Series’, we could see console names like Xbox On E, Xbox Sexy U, Xbox Cuppa T, Xbox Box X*. The possibilities are endless.
Microsoft dropped the console reveal last week at The Game Awards, ending more than a little bit of speculation over the console codenamed Project Scarlett. It features a striking tower-like design, though one that’s possible to lie horizontally, and the new Xbox Wireless Controller, making subtle modifications to the current design, adding a new Share button and D-pad design.
Alongside the console, Microsoft also revealed the second exclusive title for the Xbox Series X (after Halo Infinite), Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.
*The X is for XBOX.
Source: Business Insider
MrYd
So having lost to Sony 3 times, they’ve just suddenly decided “Fuck it, we’ll start all over again” and it’s just an XBox? I’m not sure that’s how it works, but I guess it’s worth a go for them.
It does sound like they’ll be launching 2 versions at some point. But if they launch a cheaper, less powerful version, there’s less chance they’ll price the Series X sensibly. Even if it’s more powerful than the PS5 (and it seems like they’ll both end up being roughly the same), it’s going to go horribly wrong for them if the PS5 launches at a price that’s less than the Series X and more powerful than the cheaper Series W (the W is for “we didn’t think this through properly”)
Tuffcub
SEXBOX
Apnomis
That explanation makes zero sense – by that logic PlayStation is always called PlayStation they just have a series number and model name. PlayStation Series 4 Model Pro. Microsoft seem to have really lost their way with the naming conventions of their consoles, so what will the games boxes say – that it is an Xbox game (but the new Xbox not the old Xbox), or will it say it’s a Xbox Series X game, in which case what happens when they bring out an Xbox Series Y console in a couple of years? They will end up printing minimum spec sheets on the back of the boxes like PC games. They are essentially trying to turn the Xbox into a PC, you have Surface Tablets and Xbox Media boxes. It’s a very risky strategy, and next Christmas parents might just go – that’s a PlayStation 5, 5 is one up from 4 so that must be better than little Jimmy’s current PS4 so I’ll buy him that…
camdaz
So they called it Xbox Series X, the press etc slated it, they’ve changed it to Xbox. Another cock up from MS. Have they not heard of focus groups, or do they just have MS/Xbox fans in them?