Microsoft naming fails

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VideoGameCritic
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Microsoft naming fails

Postby VideoGameCritic » December 13th, 2019, 3:39 pm

Check out the name of the next Microsoft console:
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/12/ ... -series-x/
If you're scratching your head, you're not alone.

Let's take a look back at Microsoft's comical missteps in console naming.

The original Xbox (2001) had a pretty cool name. At the time everything was "XTREME" so it was in fashion at least.

But they couldn't name the second one Xbox 2 since Sony already had the Playstation 3 (or so they surmised). So they went for broke with the momentus "Xbox 360". Yeah it's just one big pissing contest. It wasn't very forward thinking and put Microsoft in an awkward position for future generations.

I thought "Xbox One" was the pinnacle of stupid names - so bad I put it at the top of the worst console name list
https://videogamecritic.com/extras/them ... tnames.htm

That, combined with the ill-advised Kinect pack-in and always-online thing, it was clear whoever was running Microsoft's gaming division had no clue what they were doing.

So here were go again. I don't even know what Xbox Series X means, but it seems like Microsoft has one-upped itself once again in failing to come up with a halfway decent console name. This is pathetic!

Sony and Nintendo don't need to compete with Microsoft at all - they can just sit back and watch the company perpetually shoot themselves in the foot.

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Stalvern
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Re: Microsoft naming fails

Postby Stalvern » December 13th, 2019, 7:58 pm

Don't forget that there's already an "Xbox One X".

Feels like a good time to share this classic. (Enable the music for maximum effect.)

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DrLitch
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Re: Microsoft naming fails

Postby DrLitch » December 14th, 2019, 3:36 pm

Poor naming aside, looks like a little Mini ITX Cube. I might buy one just to house my PC in it, cute...

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BlasteroidAli
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Re: Microsoft naming fails

Postby BlasteroidAli » December 16th, 2019, 7:03 am

The new Tbone looks awesome. My pal already named it and that is what we are calling it from now on. The Tbone.

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Gentlegamer
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Re: Microsoft naming fails

Postby Gentlegamer » December 16th, 2019, 7:39 am

Xbox Se X

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ActRaiser
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Re: Microsoft naming fails

Postby ActRaiser » December 16th, 2019, 8:23 am

I love how marketing gets involved and they always tend to come up with the dumbest names possible. I get that they are trying to present some "larger" message but as stand alone names, they almost always stink.

Code names for projects tend to be way cooler.

A couple of my favorites were Project Reality aka Nintendo 64 and Revolution gave way to Wii. Seriously, I would much rather buy a system called Revolution than Wii.

The only system off the top of my head that launched with a cooler marketing friendly name than the code name was the Dreamcast. Now, that my friends is a name.

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MSR1701
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Re: Microsoft naming fails

Postby MSR1701 » December 16th, 2019, 10:09 am

I always preferred the original Xbox's project name - DirectX Box.

Though I do have to admit that I love that Microsoft didn't put thought into how its systems were abbreviated... XB; XB360/X360; XBONE/XBONES/XBONEX

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MSR1701
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Re: Microsoft naming fails

Postby MSR1701 » December 16th, 2019, 10:11 am

ActRaiser wrote:I love how marketing gets involved and they always tend to come up with the dumbest names possible. I get that they are trying to present some "larger" message but as stand alone names, they almost always stink.

Code names for projects tend to be way cooler.

A couple of my favorites were Project Reality aka Nintendo 64 and Revolution gave way to Wii. Seriously, I would much rather buy a system called Revolution than Wii.

The only system off the top of my head that launched with a cooler marketing friendly name than the code name was the Dreamcast. Now, that my friends is a name.


Not sure if DreamCast is cooler than Katana.

The reason Nintendo went with Wii as opposed to Revolution was that they wanted a system name that could be spoken around the world. Certain languages have trouble with Revolution.

And don't forget the Ultra 64 name, which made its way into arcade games like Crusin' USA and Killer Instinct.

And let's be honest, GameCube is better than Dolphin, though I'm not sure if I like Game Boy Advance over Atlantis...

fod
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Re: Microsoft naming fails

Postby fod » December 16th, 2019, 10:53 am

Why so Series X?

Personally, I don't care about the name, but the console looks really nice to me.

The important thing is that Microsoft keeps making their exclusives available to Game Pass for PC. I've been playing Xbox-related content nearly for free for the past 4 years just by accumulating Bing points and spending them on Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions.

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ActRaiser
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Re: Microsoft naming fails

Postby ActRaiser » December 16th, 2019, 12:24 pm

MSR1701 wrote:
ActRaiser wrote:I love how marketing gets involved and they always tend to come up with the dumbest names possible. I get that they are trying to present some "larger" message but as stand alone names, they almost always stink.

Code names for projects tend to be way cooler.

A couple of my favorites were Project Reality aka Nintendo 64 and Revolution gave way to Wii. Seriously, I would much rather buy a system called Revolution than Wii.

The only system off the top of my head that launched with a cooler marketing friendly name than the code name was the Dreamcast. Now, that my friends is a name.


Not sure if DreamCast is cooler than Katana...


Doh! I was thinking Neptune for some reason.


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