After the announcement of the Xbox Series X at the recent Game Awards, Microsoft got clowned on pretty hard. Frankly, it was a stupid name, and everyone was fast to make sure that Microsoft knew that.
Memes ranged from simply pointing out how bad the name was to joking about the difficulty that grandparents would have buying presents, not knowing the difference between all of the strangely named consoles.
Others were quick to point out the ridiculously bad branding in comparison to other manufacturers. While the PlayStation continued to go in numerical order of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, the Xbox decided to go in the weirdest possible order: Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X.
Add in the special editions such as Xbox 360 S or E and Xbox One S and X, it was incredibly confusing. How could someone who doesn’t know consoles understand the difference between Xbox Series X and Xbox One X?
Rather than sit and take the heat, Microsoft decided to clarify the name. In a recent interview with Business Insider, however, a representative for Microsoft clarified the name.
“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,” the representative stated. “Similar to what fans have seen with previous generations, the name ‘Xbox Series X’ allows room for additional consoles in the future.”
So yes, the name was a miscommunication due to the manner in which the name was presented at the Game Awards. The actual name of the upcoming fourth-generation console is simply “Xbox,” just the same as the first one.
Which eliminates some issues and keeps others. Why name your console the same as a previous console? It seems like a wasted opportunity at branding, as well as a nightmare for those that might want to research the two. It seems like a minor thing (ultimately, it really is minor) but it could be a huge headache for those that don’t know much about consoles or having to constantly clarify which of the two Xboxes is being referred to.
The “Series X” is more of a name for the make than it is for the model. While it helps to clarify a bit, it probably won’t be enough to stop people from joking about the name. One thing is certain: Microsoft certainly loves naming their products as confusingly as they can.
