Microsoft‘s console naming habits have caused the wrong Xbox to trend on Twitter, further proving Xbox needs to rethink how it designates its future systems after the Xbox Series X and S. While Sony console names aren’t exactly original, they are far less confusing than what Xbox has decided to name its last few consoles.
The original Microsoft console released in 2001 with a simple, memorable name: Xbox. Sony had already released its second console, the PlayStation 2. So began the console war against Sony and Microsoft, and for years to come, the two gaming titans would battle over platform-exclusive games, console sales, and the foremost spot in players’ thoughts. Sony has consistently opted for the flabbergasting method of sequentially increasing the number at the end of each PlayStation iteration’s name; Microsoft, meanwhile, has brilliantly given each of its lovingly named console’s with quasi-random monikers, consisting mostly of numbers (sometimes spelled out) and, more recently, the letter S and X. Somehow, Microsoft’s approach has confused customers on more than one occasion, while Sony’s arcane numbering system has helped to build the console line’s “branding” – whatever that means.
While Xbox stands by its precarious naming methods, the internet organically proved today that the name for Xbox’s next-gen console is confusing to a fault. Over the past couple days, Xbox has made a number of announcements regarding its two next-gen consoles, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. However, the names are fairly similar to Microsoft’s current-gen consoles, Xbox One X and Xbox One S. This similarity, and a heap of confused Twitter users, caused the terms “One X” and “Xbox One S” to trend on Twitter over the legitimate names for the next-gen consoles during the reveal of . Gaming industry insider Daniel Ahmad tweeted an image of the trending terms, which was met with a flurry of sarcastic remarks from fellow users (and understandably genuine confusion from a few others).
Luckily, it seems Twitter has since caught on to what the real name for Xbox’s consoles are called and have fixed its mistakes at the time of writing, but the entire embarrassing situation could’ve been avoided if Xbox stuck to a simpler – or at least more distinct – naming scheme. The second Xbox console was named the Xbox 360, which wasn’t too confusing at the time since there were only two systems to keep track of. Many fans assumed the third console would be named the Xbox 720, but were met with a perplexing situation when Microsoft revealed the Xbox One in 2013. Now, the Series X and Series S have arrived to cause even more confusion, when they simply could have been called something like Xbox 4 and Xbox 4S.
It’s hard not to imagine the inevitable interactions between patrons and store clerks when attempting to buy the next-gen Xbox this holiday season. Some non-gamer customers going gift-shopping will undoubtedly struggle to the distinguish between the current and next-gen consoles, and underpaid retail workers may not care to explain it to them. Players may have to go to some lengths to specify exactly which Xbox S or X they in their wishlists this year, or risk an awkward Christmas morning.
The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will be available on November 10, 2020, with pre-orders opening on September 22.
