I find that name even more baffling when the reason they apparently branded the previous one Xbox 360 was so that they wouldn't go against the PS3 with an Xbox 2. Somehow it was now fine for an Xbox One to go against a PS4.
> Confusing naming conventions. Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X. Compare to Sony's Playstations 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Names matter enormously.
It all goes back to Microsoft not naming the 360 "Xbox 3" with some lame excuse for why it did so. Yes, everyone would have laughed, but no one would remember or care today that the "Xbox 5" isn't actually the fifth Xbox.
It all goes back to Microsoft not naming the 360 "Xbox 3" with some lame excuse for why it did so. Yes, everyone would have laughed, but no one would remember or care today that the "Xbox 5" isn't actually the fifth Xbox.
>You’ve got to be quite the gamer to understand the hierarchy of XBOX consoles.
I have the feeling Microsoft intentionally sought to create this confusion so they can move the old stock as well. Example: Young Billy wants an Xbox for Christmas so clueless parents/grandparents go to Walmart and purchase something made by Microsoft with Xbox written on the box, preferably on sale and at a cheaper price.
The naming conversations I've been close to for a couple of decently-high-profile consumer products really were just on the "insanity" side.
Like, everyone's argument made sense from a certain perspective, and the "common sense" ideas weren't perfect, but the compromise solutions that resulted had bigger problems. Problems which the media or public noticed more quickly than the people who had finally signed off on them internally...
My speculation for the early Xbox names would be that part of it was someone insisting that you don't want to be trying to sell Xbox 2 against PS3 - you're one behind! - and then 360 is a fun way to get a "3" in there... but then what next, you have the same problem again, 460 is nonsensical (Xbox 420 would've been fun...!), etc...
The Xbox team have just had terrible leadership choices.
The One was a miss from the beginning , trying to be more than a gaming console and falling short on all fronts. The name didn’t help either.
Then they picked an even worse name for the Series X and and Series S. while implementing a necessity for parity. confusing the market and holding back devs.
The 360 was effectively a flash in the pan IMHO, helped by a significant misstep on Sony’s part with the PS3 design, and Nintendo moving to create their own market with the Wii that effectively made it a companion console rather than a competing one.
I definitely think the Xbox One was hurt by having a name requiring an explanation to newcomers. Not to mention that there were a flurry of original xbox's being passed off on craigslist/ebay as "xbox 1 in like new condition!". Given the number of those listings I saw early on, I just have to think there were a few grandparents who got conned and got a bad taste from the experience. Maybe some of them just said screw it, I'll get a PS4 because I know that's the right one.
Probably just a blip of an impact overall, but greater than zero.
You wouldn't google Playstation 4 and 5 to find out which is which. I have no idea why Microsoft would do this. Try sending your mother out to buy one. Would she know which one to buy and understand the difference?
Maybe there’s a reason, even if we’re not fans.
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