News Microsoft Drops 'Series X' From the Next-Gen Xbox's Name

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"So does that mean there won't be a device called the Xbox Series X? No. It turns out that there will be a specific version of the upcoming Xbox called "Xbox Series X." "

So they aren't actually dropping Series X, they are adding another tier that is just called Xbox, making "Series X" essentially the "pro" version?

If I understand correctly, the major hardware names for Xbox in chronological order are as follows:
Xbox (which was often called Xbox1 online to differentiate it from the Xbox 360, until the Xbox One was announced)
Xbox 360 (the 360)
Xbox One (XBONE)
Xbox One S (XBONES)
Xbox One X (XBOX, or XBONEX if you want people to have any idea what you're talking about)
Xbox
Xbox Series X (probably same time as Xbox)

The headline implied Microsoft was aware how bad their branding was and decided to make it better based on backlash... but it sounds like they made no change and it's worse than we originally thought.
I don't know what AI algorithm or non-English speaker is naming these things, but Microsoft seriously needs to cut it out if they want a general audience to figure out that they're releasing a new console next year.
 
Giroro said:
I don't know what AI algorithm or non-English speaker is naming these things, but Microsoft seriously needs to cut it out if they want a general audience to figure out that they're releasing a new console next year.
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Windows will stay at version 10 ( x ) for ever so it makes complete sense (to them) to also have their console stay at the same version forever,it's always going to be an xbox and the series is going to tell people which gen it is.
 
TerryLaze said:
it's always going to be an xbox and the series is going to tell people which gen it is.
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Microsoft never said that they would change the series name with generations. That is just an assumption/possible interpretation on what they said - and not a likely one IMO. my interpretation is that they will have an "Xbox" and a more expensive "Xbox Series X" on the shelf side by side similar to their previous Xbox 360 core/elite split and the Xbox One S/ One X split.

Even if they were going to name future generations with the "series - letter" scheme, starting out with Series X is still a particularly bad idea considering there already is an Xbox-X in the current gen.

All I'm saying is that I knew -multiple- people who thought a Wii U was a tablet controller add-on for the Wii and not a new console. I believe that was a significant factor for the Wii U's mass-market failure (and obviously it failed with gamers for other reasons). This Xbox naming scheme is significantly worse than "Wii U", because at least Nintendo didn't have 2 other consoles names Wii U...

Shall we start brainstorming what we will really call the new Xbox so people know which one we're referring to? Xbox 2020? neXbox? Xbox S-X? XSe.X? Xbox 4? xBox 4-20x?
Xbox 4k?
 
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setx said:
They have basically the same hardware (x86 CPU and Radeon GPU) so prev gen compatibility is available for free. Only marketing shenanigans could make it incompatible.
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Yes and no. While it is the same hardware they could have enough differences and write the OS specific to just that hardware. Consoles are still very different from PCs in that their OS is a more closed down and specific written OS. While the XB1 does use a Windows 10 kernel it is still heavily modified and tailored for the specific hardware they are using. I doubt they will move from AMD for hardware for a long while.

Either way I think the name is nothing to be concerned with and being able to keep owned games is a major step forward.
 
jimmysmitty said:
I just like that everyone is obsessed with the naming convention yet they announced that any XBox One game will transfer to the new one which to me is pretty huge.
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I'm focused on the name, because this article is about the name and makes no mention of game transfers.

Is "transfer" the word Microsoft used, as in it could be the "disc stops working once it becomes locked to your always-online console" style transfers - that was a major part of Xbox One's horribly botched original announcement. Microsoft had to totally reorganize their Xbox team because of that pitch. I thought they fired everybody who approved that concept, but maybe Phil Spencer isn't as gamer friendly as we thought?
If it's a transfer in that sense of the word, I definitely wouldn't buy an Xbox 4k20X. I still stand in solidarity with my friends in the armed forces. Also I occassionally buy used games, especially older out-of-print titles - which is the category all Xbox One games will fall into at that point.
 
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Giroro said:
I'm focused on the name, because this article is about the name and makes no mention of game transfers.

Is "transfer" the word Microsoft used, as in it could be the "disc stops working once it becomes locked to your always-online console" style transfers - that was a major part of Xbox One's horribly botched original announcement. Microsoft had to totally reorganize their Xbox team because of that pitch. I thought they fired everybody who approved that concept, but maybe Phil Spencer isn't as gamer friendly as we thought?
If it's a transfer in that sense of the word, I definitely wouldn't buy an Xbox 4k20X. I still stand in solidarity with my friends in the armed forces. Also I occassionally buy used games, especially older out-of-print titles - which is the category all Xbox One games will fall into at that point.
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I think its more of a if it is a XB1 game it will work on the new XBox, digital or disc. Although the future of games will probably be digital.
 
jimmysmitty said:
I think its more of a if it is a XB1 game it will work on the new XBox, digital or disc. Although the future of games will probably be digital.
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Maybe someday for some dense high tech countries, but not in America for the foreseeable future.

They must have some killer private internet service going to Microsoft's local network in Redmond, because here 2 miles south of Seattle I have the same slow/capped/overpriced CenturyLink/Comcast duopoly that I was stuck with in rural Utah. I know I bring that up a lot, but it really is a huge problem that even urban tech-bro "silicon substitute" communities are saddled with copper infrastructure that was installed decades before Al Gore invented the series of tubes we call the internet.
 
Giroro said:
here 2 miles south of Seattle I have the same slow/capped/overpriced CenturyLink/Comcast duopoly that I was stuck with in rural Utah. I know I bring that up a lot, but it really is a huge problem that even urban tech-bro "silicon substitute" communities are saddled with copper infrastructure
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You went the wrong direction. Northeastern Kansas had Google Fiber for like 5 years, at least.
 
setx said:
They have basically the same hardware (x86 CPU and Radeon GPU) so prev gen compatibility is available for free.
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Actually, Navi's GCN-compatibility is what really makes it possible. Otherwise, I could believe some XBox One games wouldn't run on the new console. So, while you're probably right, it wasn't necessarily a given.
 
Giroro said:
Shall we start brainstorming what we will really call the new Xbox so people know which one we're referring to? Xbox 2020? neXbox? Xbox S-X? XSe.X? Xbox 4? xBox 4-20x?
Xbox 4k?
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XStation4? Maybe BoxStation X? PlayBox X? DreamBox X?

Speaking of which, Sony sorta missed an opportunity... maybe, instead of PS4 Pro, they could've gone with Playstation 4k. Cute, I think, if perhaps a bit too subtle.
 
Giroro said:
Maybe someday for some dense high tech countries, but not in America for the foreseeable future.

They must have some killer private internet service going to Microsoft's local network in Redmond, because here 2 miles south of Seattle I have the same slow/capped/overpriced CenturyLink/Comcast duopoly that I was stuck with in rural Utah. I know I bring that up a lot, but it really is a huge problem that even urban tech-bro "silicon substitute" communities are saddled with copper infrastructure that was installed decades before Al Gore invented the series of tubes we call the internet.
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It all depends. Dickinson, ND which is the middle of nowhere and not a major town has fiber run all over the place. Its where my corporate office is and they have 1Gbps fiber. One of our guys lives on a farm and has 100/100 fiber to the farm. I can't even get fiber and I live in Chandler, AZ and even if we don't include Phoenix its a bigger population than that city.

But yes Microsoft probably has multiple sites and hubs all running multiple fiber links to provide service. Think of it like VALVe with Steam. They are also based in Seattle, Bellvue actually which is right next to Redmond. They have multiple server sites and tons of bandwidth available.
 
Giroro said:
Microsoft never said that they would change the series name with generations. That is just an assumption/possible interpretation on what they said - and not a likely one IMO. my interpretation is that they will have an "Xbox" and a more expensive "Xbox Series X" on the shelf side by side similar to their previous Xbox 360 core/elite split and the Xbox One S/ One X split.
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If you regard "X" as a particular market segment, then Series X is consistent with the present nomenclature. Basically, Series X consoles are for people who would buy an Xbox One X today--i.e. hardcore gamers. Maybe there'll be a Series S for those people who would buy an Xbox One S today.

Microsoft's naming scheme isn't confusing at all once you realize that the next generation is likely the last generation. The old console model just doesn't work anymore. No matter how much advanced tech you pack into the box, it's not going to be able to stay ahead of the cloud for several years. Hardware updates will have to come more frequently. Hence the "Series" moniker.
 
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jimmysmitty said:
Either way I think the name is nothing to be concerned with
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The marketing people at Nintendo that got fired for inducing consumer paralysis with the insipid name "Wii U" may disagree with you. And how on earth does Microsoft manage to coin such evocative codenames for their consoles (Scorpion, Scarlett), yet flush that all away at release with an endless array of bland monikers? Here's a thought: called the danged thing Scarlett. You can have that one for free, Spencer.
 
digitalgriffin said:
freakin...

Microsoft, you're marketing committee used to work on the USB Forum didn't they?

XBox
XBox 360
XBox 1
XBox 1S
XBox 1 X
XBox Series X...NO wait it is the XBox...

Make a freaking naming convention that makes sense. You know a Xbox G4 (for Gen 4) or something
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Not likely since Apple owns the G4 designation. If they go the USB route, they should name it XboX 6.
 
jimmysmitty said:
Consoles are still very different from PCs in that their OS is a more closed down and specific written OS. While the XB1 does use a Windows 10 kernel it is still heavily modified and tailored for the specific hardware they are using.
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I think it's exactly opposite: consoles today aren't that different from PCs. The main difference of that Win10 from regular one is a huge additional DRM block and maybe cut compatibility blocks for older desktop Windows software. Maintaining unique kernel for console doesn't make sense today. It might be stripped down OS somewhat like Server Core but nothing that requires special maintenance.

Performance tuning and optimization? It doesn't matter much anymore. For example more DRM is always preferred over more speed. There is no minimal fps guarantee too I think.
 
setx said:
I think it's exactly opposite: consoles today aren't that different from PCs. The main difference of that Win10 from regular one is a huge additional DRM block and maybe cut compatibility blocks for older desktop Windows software. Maintaining unique kernel for console doesn't make sense today. It might be stripped down OS somewhat like Server Core but nothing that requires special maintenance.

Performance tuning and optimization? It doesn't matter much anymore. For example more DRM is always preferred over more speed. There is no minimal fps guarantee too I think.
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It still has a custom kernel and API for interacting with the hardware that is not compatible with a standard PC. The API is much closer to the "metal" than even Vulcan or current DX12. It allows for much better direct optimization for the hardware it has. We also have to take into account that the original XBox One has ES RAM, which finally got removed in the XB1X. Custom ideas like that change the OS development greatly.

The Playstation, as another example, uses a custom Linux kernel designed specifically for that hardware.

It does make sense to maintain a custom kernel. It allows for more control and security. It also allows for less bugs overall when its written directly for the hardware it is going to use.
 
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