[PaulLFC]

Super Xbox.

[gutterboy44]

That is some fantastic branding. Not enough bullshit stickers all over it, will never happen.

I really don't see what the huge problem with just calling it Xbox is. I am assuming the branding and physical console are going to look substantially different than the 360. The Wii U didn't fail in branding simply because of just adding a U to Wii, it failed in branding because the actual console looked nearly identical to the Wii, uses the same controllers as the Wii and the game pad can easily get misinterpreted as a Wii add on, not part of a new console. Lastly, you are going to get more of the confusion in the casual market, Wii's bread and butter, than the COD crowd. The COD crowd manages to tell the difference between, MW2,MW3 COD4, BLOPS and BLOPS II, I think they can handle, "Xbox" no matter how fickle, mindless, or "casual hardcore" etc they are.

[TheDrowningMan]

The difference being that Microsoft know how to market their consoles.

Do they? One bomb, given how much went into it, and another which took almost four years to really break through at casual level.

Microsoft's marketing prowess is something I would consider suspect at present. Windows 8 and Surface: portent of doom or mere anomalies?

[Chiaroscuro]

I don't think anybody that really follows these things is expecting Microsoft to settle on "Xbox 720" or "Xbox 1080". They're both rubbish names for many reasons. The most likely outcome is that they go with "Xbox *something*" (such as Infinity) or just "Xbox". There won't be a number, because Microsoft is backed into a corner in that regard. Besides, just for the sake of argument, most consumers don't know that most Xbox 360 games have 720p (or lower) native resolutions. They go into the settings menu and they see 720p or 1080p. Flaunting their next console as 1080p isn't novel at all in their eyes.

So we actually agree on the naming thing :-)

[Weltall Zero]

Time to stockpile on XBoxes (the original ones) to resell them on eBay when it launches.

Seriously, I very much doubt this can be true, it's the most absurd branding move one could ever make.

[GavinGT]

Do they? One bomb, given how much went into it, and another which took almost four years to really break through at casual level. Microsoft's marketing prowess is something I would consider suspect at present. Windows 8 and Surface: portent of doom or mere anomalies?

Xbox didn't bomb. It achieved exactly what it set out to do: penetrate into the market at a steep cost. Xbox 360 succeeded likely beyond their internal expectations. It managed to grab a ton of market share from Sony and it even turned a profit. Microsoft may fail at marketing their PC software in the current climate, but with the Xbox brand they've been right on target (at least in the U.S.).

For those that remember the old Robbie Bach quote from about 2001 (which has been somehow lost in time), he said Microsoft's plan was to achieve overall profitability for the Xbox business within three generations. They're on track to do that if they can build upon the success of the Xbox 360.

So we actually agree on the naming thing :-)

Fair enough!

[Chiaroscuro]

That is some fantastic branding. Not enough bullshit stickers all over it, will never happen.

For me it looks like a graphic card or something. Nothing like something you will put bellow your tv set.

[Can Crusher]

What the fuck, so the leaked specs are for this portable or something?

What are the specs of the portable if it's gonna be playing the same games.

[gutterboy44]

For me it looks like a graphic card or something. Nothing like something you will put bellow your tv set.

Good call on the GPU card look. It just feels clean, like it is something really new and sharp. I don't actually mean what I expect or feel about the possible next gen hardware, I just think that branding mock up is effective in communicating something new and sophisticated. Simplicity goes a long way for me.

[Dr.Palutena]

For me it looks like a graphic card or something. Nothing like something you will put bellow your tv set.

You put video game console boxes under your tv set? Personally I put the consoles themselves underneath and throw away/store the boxes, but I guess everyone is different. :p

[Can Crusher]

Guys. GUYS! It's false. It's a troll. GUYS! https://twitter.com/Rob_Crossley_/st...32819582296064

Ok

[GavinGT]

You put video game console boxes under your tv set? Personally I put the consoles themselves underneath and throw away/store the boxes, but I guess everyone is different. :p

Box design matters at retail. It needs to catch people's attention and convey the message of the product. What would you say if you saw this in your local Walmart?:



You'd probably be super confused and wonder what they're even trying to sell you.

[Paddington Bear]

They are pulling an apple... iPad 3? Nope, the new iPad.

Xbox 3? Nope, the new Xbox

[bill0527]

They are pulling an apple... iPad 3? Nope, the new iPad. Xbox 3? Nope, the new Xbox

Yep. You also might here them refer to it as the third generation Xbox.

I had a feeling they were going to go this route.

[ascii42]

That is some fantastic branding. Not enough bullshit stickers all over it, will never happen. I really don't see what the huge problem with just calling it Xbox is. I am assuming the branding and physical console are going to look substantially different than the 360. The Wii U didn't fail in branding simply because of just adding a U to Wii, it failed in branding because the actual console looked nearly identical to the Wii, uses the same controllers as the Wii and the game pad can easily get misinterpreted as a Wii add on, not part of a new console. Lastly, you are going to get more of the confusion in the casual market, Wii's bread and butter, than the COD crowd. The COD crowd manages to tell the difference between, MW2,MW3 COD4, BLOPS and BLOPS II, I think they can handle, "Xbox" no matter how fickle, mindless, or "casual hardcore" etc they are.

All of those Call of Duties at least have actual different names.

[dogmanstaruk]

I quite like this.

Wasn't there a rumour before the Wii U got named that Nintendo were simply going to call it "Nintendo"?

[TheDrowningMan]

Xbox didn't bomb. It achieved exactly what it set out to do: penetrate into the market at a steep cost. Xbox 360 succeeded likely beyond their internal expectations. It managed to grab a ton of market share from Sony and it even turned a profit. Microsoft may fail at marketing their PC software in the current climate, but with the Xbox brand they've been right on target (at least in the U.S.). For those that remember the old Robbie Bach quote from about 2001 (which has been somehow lost in time), he said Microsoft's plan was to achieve overall profitability for the Xbox business within three generations. They're on track to do that if they can build upon the success of the Xbox 360. Fair enough!

360 has done well, but it's had a lot of breaks to get to where it is. You definitely have to capitalise, but when your arch rival rushes in with his chin in the air, your chances of knocking him down increase exponentially. I think Microsoft as console marketing juggernaut is yet to e substantiated. We shall see!

[Chiaroscuro]

You put video game console boxes under your tv set? Personally I put the consoles themselves underneath and throw away/store the boxes, but I guess everyone is different. :p

I mean: this does not look a box for a product I place in my living room. Not the box, of course, but that will not grab the attention of the average guy at retail.

Good call on the GPU card look. It just feels clean, like it is something really new and sharp. I don't actually mean what I expect or feel about the possible next gen hardware, I just think that branding mock up is effective in communicating something new and sophisticated. Simplicity goes a long way for me.

My point is that it may not work for a mass appeal console. It looks something from Apple, and we do not expect this for a console. Wrong message is less sales.

Box design matters at retail. It needs to catch people's attention and convey the message of the product. What would you say if you saw this in your local Walmart?: You'd probably be super confused and wonder what they're even trying to sell you.

This. That box is not targing the right demographic.

[GavinGT]

360 has done well, but it's had a lot of breaks to get to where it is. You definitely have to capitalise, but when your arch rival rushes in with his chin in the air, your chances of knocking him down increase exponentially. I think Microsoft as console marketing juggernaut is yet to e substantiated. We shall see!

Sure, they benefited quite a bit from Sony's arrogance. But Xbox is firmly planted as a leading platform now. Xbox 360 owners aren't going to automatically switch back to Sony's platform just because they stand to put out a competitively priced console this time around. I know we're talking about marketing here, but selling 75 million consoles after previously selling 24 million means they're surely doing something right. The sense I get is that they've successfully positioned the Xbox as the "cool" platform. That's just how it seems in the U.S., though. I'm sure it's different elsewhere.

[gutterboy44]

I mean: this does not look a box for a product I place in my living room. Not the box, of course, but that will not grab the attention of the average guy at retail. My point is that it may not work for a mass appeal console. It looks something from Apple, and we do not expect this for a console. Wrong message is less sales.

Anything that conjures up an "Apple feel" is the very definition of mass appeal these days. Nothing could possibly be more appealing to consumers than the Apple brand. It doesn't matter what the hell it is, from coffee makers to vaporizers, riding the coat tails of the Apple look does wonders for marketing. This isn't the 90's, people don't need to see other people physically using the product on the packaging. Clean and simple is in big right now.

[Ken Masters]

actually like this fake

[CorrisD]

Is this by any chance from the same people that said the WiiU was going to be called "Nintendo", lol.

[GavinGT]

actually like this fake

Looks like a handbag or an overturned garbage bin. Or maybe it's Microsoft's newest version of their Bitlocker software, with cloud support for up to 500 GB! Also, it assumes too much about the customer's prior knowledge of the product. "What the fuck is even in this box?", they'll wonder.

Is this by any chance from the same people that said the WiiU was going to be called "Nintendo", lol.

This rumor by itself isn't what we're basing that prediction off of. It just seems like a logical name choice, given the available options. Also, there have been one or two previous rumblings that they would call it "Xbox".

[Jokergrin]

we are going full circle

[dude819]

When I see "two cores" this is all I can think



That being said, I am 100% in on a day 1 Xbox/X-Surface bundle.

November cannot come soon enough.

11-12-13. Believe.

[9thwonder]

Anything that conjures up an "Apple feel" is the very definition of mass appeal these days. Nothing could possibly be more appealing to consumers than the Apple brand. It doesn't matter what the hell it is, from coffee makers to vaporizers, riding the coat tails of the Apple look does wonders for marketing. This isn't the 90's, people don't need to see other people physically using the product on the packaging. Clean and simple is in big right now.

.

[CadetMahoney]

Looks like a handbag.

It probably is, just a handbag with the console inside.

[Alx]

Anything that conjures up an "Apple feel" is the very definition of mass appeal these days. Nothing could possibly be more appealing to consumers than the Apple brand. It doesn't matter what the hell it is, from coffee makers to vaporizers, riding the coat tails of the Apple look does wonders for marketing. This isn't the 90's, people don't need to see other people physically using the product on the packaging. Clean and simple is in big right now.

It's been "in" for quite some time now, and with time popular designs become dated, precisely because everybody has been trying to follow it. I don't know how long the apple look will stay fashionable still, but you can be sure it won't last forever.

[lilsting10]

Both of those announcements are FUCKING STUPID!

"Xbox" obviously has already been an older console. That will create confusion for many casuals. It's not even as though MS will be releasing new 'Xbox's' every year like how Apple previously called one of the iPhone iterations ''the new iPhone''. Not saying that Xbox isn't a good branding, it should have been called Xbox <Something>. Xbox 720, 8, Infinity... they're all better than just 'Xbox'.

"Surface" is set to be a big brand for MS too. It's a new type of device and the most interesting thing MS has done in a damn long time. The rumors are rampant about a 'Surface Phone' and a wider range of surface-branded devices. X-Surface? What the hell is that? Xbox Surface is the name to go with, Christ's sake, MS!

[pubba]

I think the collective GAF hivemind can come up with a better fake 'leak' than this..

[GavinGT]

Both of those announcements are FUCKING STUPID! "Xbox" obviously has already been an older console. That will create confusion for many casuals. It's not even as though MS will be releasing new 'Xbox's' every year like how Apple previously called one of the iPhone iterations ''the new iPhone''. Not saying that Xbox isn't a good branding, it should have been called Xbox <Something>. Xbox 720, 8, Infinity... they're all better than just 'Xbox'. "Surface" is set to be a big brand for MS too. It's a new type of device and the most interesting thing MS has done in a damn long time. The rumors are rampant about a 'Surface Phone' and a wider range of surface-branded devices. X-Surface? What the hell is that? Xbox Surface is the name to go with, Christ's sake, MS!

The title says "Rumours", not "Reuters".

[ironcreed]

I think they should go with something like X-3. Short, simple, easy to get the reference, and it it just plain sounds cool.

[PsychoRaven]

Late to this post but I have to agree.

Wii vs wii u Xbox vs Xbox 360 vs Xbox Wat. I like Sonys model so much more. Ps1, ps2, ps3 etc

I have to agree. Just keep it simple. PS1, PS2, PS3, hopefully but doubtfully PS4, etc, etc, etc

[seventynine]

I really like the simplicity of calling it 'Xbox'. I currently refer to my 360 as "the Xbox" and my PlayStation 3 as "the PlayStation". I also loved the rumour that said the Wii U would be called "Nintendo Entertainment System" (I also loved the retro NES styled renders of the console too).

[PhatSaqs]

Fuck it just go the Madden route: Xbox 2013.

Tho I see no prob sticking with just Xbox.

[AuthenticM]

The Xbox.

[Sullichin]

Seems like Sony might have a problem with that, but that looks cool

[sacrificengineer]

They are serious? Rebooting successfully established brand after two iterations and getting risk of misunderstanding and confusion?

Sounds like today's Microsoft.

[EagleBurnn]

I never liked the Xbox name, sounds cheap.

And Playstation is better? All gaming consoles sound pretty cheap. Nintendo's 64-bit console was called the Nintendo 64. They also made a cube that could play game and guess what they called that?

[Alx]

All gaming consoles sound pretty cheap.

Nope. Sega gave great names to its consoles. :D
(it didn't help much in the end, though :( )

[Shambles]

The New Xbox (2013)

[Subitai]

Only problem is... the reason that tablet games sell so much, is because they're dirt cheap. iOS/Android has CoD clones for like <5$ (?). Why should they buy CoD for 60$ then? And I don't think Activision will lower the price/make CoD more tablet like. (60$ CoD still earns more despite 'less sales' than 5$ iOS games)

Cause all the cool kids will get it. At least that's what I think they think. If there is a benefit to playing it that helps when you finally get home, I could see this. As you said, Activision makes a great profit on this franchise, so I'm sure they'd try to do enough to make sure it is worth while to skip the cheap clones. I'm guessing they won't push it at $60, but more like $35-$45 and then $80-$100 for a collectors version and then make more bank on DLC.

It depends on the hardware price too. If it is priced like a KindleFire and positioned as a media consuming device with a subsidized price in conjunction with an XBL subscription, then I think MS may be onto something. If they're just trying to get back casual gamers lost to iPad, then ya an X-Surface is doomed.

[Rat Salad]

Watch 'em call it the XEC.
XBox Entertainment Center. As in an all in one box for home entertainment. Could work.

[nofi]

I'll just leave this here: http://x-surface.tumblr.com/

edit: nothing to do with me, btw.

[Alx]

I'll just leave this here: http://x-surface.tumblr.com/

Interesting "experiment", with sad results. I wonder if it's already on wikipedia. :P

[iMax]

I'll just leave this here: http://x-surface.tumblr.com/ edit: nothing to do with me, btw.

Unless... ARG?!

[jschreier]

I'll just leave this here: http://x-surface.tumblr.com/ edit: nothing to do with me, btw.

hahahaha unreal

[nofi]

hahahaha unreal

Just goes to show how many people just accept what someone else has written on a site.

[Hydrogen Bluebird]

I'll just leave this here: http://x-surface.tumblr.com/ edit: nothing to do with me, btw.

God damn.

[jschreier]

Just goes to show how many people just accept what someone else has written on a site.

Well, as a game journalist, there are some outlets I trust and some I don't. I would never cover a rumor from a site I've never heard of, like Pocket Lint or VGLeaks (the other one floating around) without some other form of verification. If I saw a anonymously-sourced report on a reputable site like Polygon or Eurogamer, however, I'd feel much more comfortable sharing it with readers.

BTW, despite all the flack we get, Kotaku got that email last night and decided that it was nonsense.