Xbox bigwig reveals battle over console’s original name

What’s in a name? Plenty when it comes to some of the most recognizable and popular brands. But it turns out there was a strong push at Microsoft to name the Xbox 11-X or Eleven-X before original Xbox mucky-muck Seamus Blackley and his launch team overruled the choice.

That and other secrets behind the popular gaming console have come to light in an old Edge interview, that Blackley published online for the first time.

“First, there were our code names, which were WEP – ‘Windows Entertainment Project’ – designed to make Microsoft executives comfortable, Midway – ‘Midway between a PC and a console or ‘Battle of Midway’ – you decide – and DirectX Box, which was shortened to xbox in email very early on,” Backley revealed.

Originally, the lawyers didn’t think xbox was “legally sound,” Blackley said, so they took a shot at what they called ‘car’ names.

“These were so bad we didn’t even save them, but I remember making fun of one of them by calling it the ‘Microsoft Bunduss.’ Then we got the ‘acronym’ phase from the naming geniuses,” he revealed.

They were all “crap,” according to Blackley. And the team opted to stick with its guns and fight for Xbox “since that’s what everyone called it anyway – and they wanted, for some unknowable reason, to call it ’11-X’ or ‘Eleven-X.’ Finally, we told them no, but still had to decide: X-Box, xBox, XboX, Xbox, X-box…”

Obviously, the product guys won out, and the Xbox was born. Would the console have been as successful if it had been named one of the other suggestions listed below?

– MAX (Microsoft Action Experience)

– AIO (All In One)

– MIND (Microsoft Interactive Network Device)

– FACE (Full Action Center)

– MITH (Microsoft Interactive Theatre)

– XON (Experience Optimised Network)

– MVPC (Microsoft Virtual Play Center)

– TAC (Total Action Center – discs/games could be called
TACs)

– MARC (Microsoft Action Reality Center)

– LEX (Live Entertainment Experience)

– M-PAC (Microsoft Play and Action Center)

– RPM (Real Performance Machine)

– MOX (Microsoft Optimal Experience)

– E2 (Extreme Experience)

– MTG (Microsoft Total Gaming)

– VIP (Virtual Interactive Player)

– PTP or P2P (Powered To Play)

– VIC (Virtual Interactive Center – disks/games could be
called VICs)

– MARZ (Microsoft Active Reality Zone)

– TSO (Three, Six, Zero)

– EHQ (Entertainment Headquarters)

– O2 (Optimal Ozone or Optical Odyssey)

– MIC (Microsoft Interactive Center)

– R&R (Reality and Revolution)

– MEA (Microsoft Entertainment Activator)

– AMP (Active Microsoft Player)

– VPS (Virtual Play System)

– MAP (Microsoft Action Play)

– MEGA (Microsoft Entertainment & Gaming Attendant or
Microsoft Entertainment & Gaming Assembly)

– CPG (CyberPlayGround)

– VERV (Virtual Entertainment & Reality Venture)

– OM (Odyssey of the Mind)

– P2 (PowerPlay)

– IS1 (Interactive System In One)

– MET (Microsoft Entertainment Technology or Microsoft Entertainment Theatre)