When the Xbox One was announced, many gamers felt the name was pretty ridiculous. According to a recent interview though, if things had gone a little differently 12 years ago, it might not have been called an Xbox at all.
Seamus Blackley joined Microsoft in 1999 and subsequently co-wrote the first Xbox proposal. He also helped form the console's initial team, and was one of the primary figures in promoting the device to game developers prior to its launch. Speaking to Edge, Blackley revealed that in these early days, more than a few names were up for consideration.
"First, there were our code names, which were WEP - 'Windows Entertainment Project' - designed to make Microsoft executives comfortable," he explained. "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."
"When we got the first approval, Kevin [Bachus] was told we had to get a new name, because 'xbox' wasn't legally sound, so against his judgment he did so, and got the phase two, or 'car' names," he continued. "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."
"Phase four was a battle between us and the naming guys, when we decided we just wanted to risk it and go with 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..." he said.
Some of these early names include the MAX, aka the Microsoft Action Experience (very 90s), the FACE, or Full Action Center (Microsoft is all about the action, apparently), the R&R, or Reality and Revolution, and the OM, or Odyssey of the Mind.
Say what you will about the Xbox One's name, I think Microsoft went with the best possible choice back in 2001. Check out the full list of bizarre names 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)
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