The list of console names shuffled by Microsoft reveals how lucky we are to call it Xbox

Those who know something about the birth of the first Xbox and how Microsoft decided to enter the video game console market will be familiar with the story behind its name. Brewing in the company's games department, the name of the console went from DirectX Box to its final abbreviation Xbox, but not before overcoming a bitter internal struggle .

The thing was not as simple as choosing a name and point. The Redmond marketing department was never sold on the Xbox name and tried to do everything they could to change it.In the end we already know how the story ended, and we should be thankful that we can refer to the console like that and not with any of the other proposed names.

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In the beginning the people in charge of developing the console used internal names to refer to the project. Things like WEP (Windows Entertainment Project), which management liked, or Midway, for being a mix between PC and console, or the DirectX Box itself, which they soon abbreviated as Xbox. As the project progressed, the management asked them to find a new name. Thus they entered a first phase of unfortunate proposals to soon begin to shuffle a list of acronyms the work of the people in charge of the task of naming things in Microsoft."

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These privileged minds did not look kindly on the Xbox name and were looking for something better to bring to market. Among other nice things they wanted to call their console 11-X or Eleven-XBut the original team, led by Seamus Blackley, was stubborn enough to try to push through. Almost 13 years later, Blackley has released a list of acronyms in an interview with Edge magazine. I reproduce it below because it is not wasted:"

Going through the list I can't think of any better choice than Xbox, but at that time the marketing people were still doubtful. They wouldn't change their minds until they tried a few names in various 'focus groups' and saw that Xbox was the name that came out best for it And despite that, they still had to fight over the way to write it: X-Box, XboX, xBox, etc. In the end the Xbox is the Xbox and one who is glad not to have to call his console MEA or FACE.

Via | Edge Online