Well, here we are. We now know the names of the three consoles that’ll be competing come this holiday season. PlayStation 4. Wii U. And now, Xbox One. But every console needs a shorthand name; the Xbox 360 was just the “360,” the PlayStation 4 is the “PS4.” But what to call the Xbox One?
As Jason points out, the name “Xbox One” could be a bit confusing to your average gamer. I see what he’s saying, though I don’t really share his concern. I think people will get it. And really, I don’t mind the name; it’s a bit annoyingly clever (“It is the ONE thing you’ll need in your living room, do you GET IT?”) but judged for purely aesthetic qualities, “Xbox One” has a much better rhythm and tonality than the pinched “Wii U,” and even removes some of the sibilance of “PS4.”
But as I said, the question remains as to what we’re going to call this thing in everyday conversation.
Two contenders come to mind. There’s XB1, pronounced “Ex Bee One,” which the same number of syllables as “PS4” and rolls off the tongue nicely. Then again, the full name, Xbox One, has the same number of syllables, so that’s not really a shortening at all. It’s more about achieving letter-letter-number parity with the PS4.
The other option is much more enjoyable, and has already been catching on: “Xbone.” Microsoft seems to want us to type out the one (one) rather than using a numeric symbol (1), and when we do that to an abbreviation (XB), we get “Xbone.”
This is a potentially problematic shorthand, at least for Microsoft. That’s because… well, “bone” isn’t exactly a word you want associated with your console. Boneheaded, boner, totally boned, etc. That said, the word has its positive connotations as well: T-Bone Burnett, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, “Bones” McCoy, etc. And it sure is a lot of fun to say.
Of course, this isn’t the sort of thing anyone can just up and decide. Language evolves over time, and with usage. Maybe there’s an option that hasn’t yet come to light, or we’ll go with some mixture of the three listed here, sort of like how Call of Duty: Black Ops is either COD or Black Ops or CODBlops depending on who’s talking, where.
Time will tell. But I gotta say, I do kind of hope “Xbone” sticks around.
Xbone.
Ex-bone.
Heh.
Comments
77 responses to “So, What Are We Going To Call The Xbox One?”
Simple. I’m just going to call it the Xbox because that’s what it is.
This. For now I’ll call it the new Xbox. Then I’ll call it the Xbox.
Simple, the X1
This
That is what I was thinking I have all ready started calling it the X1
X-Bone has definitely stuck early on, but I think in most cases I’ll just call it Xbox. I hardly ever say Xbox 360 – people know when I say “Xbox” I mean the latest one. I might have to start saying 360 as shorthand for the 360 when the One is out.
all things considered Xbone fits nicly….
Big Brother seems to work from my perspective.
Ass a red glowing eye and we could call it HAL 9000.
So who coined the term Xbone first? I saw it floating around TAY but I think it might have been around the IGN boards a bit earlier.
Its always gonna be the XBone to me.
Coz when it RRODs (or whatever the equivalent is), you can say its XBoned.
How about we call it PS4
I don’t call it anything. I just laugh.
Someone wrote it as XO. I kinda think that’s the most flattering abbreviation.
The cross-bone, a symbol for all pirates.
*Insert Jolly Rogering joke here*
I still refer to the Xbox 360 as ‘Xbox’ I assume I’ll treat the Xbox One the same way.
It’s kind of obvious Microsoft want us to call it The One. Which is why I refuse to do so. It’s been “XBone” since practically seconds after it was announced and I can’t see that going away any time soon.
Because we all hated the Matrix sequels. Will Microsoft never learn? 😛
Edit: The original Matrix is almost 15 years old. Christ, that makes me feel old.
Yep, I was still in high school.
And maaaaaaaaaaaaaan, has it ever dated!
First thing “The One” brings to mind to me is that (rather cheesy) Jet Li movie dealing with alternate universes. The Xbox One is not awesome enough to be deserving of comparison to a movie containing a fight between Jet Li and Jet Li.
Supercop Jet LI versus Superillain Jet Li.
They even had different fighting styles based on their personalities. That movie was so damn fun to watch!
Oh and XBone. For reals.
To be fair, pretty much nothing is awesome enough to be deserving of comparison to a movie containing a fight between Jet Li and Jet Li.
I choose to believe that TAY made this happen. @rize
I also choose to believe this. @jimu
Like there was ever a question.
XBone
Wait a minute, those are the wrong type of bones up there…
Family friendly site can’t put the correct bones. We all know, though.
Do I need to colon pee every sarcy comment I make?
I was saying I agree with you. :\
Oh, I thought you were e’splainin’.
Sorry 🙁
I’m sure it’s my fault. I’ve been expressing myself bad all day.
IGN boards had someone say it around 3.15am. Whats the earliest time it was mentioned in TAY?
Facts be damned, man. I choose to believe what I choose to believe 🙂
I was just hoping to stroll on in there and shove it in their faces.
@markserrels, @benwhite, feel up to a little comments forgery? 😛
This is a worthy cause.
Xbone is stuck in my head.
Call it what it is. Tvbox.
On3. Easy to diferentiate between the first Xbox but it only works in text form.
How about the X1?
Xbone sounds silly. XB1, please.
Sounds like a Frankenstein of a Holden Torana XU-1 met an EB Ford Falcon..
you do realise X-Box-One has the same amount of syllables as P-S-4.
why shortern it when it doesnt need to be?
in any case, peolpe will just call it xbox, most people called 360 xbox anywy from my experience.
Did you even read the article? He mentioned your point about the syllables already.
Same number of syllables, but it’s more awkward to say. Think about how your lips move when you say the relevant initials. Break it down into individual sounds:
Eh-k-s-B-o-k-s W-u-n
P-ee Eh-s F-o-r
Ten vs. seven sounds. Every distinct sound involves changing how your tongue or lips shape the words, so PS4 is easier to say. Compare with the 360:
th-r-ee s-i-x-t-ee
Also seven sounds. XBone would be really short at only six sounds:
Eh-k-s B-oh-n
Although personally I favour plain X1:
Eh-k-s W-u-n
as it’s also six sounds but also shorter to write, and lacks the extra mental step of recognising the “One” out of “Bone” (as the two are pronounced differently). XBun maybe…
I’ve been calling it Nextbox
At my work (a gaming retailer), we have all our game listed under their system shorthands. So you’d search for Assassin’s Creed as “x360 assassin’s creed” or “ps3 assassin’s creed” and we now have the Xbox One stuff listed under “xbone” so I vote we make that name official! Now to make sure I don’t call it that in front of customers…….
Heh. XBone.
Christmas is going to get awkward in some households
“Hey mum, this Christmas all I want is an X-bone”
Even better, ask an ex to get it for you 😉
“It is the ONE thing you’ll need in your living room, do you GET IT?”… I’m pretty sure you need a TV in there as well… and the TV is probably more impotant.
The Xbox Failure! – Shafting the Customer edition.
VHS
Just call it ‘The Box’.
im gonna call this what i called the last gen and the gen before that when me and my mates are around
‘hey man, wanna get pissed on the weekend and kill some shit’
universal…
On a similar note, did anyone else notice when they put up the graphic saying:
“All in One System”
The capital letters were exactly like that as well. All I could think was:
“All iOS”
Was Steve haunting the Microsoft presentation?
Should Microsoft really be subliminally promoting Apple?
Digital set top box.
They insist on spelling “one” out? XBO it is. Has a nice ring to it, and sounds like a TV-related device.
i will call it what it is…Garbage/Trash
ipad 4.
XIVO…
Maybe they’re taking a cue from Amazon.
Kindle Paperwhite
Microsoft PaperWeight
PS3.5
Bet it ends up being called XBO for short, same number of letters and syllables as PS4.
The internet decided yesterday that it’s X-Bone
i like XBO. Pronounced “ex-bee-oh”
What about “five hundred dollar hulu” ?
I think they should call it the “xXboXx”, it would really appeal to their core playerbase.
XBone has to stay. It sets up the wallet rape jokes perfectly.
I work for a distibuter and it’s offically called “XBONE” on the ordering system. Ballsack XMAS to you
I seem to be gravitating towards a portmanteau of the words. It shall now be called the XBun.
Considering the always on Kinect, I can see why they call it Xbone.
Even “Infinity-One” or the more teeny bopping “Inf1nity” would have been better. So… next up is the “Xbox Two”? Or “Next Box”? How about “All In One Anti-PC with television!”?
End of the day I don’t really give a shit. But I’m a bit drunk and I thought it was funny anyway.
Edit: Whoops forgot to say, X-Bone is a stupid name.
Xbox One = ZWAN
if referred to it as the “XOne”… close to the whole “XBone” thing but seems more official?