Judging from the press reactions when the name Xbox Series X was unveiled and subsequent attempts to "clarify" that aforementioned name, it sure looks-like MS is wasting marketing time and money. I dont know if they are getting their money's worth at all.:
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Post-TGA reveal from Dec 12:
The Xbox One Series X: bad name, good design
'Xbox Series X' is the worst name Microsoft could choose for its next-gen console
Xbox Series X's Name Is Asking For Consumer Confusion
Post-BusinessInsider explanation of the name from Dec 17:
Xbox Series X name explained by Microsoft, still confusing
Xbox Series X Name Explained (Sort Of)
Then there's that Xbox End of the Year interview with Phil Spencer From Dec 23:
Next-Gen Xbox Name Explained by Phil Spencer, Wants It to Be the Best Xbox
Phil Spencer Tries To Rationalize The New Xbox's Dubious Bad Name
Im sure Microsoft has tons of marketing money to burn to try and try again to "clarify" it but couldnt they save their money and just come-up with a less confusing name for their next-gen console? Like seriously, Xbox Series X and Xbox One X is too similar and worse, half-informed/distracted people might actually mistake the old-gen "One" console as the first in the "Series" line of console. Why risk it at all?
No really i dont. "Hardcore" is too vague a term to create an argument or to respond to one. As i already linked earlier before:
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Research says 'casual' and 'hardcore' no longer accurately describe today's gamers
Don Daglow: "I'm calling bullshit on core, mid-core and casual"
. . . . your use of unclear terms such as "hardcore" and "casual" was a mistake which means youre original point that "casuals" - whatever that means - don't buy consoles at launch was a mistake too. "Hardcore" gamers - whatever that means - do not monopolize console supply at launch and the first few months but rather Early Adopters do. Early Adopters is a well-defined marketing and business term for decades and the term precisely describes the people who will buy products like consoles at launch AND covers a whole lot of gaming segments the term "hardcore" wouldn't even begin to describe: The Time Fillers, The Backseat Viewer who wants to return to his/her old gaming hobby, The Hardware Enthusiast, The All-Around Enthusiast etc.
And just to pull back on my original point, there are plenty of distracted, tired and/or partially informed console buyers at launch aka Early Adopters who will very easily make the disappointing mistake of buying an old-gen Xbox One X instead of the new-gen Xbox Series X for themselves or for others due to the similar names, similar ability to play Halo Infinte, price considerations etc.
Look at you trying to change the definition of what a "core console" is from the one that was set by
a multi-awarded videogame industry pioneer and expert. You're redefinition is worthless and it reflects badly on you and your argument that you even made an attempt on the first place. Gonna put the Don Daglow's definition here again *cuts and paste*
A "core version" of a new console has become a trade term for "a stripped down model sold for a lower price." The most common downgraded features are memory and hard disk size.
Going by that correct definition, Xbox 360 Core(0GB storage, 2005) is the "core console version" (as if its not obvious enough) counterpart to the launch day Xbox 360(20GB, 2005) while the follow-up Xbox 360 Arcade(256MB,2007) is the "core console counterpart" to the Xbox 360 Elite(2007). The rumored Xbox Series S with its gimped RAM and underclocked CPU will be the "core console counterpart" to the Xbox Series X.
You wouldnt find a better historical precedent to Xbox 9th-gen console hardware and pricing plans than Xbox's 7th-gen console hardware and pricing plans . . . . which is bad news considering Daglow's follow-up historical analysis:
I found no evidence that a core version priced inside the Goldilocks Zone materially changed the fate of a platform whose primary configurations were priced above the appropriate window.
My theory about why: Gamers buy new systems in order to experience great new graphical and audio features, and to play the most stunning games. Core systems do add initial sales volume for manufacturers. But the trade-offs they offer limit the game experience on top titles, which makes these models a bad match for the passionate game fans who drive the console industry.
As the market matures core systems become obsolete very quickly, and users have learned that a little patience will give them the chance to buy a full-featured machine at the same price.
So yeah, like i said before, judging from history, the rumored Xbox Series S is not going to materially affect the result of the Console Wars in favor of MS. Delaying its launch for a year to holiday 2021 just in time for Xbox Series X's and i guess the competition's next-gen console's first price cuts only makes Xbox Series S more irrelevant. Yep, people have legit reasons to question MS approach to its next-gen console and its not just because of a confusing brand name.
Sure but similar hype, similar ability to play launch games on top of similar console names? Thats a recipe for consumer confusion. Keep the 'X' suffix but change the 'Series' keyword. Its an extremely generic term used by many products (Dell G series, Samsung Galaxy M series etc.) to denote a product line and most buyers out-of-habit will hesitate and think-twice to use it as a unique identifier. Change Xbox Series X to Xbox Infinite X or probably even just Xbox X series.
The previous
link i provided have external links to pics of those popular home entertainment center. Its going to be a tight-fit even when placed horizontally on its side because of its PC tower design and for those with enclosed entertainment centers or even those that are open but have side-obstacles like vases, books or other electronic devices, XSeX's exhaust fan which is only to one side if placed horizontally may not have enough space to properly vent-out hot air. XSeX looks to requires more thought and compromise to set in a home entertainment center (and spouse) than your averagely designed game console.
Read above in regards to your erroneous use of the vague term "hardcore".
Baseline specs dictate the general scope, economics and acceptable performance of a multiplat game and they are often closer but not always equal to the recommended specs rather than the minimum specs of a game. Low-end PC configurations between the baseline and minimum specs gets a participation award and eats testing resources but often has little to no say in the actual design process. Setting the baseline specs like the CPU and RAM of your multiplat to the rumored low-end next-gen Xbox Series S or worse,the Xbox One constrains the game design and brings down the next-gen experience for everyone in the next-gen Xbox ecosystem.
Focusing on multiplayer is not the right approach to Halo. Ask any Halo vet (or relapsed vet) and they will tell you that Halo is all about great single-player and multi-player experiences. There are plenty of Halo fans who buy Halo for single-player alone. People are attached to the Master Chief. All these statement of yours focusing too much on Halo multiplayer is very worrying and actually gives the impression that Halo seem to be chasing live-services trends. Not good.
If MS/343i really need an un-optimized Halo cross-gen game that uses old-gen specs as a baseline for multiplayer/live services-centric purposes then do a side-story game starring Jameson Locke and Team Osiris. Keep the mainline Halo game focusing on 'Chief as an EXCLUSIVE flagship title for stuff like console launches where the devs could really showcase the potential of the next-gen Xbox hardware and would not look shabby compared to the competition's next-gen exclusives. Keep the mystique of the 'Chief and his series as they are basically synonimous with the Xbox brand identity.
Nah, if there is one thing that people with retail experience learns quickly, it is to never under-estimate customer ignorance when making a purchase. Boutique shops like the Apple store and car dealers are specific enough and have a high sales personnel to potential buyer ratio to mitigate a buyer's lack of product info but for general stores like Walmart or Gamestop where the sales people are often swamped, the potential customer is shit-out of luck. This is why having a clear, distinct brand name is important, there might not be anyone to assist the customer in making a purchase. Something that you could not say for Xbox Series X.
Potential buyers making the mistake of buying an old-gen Xbox One X when what they or the recipient of the purchase really wanted is a next-gen Xbox Series X due to having confusing names. Its a very real thing that could happen - hell, just by looking at an itemized list of names containing a Xbox One X and Xbox Series X can be disorienting. And just to be clear other people did arrive to the same scenarios as i do:
Picture this: it's the holiday season of 2020. A pair of hopeful parents are trying to get the newest console for their bright-eyed kid who made the nice list. "Which Xbox do you want, ma'am?" asks the overworked clerk behind the counter. "The One S, the One X, or the Series X?" The parents ask for the cheaper one. And that's how many Christmases will be ruined by bad naming conventions.
You can imagine someone going to a store and asking for "the Xbox X", and being told there are two of them. "Okay, I want the one that is 4K." But both of them are 4K. "I want the one that plays the new Halo." Except… both of them will play the new Halo, so you can't even use that as the differentiating factor.
LOL. Like i said earlier, Early Adopters is a well-defined marketing and business term for decades and the term precisely describes the people who will buy products like consoles at launch AND covers a whole lot of gaming segments the term "hardcore" wouldn't even begin to describe. Really next time, pick a clear, distinct term when making an argument cause people will call you out and correct you if you don't. Dont use vague terms like the way Xbox names its consoles.