I've been at the Leipzig game Convention this week - more on that soon - but one thing that really stuck out was Microsoft's stand. Historically the focus would have been on the core stuff - think Halo, Gears of War and the rest. This year the core games were hidden away - Fable 2 and Too Human, for example - while the stand was dominated by Rock Band and You're in The Movies. The message was clear - Xbox is for everyone! Hmm. You convinced? I'm not so sure. What does the Xbox brand conjure up to you? Family friendly gaming? Post pub gaming with a host of attractive model types? Or, in fact an overcaffeinated teen with a headset and an accurate trigger finger?
But, for the sake of this blog, let's roll with the idea that the 360 is about to enter Wii-like mainstream popularity for a moment. Let's assume the lineup gets increasingly inclusive - more SceneIt and the like. What could be the one thing that puts the mainstream market off? Yup, the name. "Xbox" may have sounded edgy and exciting in 2001 when Microsoft needed core gamers onboard. But now it sounds slightly naff and, more importantly, is likely to put off casual gamers. Oh go on then - it's Friday. Ybox? Every1Box? How would you rename the Xbox to make it more appealing to casual/family gamers?
