Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

[Silverstring]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

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jmood88 said:
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JohnDoe8865 said:
I don't really see how Gamecube is a good name at all. It is a cube shaped console that plays games.

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Me neither. And they've used the gameboy name for a long time.

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Well the "gameboy" name, in and of itself, is good, just as "playstation" is. It is actually the recycling of the names that I don't advocate( ex. Nintendo/Super Nintendo, GameBoy/Gameboy Color/Gameboy Advance/Gameboy Advance SP). I think the Xbox is the only name I feel has NOTHING redeeming about it(originally), and they're using it again! The DS(Dual Screen) and PSX are also terrible.

[pk500]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

Come on, guys: Honda has sold millions of Accords around the world. For many people, Accord is synonymous with Honda. So why should Honda change the name of its top-selling car?

The word "PlayStation" is almost synonymous with video gaming in a lot of the world. Sony has nearly 10 years of equity built in that name, as I think PlayStation is one of the most recognized product names in the world.

So please tell me why Sony should change that?

Microsoft is trying to build the same brand equity with the name Xbox. It makes ZERO sense to change the name.

It's only common marketing sense. You don't change the name of a product that has sold tens of millions around the world. That's branding suicide.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

Come on, guys: Honda has sold millions of Accords around the world. For many people, Accord is synonymous with Honda. So why should Honda change the name of its top-selling car?

The word "PlayStation" is almost synonymous with video gaming in a lot of the world. Sony has nearly 10 years of equity built in that name, as I think PlayStation is one of the most recognized product names in the world.

So please tell me why Sony should change that?

Microsoft is trying to build the same brand equity with the name Xbox. It makes ZERO sense to change the name.

It's only common marketing sense. You don't change the name of a product that has sold tens of millions around the world. That's branding suicide.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

Come on, guys: Honda has sold millions of Accords around the world. For many people, Accord is synonymous with Honda. So why should Honda change the name of its top-selling car?

The word "PlayStation" is almost synonymous with video gaming in a lot of the world. Sony has nearly 10 years of equity built in that name, as I think PlayStation is one of the most recognized product names in the world.

So please tell me why Sony should change that?

Microsoft is trying to build the same brand equity with the name Xbox. It makes ZERO sense to change the name.

It's only common marketing sense. You don't change the name of a product that has sold tens of millions around the world. That's branding suicide.

Take care,
PK

[Kodiak33]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

I thought the Xbox was named after Direct-X since it uses that technology.

[Kodiak33]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

I thought the Xbox was named after Direct-X since it uses that technology.

[Kodiak33]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

I thought the Xbox was named after Direct-X since it uses that technology.

[SportsorDeath]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

I think you are overestimating the ability of general consumers a little bit, Silver. It's been proven that many people are easily confused when it comes to stuff like video games and electronics. Your perspective is that of someone who falls under the "hardcore gamer" category, which is much different than the majority of people that buy game consoles.

I totally agree with you that many of the console names lack even a speck of creativity, but the brand names are just too popular to not use and take advantage of. You, me and everyone else here would have no problem recognizing which system comes from which company because we are all tuned in to the scene, but your average consumer isn't. Why change the name in order to be imaginative when it runs the risk of confusing and alienating your loyal consumer base? You may think the number of people that would be confused and buy something else, or nothing at all, would be small (something I would disagree with), but even a small number of lost sales is enough for most companies to not want to even try it.

A lot of times the similar names are also due to the console just being a brand extension rather than a whole new console. For example, the Game Boy Advance SP is just a redesigned Game Boy Advance with a backlit screen. In instances like that it would be foolish to give it a different name, thus giving people the impression that it is an entirely different system that plays different games.

Personally, I don't really care about system names that much. While it does get a tad monotonous, the games are what's important, not the system name. On a side note, I really hope Nintendo isn't planning on going with "N5", for their sake. That wouldn't be a wise move at all, IMO. Nintendo 64 was bad enough.

[SportsorDeath]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

I think you are overestimating the ability of general consumers a little bit, Silver. It's been proven that many people are easily confused when it comes to stuff like video games and electronics. Your perspective is that of someone who falls under the "hardcore gamer" category, which is much different than the majority of people that buy game consoles.

I totally agree with you that many of the console names lack even a speck of creativity, but the brand names are just too popular to not use and take advantage of. You, me and everyone else here would have no problem recognizing which system comes from which company because we are all tuned in to the scene, but your average consumer isn't. Why change the name in order to be imaginative when it runs the risk of confusing and alienating your loyal consumer base? You may think the number of people that would be confused and buy something else, or nothing at all, would be small (something I would disagree with), but even a small number of lost sales is enough for most companies to not want to even try it.

A lot of times the similar names are also due to the console just being a brand extension rather than a whole new console. For example, the Game Boy Advance SP is just a redesigned Game Boy Advance with a backlit screen. In instances like that it would be foolish to give it a different name, thus giving people the impression that it is an entirely different system that plays different games.

Personally, I don't really care about system names that much. While it does get a tad monotonous, the games are what's important, not the system name. On a side note, I really hope Nintendo isn't planning on going with "N5", for their sake. That wouldn't be a wise move at all, IMO. Nintendo 64 was bad enough.

[SportsorDeath]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

I think you are overestimating the ability of general consumers a little bit, Silver. It's been proven that many people are easily confused when it comes to stuff like video games and electronics. Your perspective is that of someone who falls under the "hardcore gamer" category, which is much different than the majority of people that buy game consoles.

I totally agree with you that many of the console names lack even a speck of creativity, but the brand names are just too popular to not use and take advantage of. You, me and everyone else here would have no problem recognizing which system comes from which company because we are all tuned in to the scene, but your average consumer isn't. Why change the name in order to be imaginative when it runs the risk of confusing and alienating your loyal consumer base? You may think the number of people that would be confused and buy something else, or nothing at all, would be small (something I would disagree with), but even a small number of lost sales is enough for most companies to not want to even try it.

A lot of times the similar names are also due to the console just being a brand extension rather than a whole new console. For example, the Game Boy Advance SP is just a redesigned Game Boy Advance with a backlit screen. In instances like that it would be foolish to give it a different name, thus giving people the impression that it is an entirely different system that plays different games.

Personally, I don't really care about system names that much. While it does get a tad monotonous, the games are what's important, not the system name. On a side note, I really hope Nintendo isn't planning on going with "N5", for their sake. That wouldn't be a wise move at all, IMO. Nintendo 64 was bad enough.

[Silverstring]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

I think the fact that consoles are electronics are EXACTLY what sets them apart. Think about it, how many people know the Sub-Name of their television, receiver, computer or speakers? THe primary identifier is the Brand name. How many people say they have a Inspirion 5000 computer or a Tau television, outside of the "hardcore"? Most say they have a Dell computer or a Panasonic Television. If someone went to the store to buy a console and the "next Playstation" was called the "Imagination"(bad example, but bear with me) but was also branded with the "Sony" name, do you really think people would have a hard time making the connection that this is the next Sony Console? Do you think people have a hard time discerning that the Gamecube is the successor to the N64? No, they know they are both Nintendos and that one is more recent than the other(do you see new N64's in stores still?) Keep in mind that the people who don't know are often parents who have been given a specific choice by their child anyway(I don't think you need to be a "hardcore gamer" to differentiate between the various companies products.) Cars and other examples, such as say, the Mach 3 Razor and its variations, are different based on the sheer number of alternatives available in the market place. The Accord name endures based on the fact that there are literally hundreds of other choices one can make when buying an automobile. Again, even the Accord name lags behind the primary "Honda" identifier. Each console generation, there are at most, 2 or 3 systems to choose from. I really doubt even the most clueless consumer would be able to associate those two or three with their parent companies, at present Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. I doubt anyone, even the most clueless gamer, would come home from the store consoleless(lost sales) because they wouldn't know what the next nintendo was. Moreover, I just hate the names. Dosen't anyone else see it getting tired(Playstation 6, Xbox 5? Come on.) Not to mention, I think there is more potential for confusion by the use of simple numbers. For the sake of argument, let's assume the name of the next nintendo console is the "N5". The average consumer may look at the "N5" next to the "PS3" and say, "Well 5 is higher/better than 3, let me go with that." I may be overestimating the knowledge of the average consumer, but I think you are underestimating it. A console is not the kind of purchase you go into with NO information.

[Silverstring]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

I think the fact that consoles are electronics are EXACTLY what sets them apart. Think about it, how many people know the Sub-Name of their television, receiver, computer or speakers? THe primary identifier is the Brand name. How many people say they have a Inspirion 5000 computer or a Tau television, outside of the "hardcore"? Most say they have a Dell computer or a Panasonic Television. If someone went to the store to buy a console and the "next Playstation" was called the "Imagination"(bad example, but bear with me) but was also branded with the "Sony" name, do you really think people would have a hard time making the connection that this is the next Sony Console? Do you think people have a hard time discerning that the Gamecube is the successor to the N64? No, they know they are both Nintendos and that one is more recent than the other(do you see new N64's in stores still?) Keep in mind that the people who don't know are often parents who have been given a specific choice by their child anyway(I don't think you need to be a "hardcore gamer" to differentiate between the various companies products.) Cars and other examples, such as say, the Mach 3 Razor and its variations, are different based on the sheer number of alternatives available in the market place. The Accord name endures based on the fact that there are literally hundreds of other choices one can make when buying an automobile. Again, even the Accord name lags behind the primary "Honda" identifier. Each console generation, there are at most, 2 or 3 systems to choose from. I really doubt even the most clueless consumer would be able to associate those two or three with their parent companies, at present Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. I doubt anyone, even the most clueless gamer, would come home from the store consoleless(lost sales) because they wouldn't know what the next nintendo was. Moreover, I just hate the names. Dosen't anyone else see it getting tired(Playstation 6, Xbox 5? Come on.) Not to mention, I think there is more potential for confusion by the use of simple numbers. For the sake of argument, let's assume the name of the next nintendo console is the "N5". The average consumer may look at the "N5" next to the "PS3" and say, "Well 5 is higher/better than 3, let me go with that." I may be overestimating the knowledge of the average consumer, but I think you are underestimating it. A console is not the kind of purchase you go into with NO information.

[Silverstring]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

I think the fact that consoles are electronics are EXACTLY what sets them apart. Think about it, how many people know the Sub-Name of their television, receiver, computer or speakers? THe primary identifier is the Brand name. How many people say they have a Inspirion 5000 computer or a Tau television, outside of the "hardcore"? Most say they have a Dell computer or a Panasonic Television. If someone went to the store to buy a console and the "next Playstation" was called the "Imagination"(bad example, but bear with me) but was also branded with the "Sony" name, do you really think people would have a hard time making the connection that this is the next Sony Console? Do you think people have a hard time discerning that the Gamecube is the successor to the N64? No, they know they are both Nintendos and that one is more recent than the other(do you see new N64's in stores still?) Keep in mind that the people who don't know are often parents who have been given a specific choice by their child anyway(I don't think you need to be a "hardcore gamer" to differentiate between the various companies products.) Cars and other examples, such as say, the Mach 3 Razor and its variations, are different based on the sheer number of alternatives available in the market place. The Accord name endures based on the fact that there are literally hundreds of other choices one can make when buying an automobile. Again, even the Accord name lags behind the primary "Honda" identifier. Each console generation, there are at most, 2 or 3 systems to choose from. I really doubt even the most clueless consumer would be able to associate those two or three with their parent companies, at present Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. I doubt anyone, even the most clueless gamer, would come home from the store consoleless(lost sales) because they wouldn't know what the next nintendo was. Moreover, I just hate the names. Dosen't anyone else see it getting tired(Playstation 6, Xbox 5? Come on.) Not to mention, I think there is more potential for confusion by the use of simple numbers. For the sake of argument, let's assume the name of the next nintendo console is the "N5". The average consumer may look at the "N5" next to the "PS3" and say, "Well 5 is higher/better than 3, let me go with that." I may be overestimating the knowledge of the average consumer, but I think you are underestimating it. A console is not the kind of purchase you go into with NO information.

[Leon]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

Why the gripe about consoles names'? For me, they don't change the name of the console because of its popularity. Playstation is pretty much synonymous with gaming so why change it? You don't see Microsoft changing Windows' name do you?

BTW, paragraphs are your friend. Use it.

[Leon]

Re: Lazy, Unimaginative Console Naming?

Why the gripe about consoles names'? For me, they don't change the name of the console because of its popularity. Playstation is pretty much synonymous with gaming so why change it? You don't see Microsoft changing Windows' name do you?

BTW, paragraphs are your friend. Use it.