The people have spoken.
Microsoft’s console brand Xbox has now been renamed to the all-caps XBOX, reverting to its 2000s styling. The change is relatively minor, but the way it was executed was arguably the most intriguing part of the entire rebrand.
What would typically be a tightly-controlled corporate decision was instead decided through a simple fan poll conducted online.
Why did Xbox change its name to XBOX?
On 14 May, newly-appointed CEO Asha Sharma posted a brief and direct poll on her X/Twitter account: Xbox or XBOX?
With over 19,000 total votes, netizens made their choice. XBOX, with full capitalisation, won favour with a 64.8% majority. The option was backed by many commenters, with even Discord chiming in to support the popular choice.
What initially seemed like a fun little poll turned out to be serious business for Sharma, as just a day later, Xbox’s official account was renamed to XBOX. And this wasn’t simply a delete-and-rename change either. The account’s X username, which has to be unique, was also changed to reflect the all-caps version of its name–showing its commitment to the rebrand.
For now, however, Xbox’s old name remains unchanged on its official website, other social media accounts, and its support accounts on X.
XBOX continues its rapid overhaul
As bold as the move was for XBOX, this wasn’t the first time the new CEO has caught the community off guard. Since her appointment as the head of XBOX three months ago, the console company has undergone waves of changes at a rapid pace.
Sharma dropped the Microsoft Gaming label in favour of the more straightforward Xbox brand, before changing the logo back to its nostalgic green version.
In an era where most prices are rising, Xbox instead reduced its Game Pass Ultimate subscription price. The company is also already working on its next-generation console, codenamed Project Helix. So far, all of these changes have been well-received by the wider gaming community.
Now, with a major move decided through a simple fan poll, XBOX has made a bold statement by implementing fan feedback directly–albeit for a fairly minor change which some call a mere marketing stunt.
Nevertheless, it remains an interesting development, as XBOX continues to keep fans on their toes over what might come next.
