Recent reports indicate that Microsoft is moving towards a fully digital Xbox gaming experience, and their history of using codenames for their consoles sheds light on this shift.
Before any official announcements, Microsoft has consistently assigned unique codenames to their gaming hardware. The leaked codenames “Ellewood” and “Brooklin” for the upcoming Xbox Series X and S consoles suggest a significant transformation in Microsoft’s approach, potentially hinting at a unified digital-only identity.
After documents from the ongoing case between Microsoft and the Federal Trade Commission leaked, the gaming community is buzzing with speculation about the tech giant’s future plans. Microsoft, as a versatile industry player, has compelling reasons to keep their projects under wraps until they are ready for the big reveal. Throughout Xbox’s history, they have used codenames like Anaconda and Lockhart before unveiling the official names.
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What’s interesting is that these recent codenames hint at a revival of Microsoft’s digital-oriented strategy for Xbox. With the Xbox Series S already known as a digital alternative to the Series X, these leaks suggest a clear direction toward a fully digital Xbox platform. Comparing these codenames to past Xbox consoles could offer insights into what the gaming community can anticipate in the coming years.
Uncovering Xbox’s Codename History
The iconic name “Xbox” originated from Microsoft’s “DirectX Box,” a nod to the company’s graphics API, Direct X. Every new console and peripheral under the Xbox brand received a codename, revealing Microsoft’s unique approach to gaming hardware development. Some devices even had a secondary codename, providing players with significant insights into
Microsoft’s development process. Here are the codenames for previous Xbox consoles:
- Xenon: Later unveiled as the Xbox 360
- Durango: Later revealed as the Xbox One
- Natal: Later introduced as Xbox Kinect
- Scorpio: Later announced as Xbox One X
- Edmonton: Later unveiled as Xbox One S
- Scarlett: Later confirmed as the codename for the next-gen consoles succeeding the Xbox One X and S
- Anaconda and Starkville: Later revealed as Xbox Series X
- Lockhart and Edith: Later introduced as Xbox Series S
Additional codenames were uncovered in the Xbox One’s operating system, such as “Edinburgh” and “Count,” leading to a theory that Microsoft had two naming conventions: deadly animals for more powerful X consoles and capital cities for the S console line. However, recent leaks suggest a shift away from this pattern as Microsoft seems to be transitioning towards a digital-only strategy.
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The codenames “Ellewood” and “Brooklin” do not align with previous naming conventions. They appear to be variations of cities and boroughs in the United States, with Brooklin possibly inspired by the Brooklyn borough in New York City and Ellewood possibly derived from Ellwood City in Pennsylvania. This shift in naming conventions indicates Microsoft’s intention to unify the Xbox Series X and S consoles under the banner of a digital-only model. This means future Xbox consoles could be distinguished primarily by their storage and performance variations.
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