 | "Hello, boys and girls. God here. You know: the guy who lives on a cloud, and made everything. If it wasn't for Me you wouldn't have computer games, so... y'know... better give Me some respect, ya dirty shits. "Did you know that the computer game machines that you love so much were all once known by different names? That's right - they were, and I'm going to tell you all about those original names in the article below. "I also thought it might be fun along the way to tell you some of the in-development working names I gave to some of the fauna I created. That'll be fun won't it? Dirty shits." |
STELLA
The first prototype of what would become the Atari 2600 - or Video Computer System - was designed by one Joseph C. Decuir. He borrowed the name Stella from the bicycle he owned. Decuir still has the bike, and will on occasion take it with him to shows and talks. IT'S NOT AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG, DECUIR.
ZX82
The ZX Spectrum actually had two working names; the LC3 (Low Cost Colour Computer), ZX81 Colour and the ZX82. You see, the ZX81 was released in 1981, and the follow-up machine was scheduled to launch in - yes - 1997 (1982). After toying with branding it the ZX Rainbow, the name Spectrum was chosen as a reference to the computer's colour display, which was a real big deal back then.
"You know this stupid beast as a horse, but when we were developing it, the R n' D department codenamed it the 'Big WIlly', due to the size of its massive willy. It very nearly became the official name, but the marketing department reminded us that half the horses don't even have willies!"
LORRAINE
The Amiga was almost launched by Commodore as the Amiga PC, before a last-minute change. Prior to that, the developers of the chipset - a small company called Amiga Corporation (previously Hi-Toro, and soon becoming a subsidiary of Commodore) - gave their technology the nickname Lorraine, pretending they were working on a range of game controllers, to discourage potential corporate espionage. Lorraine was the wife of David Morse, co-founder of Amiga.
Interestingly, Hi-Toro was forced to change its name after it was discovered that a Japanese lawnmower company had already trademarked the Toro brand. Amiga - Spanish for 'female friend' - was chosen because it sounded friendly and approachable.
Interestingly, Hi-Toro was forced to change its name after it was discovered that a Japanese lawnmower company had already trademarked the Toro brand. Amiga - Spanish for 'female friend' - was chosen because it sounded friendly and approachable.
MICKEY
Of course, the origins of the Atari ST are intertwined with those of the Amiga, both machines born out of a bitter, lawsuit-strewn, rivalry, after employees on both sides defected. Indeed, the Lorraine project very nearly could've ended up at Atari, had Commodore not bought Amiga Corporation and paid off Atari for exclusive rights to Lorraine.
During the time Lorraine was attached to Atari, the company nicknamed the hardware Mickey - as Atari was working at the time with Disney.
The machine which went on to become the Atari ST went through various codenames, some more official than others, including Project Jason (named after the system's designer Jason Loveman), and the Jackintosh (a portmanteau of Atari boss Jack Tramiel, and Macintosh, which many pointing to how closely the operating system resembled that of the Apple Mac).
During the time Lorraine was attached to Atari, the company nicknamed the hardware Mickey - as Atari was working at the time with Disney.
The machine which went on to become the Atari ST went through various codenames, some more official than others, including Project Jason (named after the system's designer Jason Loveman), and the Jackintosh (a portmanteau of Atari boss Jack Tramiel, and Macintosh, which many pointing to how closely the operating system resembled that of the Apple Mac).
"Known these days as a shrew, this fuzzy little moron was originally called the Smallcock, because it had a really small cock. We changed the name when it was pointed out by the marketing department that it sounded a bit like 'smallpox' - something else I invented."
PROJECT REALITY/ULTRA 64
Supercomputing giant Silicon Graphics approached Nintendo with a design for a video game system. Dubbed Project Reality - after SI's 'Reality Immersion Technology' prototype.
It was almost released as the Ultra Famicon, before that became the Ultra 64 (because it was a 64-bit system). Eventually, the company settled on Nintendo 64 - suggested by Shigesato Itoi, creator of the Earthbound/Mother RPG series.
He once stated: "A lot of people had Game Boys at the time and would just refer to the console as a Nintendo... (Nintendo 64 is) a name that sounds like it didn't take any thought to come up with, so it was tough getting paid for it!"
Nice work if you can get it.
It was almost released as the Ultra Famicon, before that became the Ultra 64 (because it was a 64-bit system). Eventually, the company settled on Nintendo 64 - suggested by Shigesato Itoi, creator of the Earthbound/Mother RPG series.
He once stated: "A lot of people had Game Boys at the time and would just refer to the console as a Nintendo... (Nintendo 64 is) a name that sounds like it didn't take any thought to come up with, so it was tough getting paid for it!"
Nice work if you can get it.
"This disgusting mess would've been called a Flaccid Henry, had our lead developer, Archangel Henry, not objected to us making fun of his languid loins. Instead we called it a 'naked mole-rat' (ironically, another of Henry's nicknames)."
PROJECT MERCURY
Sega had a tradition of naming its in-development hardware after space planets. It began with the Game Gear - Project Mercury - but included the handheld Mega Drive Nomad (Venus), 32X (Mars), and, of course, the Saturn - the only Sega system to keep its codename upon release.
KATANA
Technically, Katana was the name of the Dreamcast's development system, but the two became interchangeable prior to the unveiling of the system's official name.
The Dreamcast project actually began life under the codename Blackbelt, while the console's main board was dubbed Whitebelt. Running concurrently with the Blackbelt development was another project called Dural (after the fighter from Sega's Virtua Fighter series).
Ultimately, Sega folded Blackbelt into Dural, angering 3DFX - whose graphics chip would've been utilised for the proposed Blackbelt-based console. It proved to be a costly decision for Sega - just one in a long legacy of bad decisions - which was forced to pay $10.5 million in compensation.
Dreamcast - a blend of dream and broadcast - was chosen as the system's final branding, hiding the beleaguered Sega name as much as possible.
The Dreamcast project actually began life under the codename Blackbelt, while the console's main board was dubbed Whitebelt. Running concurrently with the Blackbelt development was another project called Dural (after the fighter from Sega's Virtua Fighter series).
Ultimately, Sega folded Blackbelt into Dural, angering 3DFX - whose graphics chip would've been utilised for the proposed Blackbelt-based console. It proved to be a costly decision for Sega - just one in a long legacy of bad decisions - which was forced to pay $10.5 million in compensation.
Dreamcast - a blend of dream and broadcast - was chosen as the system's final branding, hiding the beleaguered Sega name as much as possible.
"This is a dik-dik. We didn't bother changing its name."
PS-X
Famously born from the ashes of Nintendo's decision to cancel plans for a Super NES CD-ROM add-on, the Play Station would've been the name of that device. When development began at Sony on a standalone console it carried the PlayStation brand forward, adding the X to differentiate it from the original Nintendo hardware. It was rumoured to stand for "PlayStation Experimental".
After talking to a disinterested Sega about a potential partnership, Sony was forced to go it alone, intending to release their standalone system under the PS-X branding. However, focus group testing reportedly responded negatively to the name, leading Sony to return to the original name.
Confusingly, Sony later released a digital video recorder, with a built-in PlayStation 2, called the PSX.
After talking to a disinterested Sega about a potential partnership, Sony was forced to go it alone, intending to release their standalone system under the PS-X branding. However, focus group testing reportedly responded negatively to the name, leading Sony to return to the original name.
Confusingly, Sony later released a digital video recorder, with a built-in PlayStation 2, called the PSX.
PROJECT DOLPHIN
Nintendo's successor to the Nintendo 64 was developed under the name Project Dolphin. Appropriately, its processor acquired the nickname Flipper.
The codename was referenced in a number of Gamecube games - including Pikmin (the spaceship belonging to the big-nosed main character is called Dolphin) and Super Mario Sunshine's Isle Delfino. Nintendo's design brief for the Gamecube - the name inspired by that design - was to make something small, cute, and desirable.
The codename was referenced in a number of Gamecube games - including Pikmin (the spaceship belonging to the big-nosed main character is called Dolphin) and Super Mario Sunshine's Isle Delfino. Nintendo's design brief for the Gamecube - the name inspired by that design - was to make something small, cute, and desirable.
"You probably know this as the Eurasian blue tit. That's bad enough, I know, but probably still better than the working name we gave it; the Eurasion blue twat. Never has a bird been so aptly-named."
DIRECTX BOX
Microsoft's Xbox prototype was, famously, shaped like a big silver X. Though sadly ditching this for the big, black, slab it became, the name was born from Microsoft's DirectX graphics division, which had proposed the project.
The console was designed around Windows-based DirectX technology, but Microsoft's marketing team objected to it. Drawing up a list of alternative names for the purposes of gauging consumer interest, the marketing gurus left the name Xbox on the list to prove how unpopular it would be. However, during focus group-testing, it was by far the most popular name on the list. Marketing gurus are idiots.
The console was designed around Windows-based DirectX technology, but Microsoft's marketing team objected to it. Drawing up a list of alternative names for the purposes of gauging consumer interest, the marketing gurus left the name Xbox on the list to prove how unpopular it would be. However, during focus group-testing, it was by far the most popular name on the list. Marketing gurus are idiots.
REVOLUTION
Early in its development, the system that would become the Wii was known as the GCN or Gamecube Next. The project was officially announced by Nintendo as Revolution, designed to evoke revolutionary the spirit that the Wii's motion controls would embody.
When Nintendo revealed the official name as Wii, it generated a wave of puerile, urine-based, jokes. However, Nintendo stuck to its guns, pointing to how Wii suggested it would be a system "for everyone", and that the logo was designed to resemble both two people standing side-by-side and the Wiimote/nunchuck controllers. Ultimately, Nintendo had the last laugh.
When Nintendo revealed the official name as Wii, it generated a wave of puerile, urine-based, jokes. However, Nintendo stuck to its guns, pointing to how Wii suggested it would be a system "for everyone", and that the logo was designed to resemble both two people standing side-by-side and the Wiimote/nunchuck controllers. Ultimately, Nintendo had the last laugh.
"This, of course, is the cockchafer beetle. We developed it under the name 'land bug'. Why did we change the name? That's probably a story best left untold."
NX
For a long time, Nintendo's Switch was known only as the NX, promising a "new concept" in video games. Prior to the official unveiling of the system's final name, there were rumours that Nintendo had been toying with other names, including Nintendo Fusion, Nintendo World, Nintendo Duo, and Nintendo Universe.
The NX codename was dreamt up by late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. When asked about its meaning in 2015, following Iwata's death, his successor Tatsumi Kimishima stated: "I don't believe that there's any real meaning behind it, and to be perfectly honest, I don't know where it came from. Or perhaps [late Nintendo president] Mr. Iwata had meant to tell me and then never got the chance."
Good story.
The NX codename was dreamt up by late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. When asked about its meaning in 2015, following Iwata's death, his successor Tatsumi Kimishima stated: "I don't believe that there's any real meaning behind it, and to be perfectly honest, I don't know where it came from. Or perhaps [late Nintendo president] Mr. Iwata had meant to tell me and then never got the chance."
Good story.
"Well, that's all from Me. Hoped you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes glimpse into all the hard work that went into naming your favourite computer game machines and animals. See you in church, ya dirty shits! Amen!"
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