Highly anticipated: Microsoft's next Xbox console will actually be called... just Xbox. The unveiling at the Game Awards was intended to be more of a rebranding, rather than a next-gen name. Microsoft also confirmed that this is intended to simplify future console lines under the Xbox brand.

Microsoft's long rumored successor to the Xbox One, codenamed Project Scarlett, was finally given a name at this year's Game Awards. The Xbox Series X, as it was revealed, sports a very different look for Microsoft's traditional console – something akin to a mini PC tower, and we suspect that's deliberate.

Even more curious was the name, as "Xbox Series X" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, nor is it consistent with the past lineage of Xbox consoles' purpose-driven names. The Xbox 360 was named such because of the entertainment versatility it was designed to offer compared to the original Xbox. The Xbox One, for its part, was envisioned as an all-in-one media solution.

However, the Xbox Series X designation doesn't immediately convey any purpose – other than to perpetuate the pretense that gamers must love the letter X.

However, speaking with Business Insider, Microsoft clarified the naming convention and explained that it's simpler than made out to be. "The name we're carrying forward to the next generation is simply Xbox," a Microsoft representative explained to Business Insider. "And at The Game Awards you saw that name come to life through the Xbox Series X."

Microsoft also confirmed that this will allow for additional versions and descriptors under the Xbox brand. "Similar to what fans have seen with previous generations, the name 'Xbox Series X' allows room for additional consoles in the future," a Microsoft representative told Business Insider. This also gives traction to the reports of a less powerful Project Lockhart console, which could come in the form of Xbox Series S.