Microsoft has announced that they will let us know the details of their next gen Xbox console on May 21st, but recent Internet domain purchases may have already let the cat out of the bag.  It seems that Microsoft has purchased a slew of URLs containing the name "Xbox Fusion."  Does this mean that we have stumbled upon the name of the next console?  And if so, what does that mean?  Let's look a little at what this word signifies:

Fusion  (noun)

 

1. the act or process of fusing; the state of being fused.

 

2.that which is fused; the result of fusing: A ballet production is the fusion of many talents.

 

3.Politics.

 

a.a coalition of parties or factions.

 

b.( initial capital letter  ) the political party resulting from such a coalition.

 

4.Also called nuclear fusion. Physics. a thermonuclear reaction in which nuclei of light atoms join to form nuclei of heavier atoms, as the combination of deuterium atoms to form helium atoms.

Fusion is most commonly referred to when we talk about the combination of things that when joined together become inseparable.   The new creation is often stronger than the two things that went into making it.  Also, nuclear fusion - the combining of atoms rather than the splitting of them is supposed to be both much more powerful and much safer than the destructive force we use to generate nuclear power today.

So we have the concepts of combination, melding of two or more forces to create something new and even more powerful.  When you apply this notion to gaming, several conclusions can be drawn:  The fusion of player and game, the fusion of hardware and software, and the creation of a new sort of gaming energy much more powerful than the last.  We also can see that this is a new generation of gaming console, no longer restricted by numbers, not simply universal, but synthesizing a new gaming experience for all.

Is this the name of the next console?  We can only guess, but from what I can surmise it's a smart choice, and one that sets it apart from its competitors.  We'll know for sure on May 21st.

[via IGN, image via Forbes]