How would Xbox One have fared without the initial fumble

[curl-6]

EricHiggin said:

curl-6 said:

The Xboxes that didn't see slim models were the ones with low sales; the OG and Series. If the One sold better than historically, all the more reason to pursue a slim as the sales are there to justify the R&D involved. The 360 saw many revisions, well beyond what was strictly necessary.

The OG was mostly external by third party. 360 was more internal but was poorly executed, even when it came to most of the slims. XB1 was also internal, but was played extra safe because of the 360. The XB1S and XB1X had far more effort applied to them, but only because XB was hurting badly overall and the bulky VCR design was just another thing that had becoming a laughing stock. XBSS/X was internal, but was the first first launch where they truly put significant effort in, and because they still had to.

If XB1 was launched as you stated, not as it was but much more in line with the PS4, then the odds MS would've went from the VCR style to the XB1S would be quite unlikely. MS even made the final 360 design look similar to the XB1 for similarity, just like how the XB1S ended up looking like the XB1X, for the same reason. 

The likelihood that XB1 remains on the bulky side, slim or not, and that the design aesthetic remains similar in this alternate timeline is much more likely than not.

I think you're overestimating the importance of aesthetics in regards to sales. I very doubt a significant number of people passed on the Xbone due to its looks, the problem was more its toxic PR and being just a "PS4 but worse".