Back in the 8-bit and 16-bit days Japanese hardware makers recognised that Japanese and American tastes were different. They generally redisigned and renamed their consoles for the NA market. The Japanese designs and names were often kept for the PAL market, suggesting European aesthetic tastes  were also more in-line with Japanese tastes.

Japan/NA

The Famicom was redisgned for NA and Europe and was renamed the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

The PC Engine was redesigned for NA and called the TurboGrafx-16, it was never officially released in Europe.

The Mega Drive did not receive a redesign bar a few minor changes, but was renamed as the biblical "Genesis" for the NA market. The Japanese name was retained for Europe.

The Super Famicom was redisigned for the NA market, but Europe retained the Japanese design. It was renamed as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System for both NA and Europe, although generally called the "SNES" in NA, and "Super Nintendo" in Europe.

After this Japanese conole manufacturers started to design their consoles with more of a worldwide appeal, rather than ones which were aimed at a specific market.

Now we come to the Xbox 360. The first problem I see is the name, using English in Japanese console names is far from uncommon, but what are the English words Japanese console makers generally like to associate with their consoles? Super Famicom, "PC Engine", "Mega Drive", "Nintendo 64", "PlayStation, "GameCube".

We can see two main themes, the first is power, Super, Mega, Engine, 64 (bit), and Station all emphasise this. The second relates to what the console is actually for, playing games, such as the "Play" in PlayStation, or the "Game" in GameCube. Now what do Japanese associate the word Xbox with, and how do they pronounce it? It certainly doesn't roll off the tongue in two syllables as it does to an English speaker. I don't think Japanese would associate the name with anything useful for the consoles image. IMO not renaming the Xbox and the Xbox 360 for the Japanese market was a big mistake.

As for the design, whilst it might be fine for NA and maybe even the UK, compared to Japanese console designs it lacks the look of a game console. It looks more like a PC when vertical, and more like a generic home electronic device whilst horizontal. Japanese consoles have always had a unique look, but were still obviously game consoles, I think the 360 fails to excell in this area. Looking similar to a PC doesn't help in Europe either where there's a strong PC gaming culture and many 360 games eventually come to PC too. Many PC gamers see little benefit of a 360 over a PC, the 360 design re-inforces this view.

Basically my argument is that Microsoft could have had higher overseas sales for the 360 if they had realised that Japan and Europe have different tastes to America and renamed the Xbox for the Japanese market, with a more traditional console redesign for Japan and Europe.

Discuss.

I thought MS did give the Xbox a new name in Japan. They called the Batsu Bako, didn't they. Oh wait a minute...

Ha, well, good point, that's another reason it shouldn't have been called the Xbox.

Yea, they should've called it the Super Happy-Happy Go-Lucky Sparkly Ocean Dream Mystery Present. Or something. :p Then those Japanese would flock in to buy them, for sure.

I never understood why the American SNES is so ugly. (but I like European boxshot also more than the American ones, in general).

Same can be said about the PS3 if your a PC gamer no point really in the PS3 it basically plays the same games as the XBox 360. Maybe a few PS3 exclusives:
GT 5, MGS 4, Kill Zone 2, resistance 2, Final fantasy 13, blah blah. The PC has more games and consoles are almost cost as much as a computer these days.

i think it really doesnt matter the way it looks or the name....its from america...therefore its doomed to fail

The Xbox 360 looks was designed by Japanese.

Please don't derail this thread, my point is that image exists, and a redesign for the European market could have helped lessen it, not whether that image is  correct or not, or to turn this into a system wars thread.

greate thread BKK2. Very interesting read.

as for my point of view, I think that since xbox which had its debute in Japan in 2002, people there learned to associate word xbox = video game machine.
Of course if they would start with different name from the beginning that could add some sales... but now, I think it's too late for that.