The PlayStation UK Twitter account has caused a social media frenzy after pointing out that the "X" button on PlayStation controllers is actually called "cross." It seems many people were unaware of this fact, and in fact, pronounce it simply as "X."
The PlayStation UK Twitter account is correct that the "X" is technically pronounced "cross," but it's safe to say that the vast majority of people that play PlayStation pronounce it as "X." Instruction manuals for various video games over the years have often referred to it as "X" instead of "cross" - even when spelling out "Triangle" or "Square" instead of simply using the symbols for all the buttons. Furthermore, user-generated walkthroughs and guides on sites like GameFAQs almost universally refer to it as "X" and the other buttons by their spelled-out names.
The X on a DualShock controller looks like an X, so that's why people call it "X" instead of "cross." Most of the time when people think "cross," they think of a t-shaped object or religion, which could also be why many people haven't referred it it as "cross" over the years. Plus, other game consoles have "X" buttons that are actually called "X" - including the Xbox and a variety of Nintendo systems.
Regardless of the correct pronunciation for the "X" on the PlayStation controller, it's unlikely that the PlayStation UK Twitter account is going to sway any minds. Gamers will continue calling it "X," as that's what they've been calling it since the original PlayStation debuted way back in the mid-90s.
And since the PlayStation controller design has remained largely the same since its introduction, we expect this debate to continue for years to come. We know that the PlayStation 5 is in active development, and that the next-generation console will likely release in the 2020 holiday season. Unless Sony decides to go a drastically different route, we imagine that the PlayStation 5 controller will look very similar to its predecessors, X/cross button and all.
As for when we may get to see the PS5 controller, that's hard to say. Some rumors have a PS5 reveal set for this December, whereas others believe the PS5 will be revealed in February 2020. Fans will just have to stay tuned to find out more.