Goodbye Nintendo Revolution...Hello Wii
#1
The sizzle in the Steak
Thread Starter
Goodbye Nintendo Revolution...Hello Wii
Nintendo goes 'Wii' ... (not a typo)
As company strives to appeal to mass audience, the Revolution gets renamed: Gamers scream: Why!
Game Over is a weekly column by Chris Morris
April 27, 2006: 1:45 PM EDT
As company strives to appeal to mass audience, the Revolution gets renamed: Gamers scream: Why!
Game Over is a weekly column by Chris Morris
April 27, 2006: 1:45 PM EDT
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Goodbye Revolution. Hello Wii.
Nintendo officially ditched its long-used codename for its next generation machine Thursday, revealing Wii as the final name for the product.
Players will use a remote control like device to play games on the Wii.
Goodbye Revolution. Hello Wii.
Pronounced like "we" (or "whee," I suppose), the name is meant to emphasize that "this console is for everyone," Nintendo said in a flash video which introduced the name change.
"The other systems have an extension of their current names; ours is a new leap to something different," Perrin Kaplan, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Affairs for Nintendo of America, told me. "A lot of thought went into the name."
"Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak," the company said in its flash presentation of the name. "No confusion. No need to abbreviate."
The unusual spelling is meant to symbolize both the unique controllers and the image of people gathering to play.
As it prepares to enter the next generation, Nintendo has taken a different stance than many of its competitors. Rather than focusing on visual and technical upgrades, the company has revamped how players control games, in an effort to reach beyond the traditional gaming audience.
The move has been fairly successful so far. The Nintendo DS, a handheld system that was the first step in the plan, has sold well – as has non-traditional games like "Nintendogs" and "Brain Age". The Wii will use a remote control-like device to control games. The wireless unit, using internal sensors, will translate wrist and hand movements into onscreen actions.
How that general audience will react to the name remains to be seen. The core gaming community is already making its opinion known – and it's a resounding thumbs down.
"Here, I'll do it: Worst console name ever," wrote Chris Remo, an editor at Shacknews.com, whose sentiments were immediately echoed by dozens of users. Forum members on Gamespot.com, IGN.com and other gaming sites expressed similar thoughts.
Kaplan said the criticism was not unexpected, given Wii's uniqueness.
"I think people have to look back and let it settle in," she said. "I'm sure people felt the same way when Google was named – or the iPod. Napster. Yahoo. There's a whole host of unusual names that have become a part of everyday conversation and I think they're viewed now as unique."
The Wii will make its public debut a little less than two weeks from now at E3 (the Electronic Entertainment Expo), the annual trade show of the video game industry. At that same show, Sony (Research) will unveil more details about the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft (Research) will talk about its future plans for the Xbox 360.
So why announce the name now and not at the show?
By letting the gaming community vent now about the name, they will be less distracted as launch titles for the system are announced and initial reports about what it's like to play the games begin to come in.
Also, said Kaplan, "We want people to understand our approach before we get to E3. [Also], it's really noisy at E3 and I don't think we would have had the chance to explain how we came to the name."
Nintendo officially ditched its long-used codename for its next generation machine Thursday, revealing Wii as the final name for the product.
Players will use a remote control like device to play games on the Wii.
Goodbye Revolution. Hello Wii.
Pronounced like "we" (or "whee," I suppose), the name is meant to emphasize that "this console is for everyone," Nintendo said in a flash video which introduced the name change.
"The other systems have an extension of their current names; ours is a new leap to something different," Perrin Kaplan, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Affairs for Nintendo of America, told me. "A lot of thought went into the name."
"Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak," the company said in its flash presentation of the name. "No confusion. No need to abbreviate."
The unusual spelling is meant to symbolize both the unique controllers and the image of people gathering to play.
As it prepares to enter the next generation, Nintendo has taken a different stance than many of its competitors. Rather than focusing on visual and technical upgrades, the company has revamped how players control games, in an effort to reach beyond the traditional gaming audience.
The move has been fairly successful so far. The Nintendo DS, a handheld system that was the first step in the plan, has sold well – as has non-traditional games like "Nintendogs" and "Brain Age". The Wii will use a remote control-like device to control games. The wireless unit, using internal sensors, will translate wrist and hand movements into onscreen actions.
How that general audience will react to the name remains to be seen. The core gaming community is already making its opinion known – and it's a resounding thumbs down.
"Here, I'll do it: Worst console name ever," wrote Chris Remo, an editor at Shacknews.com, whose sentiments were immediately echoed by dozens of users. Forum members on Gamespot.com, IGN.com and other gaming sites expressed similar thoughts.
Kaplan said the criticism was not unexpected, given Wii's uniqueness.
"I think people have to look back and let it settle in," she said. "I'm sure people felt the same way when Google was named – or the iPod. Napster. Yahoo. There's a whole host of unusual names that have become a part of everyday conversation and I think they're viewed now as unique."
The Wii will make its public debut a little less than two weeks from now at E3 (the Electronic Entertainment Expo), the annual trade show of the video game industry. At that same show, Sony (Research) will unveil more details about the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft (Research) will talk about its future plans for the Xbox 360.
So why announce the name now and not at the show?
By letting the gaming community vent now about the name, they will be less distracted as launch titles for the system are announced and initial reports about what it's like to play the games begin to come in.
Also, said Kaplan, "We want people to understand our approach before we get to E3. [Also], it's really noisy at E3 and I don't think we would have had the chance to explain how we came to the name."
#3
The sizzle in the Steak
Thread Starter
Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
#4
Suzuka Master
Revolution was 1000x better than Wii. I wasnt even gonna look at buying it regardless of the name. Just the control scheme alone makes me turn away. Its not going to be a 'gamers' machine, thats for sure.
#5
The Third Ball
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Originally Posted by Moog-Type-S
Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
#7
The sizzle in the Steak
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by The Sarlacc
That reminds of that old flash animation song. WHEEEEEEEEE!
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#8
Senior Moderator
Interesting name.
#9
Senior Moderator
Baaaaaad marketing move. One of the cardinal rules of any new product name: Customer should be able to SAY it.
I hope this is some kind of twisted joke or trick - otherwise I think this console will be referred to as "that new Nintendo".
I hope this is some kind of twisted joke or trick - otherwise I think this console will be referred to as "that new Nintendo".
#12
Senior Moderator
"Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak," the company said in its flash presentation of the name. "No confusion. No need to abbreviate."
#14
Senior Moderator
Have you ever been at a restaurant or fast-food joint and been hesitant about ordering something just because of how lame it sounds? Like, you don't want to have to say it out loud? That's how I feel about this.
#15
intelligentsia
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Ahh as long as I can play super smash bros online, download bajo kazooie and play that with better graphics. I dont care what they call it. Im still gonna call it revolution.
#16
"Hey Frank, want to come over after work and play with my Wii?"
"fuck you."
WII WILL WII WILL ROCK YOU!!!!!!!!
Wii = Wireless interactive interface
"We can't call it a Revmote now. It will now be a Wemote Contwol. Fucking Elmer Fudd."
http://wiiwillrockyou.ytmnd.com/
/the jokes never stop
"fuck you."
WII WILL WII WILL ROCK YOU!!!!!!!!
Wii = Wireless interactive interface
"We can't call it a Revmote now. It will now be a Wemote Contwol. Fucking Elmer Fudd."
http://wiiwillrockyou.ytmnd.com/
/the jokes never stop
#20
The sizzle in the Steak
Thread Starter
I wii'd in my pants from laughing so hard over those pics.
#21
Senior Moderator
wonder what Nintendo is thinking right now.....
#23
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wait so its supposed to be pronounced "weee" i was thinking this entire time it was like "why" like in Wifi
#24
Senior Moderator
hiilarious piictures
#25
Suzuka Master
Originally Posted by srika
Have you ever been at a restaurant or fast-food joint and been hesitant about ordering something just because of how lame it sounds? Like, you don't want to have to say it out loud? That's how I feel about this.
Like the Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity at IHOP?
#28
The sizzle in the Steak
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Ashburner
Like the Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity at IHOP?
#29
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by Ashburner
Like the Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity at IHOP?
#30
Racer
Out of all the great names in the world they had to choose this gay one, damn. I was with nintendo with everything on their next gen console, until the name.
Anyways, guys that do not agree, sign the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/wiisucks/petition.html
Anyways, guys that do not agree, sign the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/wiisucks/petition.html
#31
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by AznImports602
Out of all the great names in the world they had to choose this gay one, damn. I was with nintendo with everything on their next gen console, until the name.
Anyways, guys that do not agree, sign the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/wiisucks/petition.html
Anyways, guys that do not agree, sign the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/wiisucks/petition.html
#32
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by Ashburner
BTW, I can see Revrorushun being too hard for Asians to pronounce
#33
The sizzle in the Steak
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by AznImports602
Out of all the great names in the world they had to choose this gay one, damn. I was with nintendo with everything on their next gen console, until the name.
Anyways, guys that do not agree, sign the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/wiisucks/petition.html
Anyways, guys that do not agree, sign the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/wiisucks/petition.html
#34
Suzuka Master
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And the winner of the 2006 Chevy Nova Award is.........
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/weeee.php
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/weeee.php
#36
Senior Moderator
full interview w/ Perrin Kaplan
http://revolution.ign.com/articles/703/703593p1.html
We recently caught up with NOA's VP of corporate affairs, Perrin Kaplan, to discuss the new name and what it means to Nintendo fans. Following, the full transcript of our interview:
#37
Safety Car
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yep, worst name ever. I can't believe they royally fucked up like this. I'm sure they could have come up with a more "everyone friendly" name that didn't sound so freaking gay.
#38
Senior Moderator
looks like Nintendo has their hands full trying to explain this... they are grasping for straws.. unfortunately their arguments aren't very good.
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/29/ni...end-a-bad-one/
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/29/ni...end-a-bad-one/
#39
Senior Moderator
#40
Safety Car
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well, I'm still going to buy it if indeed it does pull off the controller scheme properly.
though I do suppose making fun of the name is like watching beavis and butthead.
I'm still not happy about the name, but won't care if they deliver.
though I do suppose making fun of the name is like watching beavis and butthead.
I'm still not happy about the name, but won't care if they deliver.