In Defense of Wii

[Spartan_X]

In Defense of Wii

Nintendo has named its new system, and it's called Wii. Pronounced 'we'.

You don't need me to tell you that the Internets have exploded. That GAF has slowed to a crawl and isn't even accessible half the time. That 1up's editor blogs are currently almost entirely dedicated to discussing why the name is a major misstep.

I often find myself in the position of having to explain why Nintendo's latest move isn't stupid. Why not -- I'll pick up that task again today. Wii isn't a bad name.

Let me start out by saying that it's not as if I like the name Wii. In fact, as I glance up at the Title: field that I filled in two minutes ago, it looks utterly oxymoronic. Wii doesn't sound like something that's defensible. It isn't the name of a video game system.

Again: I'm not saying that the particular name choice strikes me as brilliant. But the type of name is really what matters. It's distinctive, it's simple, it's iconic. It's half-word, half-picture. And damn if it's not going to get people talking.

Is it a homophone for a British slang word that means "urine"? Yes. But so is the first-person plural pronoun. If I said, "What are we doing tonight," would you repeat back to me, "What are wee doing tonight? Huh? Huh? Get it?" I would wonder what the hell your problem is, quite frankly.

The French word for "yes" also rhymes with "wee," and indeed this was the subject of much hilarity in French class. When I was in sixth grade. By seventh grade, when we turned thirteen, we were over it. That the Internet in toto is less mature than a group of thirteen-year-olds is not surprising, but neither is it damning to Nintendo's fortunes.

Of course, I expect the Internet to brim over with toilet humor; that is what the Internet is for. But the Internet is not real life. They've already proven this in a variety of ways related to Nintendo product announcements. Remember the almost universal outpouring of disdain following the announcement of the Nintendo DS? Nintendogs?

And look where that got the Internet. Nintendo DS is nothing short of a nationwide cultural phenomenon in Japan. Nintendo pushed hard away from the traditional notion of a video game system and did quite well for their efforts.

In short, the fuss over Wii is an Internet Problem, not a Real Life Problem. In real life, the name's soundalike will pass almost entirely without notice. The positives of Wii will vastly outweigh the negatives.

I do like something about Wii. I like that it is further evidence -- very strong evidence -- that Nintendo has stopped paying lip service to the mainstream and started aggressively pursuing them. You can't run after the mainstream with a ball and chain that reads VIDEO GAMES around your ankle. There needs to be a clean break.

Nintendo is so intent on breaking free from the shackles of traditional notions of "video games" that it is even abandoning its own name.

It's not the "Nintendo Wii." It's the Wii.

Why not stick with Revolution? Because global branding is of paramount importance. The "Genesis/Mega Drive" days are over. One world, one name. And "Revolution" was never going to fly in Japan, where the word is nearly unpronounceable. The end. If it's a shock to anyone, it's only to those who can't imagine a world beyond their tiny corner of it.

In the comments thread of my original news post, Peter B. pointed out quite well why Wii:

Talking to people that have worked in games retail, you find that normal people can?t/don?t/won?t keep the names of the systems straight. People ask for ?PlayStation 360s? and ?PlayCubes? and ?Mario on Xbox? even though they actually own a GameCube ? to them the system names are confusing and completely interchangeable.

This is basically Nintendo trying to create a name and brand that is in no way similar to the others, in order to be distinct in the minds of consumers. They see the ad, they actually retain the correct name, and they go and ask for it at the store.

Also, while it may sound dumb to us, you know that they focus-tested the hell out of it in all three territories and, at the very least, it?s not completely repellent to those focus groups.

In short: it's not a video game name; that's the whole point; and you can bet that Actual People, as opposed to the Internet, won't have a problem with it.

And Peter, for the record, isn't in love with the name either. But like;t have to like something in order to think it's a good call. Eventually -- possibly by the end of the day -- we'll all be totally used to it.

Still, the core gamers are anxious to be appeased. Not just name-wise, but content-wise. Nintendo's gently patting the Internet on the head and telling them that it will be alright, but all the while they're pushing hard in the opposite direction. Nintendo has decided that if they had to choose, they would choose the vast market of non-gamers and not the smaller market of core gamers.

But this doesn't mean you get left out. PCs are the preferred gaming environment for a certain subsection of core gamers, and indeed they offer the richest, deepest, most detailed game worlds in existence. But PCs are also the current home of the casual gamer, in ever-growing numbers that vastly exceed the dwindling hardcore PC gamer crowd.

If PC makers and software developers had to get together and choose between the casuals and the core, who would they pick?

If you're feeling enraged, picked on, or left out, I highly encourage you -- as I would have encouraged you yesterday -- to go out and buy an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. If Nintendo is right, and I think they are, you'll end up with a Wii anyway.

The Internet likes to complain, but they don't call the shots. Nintendo knew the reaction it would get. That's why they unveiled it now, not at E3. At E3, the focus will be back squarely on the games. And they'll still be amazing.

I'm not in love with WiiSource:rks.

Source: Wired Blogs

[AlphaPrime]

I would really like to know what names they rejected. I can understand they're trying to be different, but surely there must be other names that would suit it better and appeal to more people.

[PL_ Veteran]

I would really like to know what names they rejected. I can understand they're trying to be different, but surely there must be other names that would suit it better and appeal to more people.

Something game related, like Play, would not have worked worldwide.

Think about it! How many people have the word Wii stuck in their minds?

If they called it Revo, it would have that "tion" hard to pronounce sound in it

Do NOT agree with the Nintendo drop. How many people have grown up, wanting to play Nintendo??? It's become a legacy, and helps show the BC put in the console. THE FIRST BC IMPLEMENTATION FOR A NINTENDO FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.

[lucifuge]

I fail to see how it matters in the least. Granted, I'm not a 13-year old console fanboy, but I do have a few consoles in my household. Last time I checked, I used them to play games, not stare at the name on the front of the case, or debate about on petty online forums. They could have called it the 'Nintendo Hamstersh*t 420 Uber-Edition', and as long as there were titles I wanted to play on it, it would be sitting next to my TV. If there is really that much of an uproar over something as inconsequential and meaningless as a console name...there is a whole mess of people out in the world that need to get a life.

Here, save yourself some grief; refer to it as 'the new nintendo', and go outside. Get some fresh air. It will really be ok. :rolleyes:

[sanctified Veteran]

Its a shame that the company its forced to defend the name of a console just because fome of their userbase is a bunch of inmmature kids.

[tomwarren Veteran]

How exactly do you pronounce it?

[lucifuge]

How exactly do you pronounce it?

From what I've gathered from the deluge of topics spread across every site that would remotely be interested in this sort of thing, it's pronounced "we" or "oui". As in, "we all have too much free time".

[Daedalus]

In the words of Queen Victoria... We are not amused. :rolleyes:

[Black Hawk]

Anybody else first think of "gonads and strife" when they first saw the name? :rofl:

[lucifuge]

Anybody else first think of "gonads and strife" when they first saw the name? :rofl:

No...but thanks for reminding me. Too funny. :laugh:

[walkman]

:laugh:

[jackwanders]

By a show of hands, how many of you are going to refrain from buying Nintendo's next console as a result of the naming choice?

No one? Anybody?

...thought so.

[spvath]

I have to admit....I've gone from absolutely hating the name to getting used to it (and maybe even sort of liking it, sort of...) all in a short amount of time. I think more and more of us will get more used to it and even appreciate its meaning. Doesn't "Revolution" seem a little bland now? At the very least, Wii is gutsy as hell, and I can appreciate that.

[Morphie]

Its a shame that the company its forced to defend the name of a console just because fome of their userbase is a bunch of inmmature kids.

Are they defending it? I think they are laughing all the way to the bank with the free press.

[sanctified Veteran]

Are they defending it? I think they are laughing all the way to the bank with the free press.

Thanks to their user database :laugh:

[TaiCrunch]

When I first heard Wii, I hated the name. But did it affect whether or not I was going to buy the system? Hell no. So I just dealt with it. But now the more I see and hear the name, the more it grows on me. Dare I say I like it.

[mikebeech]

It's certainly got everyone talking about the console now though, i mean my mate Tony was telling me the other day this girl he works with called Mandy said to him "hey Tony have you heard about that new console coming out called Wii" lmao. I think Nintendo have named it this to entertain the media and for advertisement. :p

[jackwanders]

Exactly. I think Nintendo caught onto the idea that having an 'awesome name' isn't going to sell more units. Look at it this way. Before the name change, there were four groups of people:

1) Those who want one

2) Those who don't want one

3) Those who are ambivalent about getting one

4) Those who are ignorant of its existence

Not using ignorant in a bad way, just that they didn't know it was coming out.

Now, after the name change from Revolution to Wii, they're getting a bunch of free press.

This means group 4 gets much smaller, as more press means more people know about the console. But what about the other three groups?

Well, this is a game console we're talking about. Fanboys aside, the only reason to buy a video game console is because you want to play a game or games that are playable on said console. You are not processing the console itself, it is only a vehicle for the true product; the game. This gives any console company some leeway with the name.

Sure, naming a product can certainly have consequences. Look at the educational (although false) story of the Chevy Nova which didn't sell in Latino countries because 'Nova' in spanish is 'no va', which means 'no go'. Would any of you want to try a drink called 'Pocari Sweat'?

Pretty much the only trouble you can get into with naming a game console is choosing a name that doesn't translate well into another language. So what does Nintendo do? make up a new word entirely, that is independent of language. It's simply a sound. 'Wee'.

Ok, back to those first three groups. Because the name does not adversely impact the console itself in any way, these three groups don't really change. If you wanted one before, the name 'Wii' is not going to change your mind. Likewise, if you didn't want one before, changing from 'Revolution' to 'Wii' isn't going to change your mind either. And if you weren't sure whether you wanted one or not, I can guarantee that your ambivalence was not because of the name 'Revolution', so the change from 'Revolution' to 'Wii' isn't going to do anything there, either.

In fact, the ONLY permanent impact of this name change is that more people are cognizant of the Wii's existence. And for Nintendo, that's certainly a good thing.

Also, about this quote from the article:

Talking to people that have worked in games retail, you find that normal people can’t/don’t/won’t keep the names of the systems straight. People ask for “PlayStation 360s” and “PlayCubes” and “Mario on Xbox” even though they actually own a GameCube – to them the system names are confusing and completely interchangeable.

This is so very true. Look at the consoles today:

-Game Cube

-Play Station

-X Box

You can interchange these for a whole slew of names. GameBox. XCube. PlayStation 360. GameStation. People don't really care about the names of the consoles, and confuse them all the time. Especially those that aren't big time gamers. And guess what? This is a section of the population that Nintendo has already professed to be going after. Nintendo realized that the first step in cracking this demographic was to imbed the name of the console in their minds. Wii does just that. One syllable. When was the last time a game console had one syllable? Never. There's nothing in the name to confuse with another console name. No swapping 'station' for 'cube' or 'box'. Just 'Wii'.

Edited May 1, 2006 by Jack31081

[notuptome2004]

Here is a list of names they rejected:

The QuagMire Box

The giga Giga Giga Giali Goo

Nintedo Rox Box

Planterpus

Nintendo Clue Cue

Widglets

Jspeed

bouncer Box

Nintend Ique

Nintendo A.I Game system

none are real but what the hek needed a list ther ya go

[strotee]

I am guessing the biggest reason for such a simple and short name: KIDS

They can pronounce it easier and thusly get their parents to buy it. Let's face it, Nintendo is going to stick with their base: kids and people who like a "fun" system.

[jackwanders]

I am guessing the biggest reason for such a simple and short name: KIDS

They can pronounce it easier and thusly get their parents to buy it. Let's face it, Nintendo is going to stick with their base: kids and people who like a "fun" system.

1) That's a wholly trollish and fanboyish view of Nintendo as a company. Just because a game isn't a simulation, or a realistic recreation doesn't mean it's for a child.

2) Kids can't pronounce 'XBox' or 'Playstation'? Have you ever interacted with someone under the age of 16? First off, it's just not true. Second, let's assume kids couldn't pronounce something as complex as 'PlayStation'. What do you think kids would say to their parents? "Mommy, can I have a...a...plays tate...a plastit...a plane station"? "Oh, I'm sorry Johnny, but I don't know what you're talking about. Now you run along and go play with your holla hope."

[strotee]

1) That's a wholly trollish and fanboyish view of Nintendo as a company. Just because a game isn't a simulation, or a realistic recreation doesn't mean it's for a child.

2) Kids can't pronounce 'XBox' or 'Playstation'? Have you ever interacted with someone under the age of 16? First off, it's just not true. Second, let's assume kids couldn't pronounce something as complex as 'PlayStation'. What do you think kids would say to their parents? "Mommy, can I have a...a...plays tate...a plastit...a plane station"? "Oh, I'm sorry Johnny, but I don't know what you're talking about. Now you run along and go play with your holla hope."

Your reading comprehension skills are poor to say the least. I said "and people who like a "fun" system", not JUST kids. Read it again before you waste my time.

I'm an older gamer, and don't even game often. I had the original NES, "wow, 3 letters, coincidence", and that was fun. I grew out of that era, I want a more serious system and Wii isn't serious to me. How can I say to friends, "yea, I'm going to play my Wii system." Would you buy a Chevy Taco? I didn't think so. A name can mean a LOT to a consumer. Not to say the games won't be fun, but the name of the system cannot be taken seriously. There was a reason it was chosen, because it's easy to say and remember, like PS2, PS3, NES, PSP, XP, iPod, etc etc.

[Bant Veteran]

Wii is as serious as you will allow it to be. If you interpret the name to be childish and associate it with pee and penises, perhaps that reflects more on you than the console. if you don't associate it with pee and penises, what about it is not 'serious'? It's the name of a console that is going to completely change gaming, take a look at red steel and tell me that game doesn't fall into your 'serious' demographic.

[jackwanders]

Your reading comprehension skills are poor to say the least. I said "and people who like a "fun" system", not JUST kids. Read it again before you waste my time.

I'm an older gamer, and don't even game often. I had the original NES, "wow, 3 letters, coincidence", and that was fun. I grew out of that era, I want a more serious system and Wii isn't serious to me. How can I say to friends, "yea, I'm going to play my Wii system." Would you buy a Chevy Taco? I didn't think so. A name can mean a LOT to a consumer. Not to say the games won't be fun, but the name of the system cannot be taken seriously. There was a reason it was chosen, because it's easy to say and remember, like PS2, PS3, NES, PSP, XP, iPod, etc etc.

And you wrote 'KIDS' in all caps. Not to mention you wrote "fun" with quotes. Since I assume that you think your XBox is fun, then I can also assume the quotes around "fun" insinuate that "fun" is a synonym for "simplistic in nature, not challenging, etc".

You can't compare car names to console names. With cars, the name is everything. Cars are a status symbol, and therefore, every tiny part of the car is important, perhaps none moreso than the name. Consoles are not status symbols. At least not until someone makes a console that's platinum with diamond studs and plays every game for every console ever released.

Do you really say "I'm gonna go play my XBox" or do you say "I'm gonna go play [insert game name here]". Again. People don't care about the console. People care about the games that work on the console. Anyone wrapped up in the box itself is a fanboy. And as Nintendo has already shown, they're not even getting into that war.

Besides, it doesn't sound like you were interested in picking up this console anyway, which places you into group 2 of my previous post. Ergo, my point remains. The name alone is not going to affect anyone's decision on whether to buy this console or not.

Wii is as serious as you will allow it to be. If you interpret the name to be childish and associate it with pee and penises, perhaps that reflects more on you than the console. if you don't associate it with pee and penises, what about it is not 'serious'? It's the name of a console that is going to completely change gaming, take a look at red steel and tell me that game doesn't fall into your 'serious' demographic.

Ding ding ding. Bant hit the nail on the head. The only way 'Wii' is not serious is if one can't say it without thinking of 'wee-wee's. If that's the case, than perhaps he's a bit more immature than he lets on, in which case the 'childish' Wii would actually be a good fit for him.

And dude....Red Steel? A FPS that utilizes swords and all manner of firearms, and lets you feel more "in the game" than ever before? That's totally a kiddie game. Not serious at all.

Edited May 1, 2006 by Jack31081

[strotee]

My whole point,Jack31081, is that I would be more interested in the system if it appealed to older, more mature gamers. You can argue that a name is just that, a name, but to some consumers, like me, it?s more. I truly believe they failed at winning over a different crowd and very content with appealing to their base (younger crowd and people who like ?fun? games)(I?m starting to sound like a broken record lol). Maybe that was their intent all along and they?re happy with being #3.

Take for example: Budweiser promised to release a new beer can to the public; everyone waited and waited for months for the release. They thought of a cool nickname for it and released some rough plans so it?d make people interested. On the big day of release we find out they?re going to simply paint their cans bright pink but use the same beer. Do you think it?d affect sales? Damn right it would. But, but, but, it?s what?s inside that counts? Right? Well, I?m afraid you?re wrong. The name of the console and the color of the can are identical. Despite fun games and the same, great tasting beer, sales are going to drop. Who in their right mind would order a ?pink Budweiser?? Not a mature person who enjoys a normal, standard beer. Case in point, I want my needs met as a gamer too. I certainly don?t play Barbies or GI-Joe?s anymore. I have more mature toys now lol.

Will there be ?mature? games for the Wii down the road? I have no doubt. But they will make sure their base is satisfied first.

EDIT: I don't own an XBOX. The last system I bought was a PS2.

Edited May 1, 2006 by ozzy76