Nintendo Revolution gets a new name!

[FM-77]

Finally we get a real name for Nintendo's supposedly revolutionary console.

Click here to see for yourself.


Or, if you're lazy... You can just click here to see the new logo.

[sunteam_paul]

Are Nintendo stupid? Did they do any market research?
The playgrounds around the land will be having a right ball with this one.

And aside from that, it's just a bad name.

[FM-77]

I think the name's okay. And as someone said in a Gamespot interview:

My initial reaction, of course, is that the name is dumb," he bluntly stated. "However, upon reflection, I thought that the name Game Boy was dumb, REALLY thought that the name Xbox was dumb, and can't even recall my reaction to PlayStation. Let's face it, devices with cool names like Dreamcast and Gizmondo fail, and the lame names seem to do well.

He's very right.

[esteban]

Well, Dreamcast is one of the best names a console ever had, IMO.

Gizmondo is the worst name ever, for a console / handheld / what-have-you (heck, game.com was kooler than Gizmondo!).

But, to get back to the subject at hand: I, too, immediately crapped my pants when I first saw the new logo. But, after I realized the significance of the i's .. and when I breathed a sigh of relief when I read that it will be pronounced "wheeee!" (just kidding) ... well, I don't think it's too bad.

My fear is that, Nintendo's "concept logo" may suffer the fate of many "concept albums" -- that is, you can't rely on novelty alone. A fine line separates "kool" from "hoaky".

Furthermore, achieving long-lasting "koolness" is a pretty tough feat to achieve. Even if I think "Xxx" is a kool, hip name today, I may very well consider it passe a year from now.

I fear that Nintendo was trying to be too clever and too hip for its own good.

At least they didn't call it iiW (pronounced "eeeew") ... which reminds me, Apple really should drop the iXxx branding, I'm so sick of iXxx! Of course they won't, but damn, it's like a fad that refuses to fade away gracefully (game.com fell into this category... remember when everything ".com" was hip and trendy?)

[PC Gaijin]

I busted a gut when I saw the name. The gaming message board reactions to this have been absolute gold, I don't think I've laughed this hard at something gaming related since the Celda unveiling. Don't get me wrong, I like Nintendo, but this is an absolutely boneheaded marketing move. I know it's probably more of an issue in the UK, but even here in hillbilly Texas "wee" can mean piss, and "wee wee" is a child's way of referring to penis or urinating. The joke potential on this one is almost endless.

[motdelbuort]

It's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. It's going to go over even worse in places where wee is most commonly understood as pee. The most I can say is I don't see it having the same connotations for Japanese gamers.

[FM-77]

It isn't certain this will be the international name. Nintendo may very well change the title outside of Japan just like Sega did with their Mega Drive.

[guyjin]

Blatently stolen from an aquantance on another board:

Wii-tarded.  

[Keranu]

I don't think the name is too bad personally. I was expecting it to be really bad since Revolution seemed to be the official name for the console with no exceptions at all, but Nintendo certainly surprised me by giving it a new name (which it didn't really need since people are so used to saying Revolution). When I was reading about, I did think it was pretty funny that they named it that and that is was especially funny when they said the reason there are two ii's because it looks like the controller and it looks like people playing together . Honestly though, I can live with the name and I kind of like it in a way, it reminds me of a name Steve Job's would think of for Apple .

[GUTS]

Damn I thought calling it the Revolution and the new Gameboy the Evolution was pretty cool sounding.  Oh well.

[PC Gaijin]

that is was especially funny when they said the reason there are two ii's because it looks like the controller and it looks like people playing together .

I laughed at that too...because it sounded awfully familiar. Yeah, that's the same (probably after the fact) reason Atari gave for the Fuji symbol that was their corporate logo. Ah Nintendo, ripping off Atari again .

[Kaminari]

Let's face it, it's laughable. Besides, it only makes sense in English. I'm eager to see the website trailer translated into French, I can scarcely contain my anticipation to wii-pii in my pants. I'm surprised Nintendo didn't pick up iCrap as a more viable name.

Love the trailer in Engrish: "It's really not about you or me. It's about wii [and your monii]."

[guyjin]

[Kiken]

It's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. It's going to go over even worse in places where wee is most commonly understood as pee. The most I can say is I don't see it having the same connotations for Japanese gamers.

Actually, the Japanese don't like it either.  Wii (uii) is a drunken slur.

[esteban]

hahahahhahahaha... here's a great article. If most of the points are true (especially about the trademark not being registered), then Nintendo rules for engaging in a marketing campaign like this

Nintendo Punk'd the gaming community?

The author feels that Nintendo is serious about the name Wii, and that we will soon see "Wii" registered as a trademark.

Either way, it's fun to think about