PALGN Roundtable: Nintendo Wii

[Rancidavacado]

First - I would like to apologise for not having read the etiquette - this has now been done and no further explanations regarding my screen name shall be forthcoming.

Second, the TM in front of anything is not necessarily valid if the thing has not actually been trademarked - and the TM does not prove it has been.

There was however an update on the same site from which I sourced the information which said that Nintendo had announced that they had posted numerous applications for Wii to be trademarked and indeed that we the consumers would see more about Wii soon.

[macca]

[themak]

There's something strange about Nintendo's Wii.

For instance, where's the press release?
I'm sure that a name unveiling would warrant a press release.

PS Rancid-
When you say "my source website", just say which- Kotaku with "Did Nintendo Punk Us with Wii?" would have sufficed.
_________________
[themak was here]

[Rancidavacado]

[Aussie]

Nintendo's Home Console Names for the past 20yrs

1 * Nintendo Entertainment System {NES}

2 * Super Nintendo Entertainment System {SNES}

3 * Nintendo64 {N64}

4 * Nintendo GameCube {NGC}

5 * Wii

So for the first time in over 20 yrs the name Nintendo will not be in the title name as their next gen console will only have the name of Wii

[MrAndyPuppy]

[Hyperworm]

[chriharr]

Im so happy Nintendo have named their next gen console this

to be honest i love the weird name, because im the sort of person who owns a range of things that have been downgraded for their name although i know deep down that all the weird named products i own are cool despite their name, i own a Windows XP Comp and a Mac G5, everyone knows that Macs are the most powerful computers in the world, but they put it down because it's made by a company called apple, my mac G5 cost me AUS $25,000 and has 16 GB RAM (sure whatever you say Macs are crap YEP!!!) The point im trying to make is everyone judges everything and everyone and to be honest none of the garbage written or said affects me, heck im buying a Nintendo Wii and i know the payouts will keep rolling in from my mates, But I don't give a S**T about anything people say, to me everything said is typical, old and boring, people need to grow up seriously, people don't have to say Wii, they can simply say Nintendo, Nintendo is the most recognised name in the video games industry, believe me everywhere you go around the world you say "Nin-ten-do" and people from all ages will automatically know what you're talking about whether it be the NES right through to the gamecube, if you said sony, playstation or XBOX you would never get that kind of recognition, good on you Nintendo for taking the plunge, being different,unique, As Nintendo stated at E3 Last year, they are not being apart of the Console Battle, they are taking a different direction, why can't people see that, they are basically being Indapendant, they are not compeeting, just like Apple and Microsoft, Apple make computers and iPods and still only make 3% marketshare on the PC Market, but who cares they still made over a billion dollars in revenue

If Nintendo has done anything wrong it's not making a cliche'd name i mean atleast Nintendo make a new original name,

XBOX,XBOX 360 what will it be next the XBOX 720

same goes for Playstation, Playstation one, Playstation 2, Playstation 3 they'll probably make a Playstation 3.5 Who knows

When All consoles are available i Will be buying

PS3 and Nintendo Wii, Microsoft can go to hell and make some lovely Internet Explorer Virus's
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http://www.myspace.com/christopherharrismusicpage

[one2one2]

Wii is pronounce the way it is spelt, wii ('wee' if I must. It's two 'i's, the pronunciation is dragged out). The only language I can see having trouble with it is english. I'm sure that most people will come to nintendo Wii just so people not so familiar with it will be able to understand it at first.

If you ask me, Aussie seems to be the first that have gotten it. Even on their site "no need to abbreviate". Which leaves the impression that they had what Aussie said in mind.

Personally, I like the name Wii, not as *** to say as xbox and in my mind will be easier to google when need be.

[chriharr]

Are people on this thread that stupid, No one in their right mind would walk into a western game store and say excuse me can i please have a we

that's just wrong for a number of reasons, why not say can i please buy the new Nintendo, you could even say the Nintendo Revolution and they would still know what you're talking about

use your brains people!!!

[Matt]

[MrAndyPuppy]

[Hyperworm]

[Deus Sceleris]

Everyone who keeps posting anywhere about how Wii is horrible and must die and blahblahblah. I was over all the wee jokes yesterday and today the name has grown on me a bit more. I mean "Xbox" was a strange name when i first heard/saw it, but it's common tongue now. I think people will get over all the "its a bad name" business and finally accept it as an actual name instead of "OMG ITS CALLED WEE-WEE!!1". Ok, it may be embarresing for you to ask people at the games store for Wii, but get over it, you probably cant even say the word "penis" because its not "cool", or you gigle like a school girl... It's a name and the sooner you get over it, the sooner you can just wait till the end of the year, buy you Wii and THEN criticise the console...

[Venoman]

I'd say it depends entirely on Nintendo's advertising. A random person, gamer or not, hearing the name "Wii" is immediately going to reach the same urine-esque connotation we have. But if they see a well planned and executed ad that properly displays the name and console in the context that Nintendo is going for, the pee thing will pass quickly. Really, that's the only thing wrong with the name: that one comparison. Other than that, it captures their goal nicely. Notice that in, what, 24 hours, a lot of people have gone from outright indignation at the name to acceptance. It's not going to be an issue for long.

[Halifaxion]

The word "wee" has three important connotations in American English that Nintendo's dilbert-esque naming committee failed to take into account.

1. Puny
2. Puny penis
3. Urine

This is a classic case of people lacking a native grasp of American english picking a product name that they think will appeal to us, and missing the mark completely. Do they not know that a baby or young boy's penis is often called a "wee wee"? Do they not know that "wee" often means small and powerless, as in "she's but a wee lass"? I guess not.

"Hey guys, want to come over to my house and play with my wee?"

I guess it's better than their second choice, the Nintendo Smallpeniis. But not much better.

[Rancidavacado]

[Rancidavacado]

[lordfenix]

You all know why the Xbox 360 wasnt called the Xbox 2 right ? So that it didn't sound technically inferior beside the Playstation 3. Now none of you would assume that the Xbox 2 were less advanced it was done for the common man on the street.

Therefore you must ask does Wii also work for the common man ? In my opinion it won't but honestly i cannot say.

And if now you're tired of Wee jokes, just remember there'll come right back round come E3 come release, every single time a Nintendo game is popular the Wee jokes will come back round again and again. And it wont stop when the next gen comes, people still make fun of the power glove what makes you think the Wii will be any different.

Face it we're in for the long haul on this one.

[Space.Cowboy17]

Personally, I don't think it's entirely justified to rip into Nintendo for this. You could equally rip into the cynical, undereducated masses who can't see past the name. They would have laughed at iPod before it became a phenomenon, and look where it is now.

I will always rely on Nintendo for the dose of variety and uniqueness that keeps gaming fresh (for me), and the Wii is no exception. I mean, why don't people take off the 360 for naming purposes?

"360 degrees...and we're back where we started."

[Matt Bassos]

It's a crap name pure and simple. Will it affect sales... I doubt it. Gamers will know it, causuals will get to know it. The name is not going to cause the downfall of Nintendo by a long shot and it will become accepted in time. Doesn't change the fact it still sucks though.

[Nectarine]

I find it funny how much people have reacted to this. When I heard it I thought ooh that's odd.. Then I thought maybe they can make it work, maybe in 4 years The Wii will a household brandname. I like the Wii Wifi connection. It seems nice to me. I don't see what the fuss is about it sounding like wee, after all how many people even use that word? To me, I think 'we'. I'm guessing that this name was sold to the executives not on it's initial reaction, but on a long drawn out very detailed plan of how they will market it, and what it will be percieved as in the future based on that marketing.
I think we can be sure we're going to see a whole heap more wma's and quicktime movies showing cute and elegant i's bouncing around.
When a new product name is introduced and marketed heavily, it changes the whole meaning that we associate with it's sound and spelling. In 4 years I don't think anyone will care.
Think 'yes', and 'we'. hmm they've got a entire world of marketting to manipulate us with, waiting.

[themak]

[Bitchacho]

why would it cost spoons? someone would either have to spam to get that many spoons to change...or...since they are new, they can just re-register. duh.

p.s. new pearl jam album has a blue background with a single cut avocado. so random, but a great album.

[oscarwp]

I think Wii is a great name. Of course it can be a potty reference but not as much as its a homonym for we. It's short, swiit and it looks really cool. -Oscar, www.eightandfive.com