Topic: Is the Name Really That Bad?

[elcomegato]

Wii is a silly name, but it is fine. It was a strategy to build momentum and brand recognition for the consolethrough word of mouth, because Nintendo lost a lot of media coverage in the Gamecube days. It worked obviously. But....

One thing is call it Wii, and another is being sttuborn to intentionally add another siily word, well a letter. Now, it isn't just the urine jokes, now "f**k u" will be the offensive line to the console for the next 5 years.

I think it's a better idea call the Wii Ultra, because bassically is the famous Wii HD that Patcher dreamed since 2006, and the definitive ultimate version of the Wii, the real vision what Nintendo wanted to be the white machine, like the Wii was for Gamecube.

By calling it Wii Ultra, it would simply sound more cool and serious, and they can simply shorten it as Wii U for marketing purposes. But making Wii U the official name, what sounded dumb with the actual Wii, now it's just terrible and childish. The hardcore people will not take seriously the console

[Chocobo_Rider]

Let's summarize some of what has been established in this thread...

1a. "Wii" had to be in the name.  Had to.  No company builds successful branding and then throws it away.
1b.  Thank god the new console is using all the old controllers.  So yea, it wouldn't make sense to brand it as something completely different.

2a. The first Wii was not supposed to turn off """hardcore""" gamers, but it did.
2b. Choosing a name like "Wii U" is too goofy to put those """hardcore""" gamers at ease.

3. Something like "Wii 2" "Wii Ultra" or "Ultra Wii" (I like that since the N64 was originally the Ultra64, right??) would have been a better choice as it covers nearly all the bases described in this thread.

~~~

Perhaps Nintendo can please us AND them by eventually extending the U to be some other word (like Ultra, or Universe, or Unite, or Uprezed, or .... anything ).  Cuz then they could still save face and be like "Oh, we didn't change the name, it's still the Wii U, but we just added extra meaning to the U."

... I hope Iwata and Reggie are reading this.  Hi guys!! Send me free stuff! Can Miyamoto-san come over and play??

[Minsc]

Wii Uranium.

Yes, the Wii U is nuclear powered.

[Adrock]

@NinSage - I would argue that "Wii" didn't necessarily need to be kept. "Wii" is a recognizable brand. Then again, so is "Nintendo." One thing I noticed in the E3 press conference was that Iwata and Reggie always referred to DS/3DS as "NintendoDS" and "Nintendo3DS" respectively. The word "Nintendo" is even part of the logo with the "o" representing the top screen. Public perception of the company and the name "Nintendo" has changed with each new hardware cycle and it's never been stronger than it has been this past generation in both the handheld and console market. Nintendo is viewed as the company that embracing this "games for everyone" mentality.

That said, using Nintendo's own logic, the name could have easily been "Nintendo[something]" (even NintendoU which also sounds lame but not the same harder to pronounce, Engrish kind of lame as WiiU) and kept everything that people have come to expect from the "Nintendo" brand intact.

[KDR_11k]

I don't care much about the name but I'm worried that just attaching a letter will make uninformed purchasers believe it's only a minor revision of the Wii.


Names like Ultra/Super/Hyper Wii 2 Turbo are just silly. Think about whether the name would fly in any other business, names used by companies like Hoover, Siemens, Panasonic, etc are what the market at large is used to.

[Chocobo_Rider]

@Adrock

Well, sure, but let us not forget that (for reasons unbeknownst to me) it is not the "Nintendo Wii," it's just the "Wii."

So, they have their own branding strategy and are sticking with it just like the "Nintendo" 3/DS.

@KDR

I'm confused. If those names are silly, what do Hoover, Siemens, Panasonic, etc name their products that would be fitting?

[Adrock]

Of course, but point is, people are having identity issues with WiiU while the same can't be said of 3DS. "Wii" is a recognizable brand but "Nintendo" is just as if not more recognizable. That said, had Nintendo called Project Cafe "Nintendo[something]" and not "Wii[something]" we wouldn't be having this conversation right now.

[Mop it up]

The Wii name doesn't have anything to do with the hardcore crowd ignoring it, it's because the system didn't have the games that they wanted to play. If the Wii U has them, then the hardcore gamers will buy it. They might not ever say the name or come up with ways around it (like saying "I got the new Nintendo system"), but they'll go where the games are. In the end, the name will not matter.

[Chocobo_Rider]

... point is, people are having identity issues with WiiU while the same can't be said of 3DS.

No one said otherwise.

"Wii" is a recognizable brand but "Nintendo" is just as if not more recognizable.

Yeeeaaaa, but that's still not really how branding works.  "Apple" is pretty darn recognizable.  You let me know when they stop putting numbers after "iPhone" and call it something else. Nintendo could have tossed out the "Wii" and there would have been good reason to do so.  But there is also very good reason to keep it, just not in this particular way.

That said, had Nintendo called Project Cafe "Nintendo[something]" and not "Wii[something]" we wouldn't be having this conversation right now.

Well, we're having this conversation because the current name is stupid =P Not because it has "Wii" in it.

Similarly, if we were having a conversation about apples, we would not be concerned with oranges. 

[Adrock]

No one said otherwise.

That's not what I was getting at. You mentioned that Nintendo has a branding strategy. I agree. Clearly, they do. The problem is that strategy has so far backfired with WiiU. Many people think it's a controller for the Wii, not a new console. There's a good chance people still aren't going to know the difference a year from now (because people are dumb). That strategy has not backfired with with 3DS because....

Yeeeaaaa, but that's still not really how branding works.

It is when you name your products "NintendoDS" and "Nintendo3DS." Apple doesn't call their products "Apple iMac" or "Apple iPhone." Nintendo refers to each portable by their full name. The word "Nintendo" is the brand or at least part of it.

Well, we're having this conversation because the current name is stupid =P Not because it has "Wii" in it.

It's quite pertinent. The question posed in the topic title is "Is the Name Really That Bad?" I'm arguing that the name is bad because "WiiU" is confusing to a lot of people, not because it sounds stupid. Nintendo could have picked a different but still stupid sounding name which doesn't confuse people. For example, Nintendo could have named it [insert practically any name that doesn't include the word "Wii"] which may sound stupid in a number of ways, but it's not confusing because it's a completely different name. I just used "Nintendo[something]" as the example because, as previously stated, "Nintendo" is a recognizable brand and thus, you'd have a name that is both recognizable and completely different.

[gbuell]

Many people think it's a controller for the Wii, not a new console.

Really? I haven't heard anyone make this mistake. Evidence?

[Adrock]

Did Nintendo Just Screw Up the Launch of Wii U?

But when Wii U – the official name of the new Nintendo machine – made its debut in Los Angeles this morning, the Mario maker left more questions than answers, some of which the company didn’t intend for us to ask:

“Is this a new controller for the old Wii?�

“Do I have to purchase a Wii to use Wii U?�

One could argue that Forbes isn't a gaming news outlet, but that's exactly the point. Gamers know the difference, non-gamers may not.

[NWR_insanolord]

The Wii name doesn't have anything to do with the hardcore crowd ignoring it, it's because the system didn't have the games that they wanted to play. If the Wii U has them, then the hardcore gamers will buy it. They might not ever say the name or come up with ways around it (like saying "I got the new Nintendo system"), but they'll go where the games are. In the end, the name will not matter.

This. If Nintendo releases a console with modern hardware, a (much) better online infrastructure, and strong exclusive software, it really doesn't matter what they call it, people will buy it.

[gbuell]

I'm a lot more interested in actual questions being asked by actual consumers, not fake questions being made up by Forbes to represent what they think actual consumers may say.

It will probably be confusing for some for a short time, but I'm not convinced that this is going to cause a long-term problem with long-term effects.

[Chocobo_Rider]

@Adrock

Well I've said several times I think the new name is going to cause some massive confusion.  So... how about we just agree on that and move on? ^_^

@Mop it up

I didn't see your post until NWR_Insanolord quoted it.  You are quite right I think.

It's funny because a lot of people that need those """hardcore""" games still bought Nintendo products to play the first party stuff.  Could you imagine the potential market share if both those needs could be met by one console?

I'm sure there are those who would disagree, but I just don't think the Sony/MS first party titles can hold a candle to Nintendo's.

[Chozo Ghost]

The Wii name doesn't have anything to do with the hardcore crowd ignoring it, it's because the system didn't have the games that they wanted to play. If the Wii U has them, then the hardcore gamers will buy it. They might not ever say the name or come up with ways around it (like saying "I got the new Nintendo system"), but they'll go where the games are. In the end, the name will not matter.

This. If Nintendo releases a console with modern hardware, a (much) better online infrastructure, and strong exclusive software, it really doesn't matter what they call it, people will buy it.

I'm not so sure of that. I know people who didn't buy a Wii even when it was cool back during the hype days because they hated the name and would have felt embarrassed to own something with that name.

There are people who pay two or three times as much to own name brand shoes or jeans or whatever, so if they would do that just for a brand name, why should it be hard to believe that people would also go out of their way to avoid a console just because of its name?

[Oblivion]

The name is Wii U. Boo fucking hoo. Do you honestly think the name of the damn thing is prevent sales? No way. The simple fact that it has "Wii" in it's name pretty much cements that.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

The irony is that those who are crying foul at the Wii U moniker have suggested alternatives that I think are much worse. Super Wii? Ha-ha. Wii Stream? Now you're just being silly.

To answer the question in the thread title in short, no. The name Wii U really isn't that bad. The logo they showed may need a bit of work, but I expect that name will stick, and people will soon get over themselves.

[NWR_insanolord]

The irony is that those who are crying foul at the Wii U moniker have suggested alternatives that I think are much worse. Super Wii? Ha-ha. Wii Stream? Now you're just being silly.

I agree with this. Wii U doesn't sound any worse than any of the rumored names we heard ahead of time, except just Nintendo, which would have likely created a lot more confusion than people are claiming Wii U will in addition to other problems.

[Chocobo_Rider]

Well, hey, I'm certainly not gonna be bitter about the name.  I actually find that the gaming world at large is adopting the name a lot more smoothly than I thought.

So, if it winds up not being a problem then, yea, I'll get over it. 

I just really wish there was a hard consonant sound in there somewhere to help the name roll off the tough.  With "Wii U" you have to go out of your way to not just say "wiioo."

[Chozo Ghost]

Do you honestly think the name of the damn thing is prevent sales?

Honestly, yes. It may not be a problem for most people, and it may not be a problem for many people, but it will be a problem for some. I guarantee beyond all doubt that there are some people out there who will refuse to buy this just because of the name alone. I guarantee it. The fact that there are people complaining about it on this very board should be proof enough of that.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I'm a lot more interested in actual questions being asked by actual consumers, not fake questions being made up by Forbes to represent what they think actual consumers may say.

It will probably be confusing for some for a short time, but I'm not convinced that this is going to cause a long-term problem with long-term effects.

The problem comes from the fact that a lot of customers base their opinions on the opinions of the people whose articles they read. So if the news publication is confused about what they saw, they aren't gonna be able to properly report it to the masses (the 99.9% of people that weren't paying attention when the news actually actually broke and only get it over the next few weeks/months from sources like that and other friends/co-workers that tell them after reading articles like that). That leads to the general public being just as confused as the article writer and it is why it's up to Nintendo to make it very clear what their product is, so that is reported with accuracy and clarity for everyone else.

[Chocobo_Rider]

Honestly, yes. It may not be a problem for most people, and it may not be a problem for many people, but it will be a problem for some. I guarantee beyond all doubt that there are some people out there who will refuse to buy this just because of the name alone. I guarantee it. The fact that there are people complaining about it on this very board should be proof enough of that.

C'mon, brotha.  Have some guts.  Give us an estimate!!
Some people will mistake this console for a toaster and slide bread into the disc drive.  Doesn't mean we need this on the side of the case:
 

OK, maybe no one will put bread in it, but some people will do anything extreme.  Stick by your guns and give us more of a statement!  How many people? Hundreds? Thousands? more?

[Adrock]

C'mon, brotha.

[SilverQuilava]

I am NOT kidding when I say that the name "Wii U" sounds almost exactly like an inside joke that only me and my friends have been sharing for a few years. google search "awweeeeoooooo!!!!" exactly as it says and you will understand what the video is. my cousin running back and forth screaming this.