Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 09:29:40 AM
Let them HEAR how much we hate it!
Post by: ThePerm on April 27, 2006, 09:31:16 AM
Post by: Mario on April 27, 2006, 09:34:13 AM
Post by: MaryJane on April 27, 2006, 09:34:32 AM
i sent them a message.
Post by: ThePerm on April 27, 2006, 09:35:16 AM
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 09:36:00 AM
I'm still hoping this is a bad joke so when they reveal the REAL name at E3, we can all have a good laugh about it...
Post by: Mario on April 27, 2006, 09:37:54 AM
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 09:38:48 AM
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 09:44:01 AM
I'll probably send them some ideas for tips and such as well. Mario's idea for Pikmin Thwii is awesome.
Post by: Caliban on April 27, 2006, 10:06:38 AM
Post by: Ceric on April 27, 2006, 10:14:07 AM
Post by: ThePerm on April 27, 2006, 10:18:47 AM
That may be very ideal, but in my opinion if they can't even get the name of the system right then they probably can't get anything right. It's not like Nintendo have released anything groundbreaking in the last few years as far as games go.
i've been wanting to be a game developer since 7th grade when Mario 64 came out, this intensified even further after zelda came out. I've graduated high school, and am in my fourth year of college. I've been working hard. I always had soem zealous goal that one day I would help Nintendo become the glory that it once was. Is it still possible, or are my dreams just a sinking ship?
Ign says Perrin Kaplan confirmed this is all legit......WTF. She said they did some research. Did they ask anybody in America if it was a good name? If in a group of ten they got one bad response. They should have axed it immediately. I know if they had done that then they would have been doing research.
What happened to Nintendo of America, have they lost all backbone or control. When Howard Lincoln and Minoru Arakawa left did they stop running things regionally.
maybe Kenn Lobb left for a reason. He did say they were a sinking ship. I think Iwata is just as bad as Yamauchi.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 10:21:07 AM
And god knows that's saying something, perm.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 10:22:16 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Caliban
Smash_Brother, I laugh at you! I'm gonna send them a warm Wii message to Nintendo.
My wii is warm, too.
See? This is the problem here...
Post by: Ian Sane on April 27, 2006, 10:23:45 AM
If you choose to write an email make sure it's well written and doesn't say stuff like "this is such a stupid idea". Be polite and be civil. The problem is for every well written email they get they'll get 20 fanboy rants that aren't worth anyone's time.
Post by: ThePerm on April 27, 2006, 10:28:00 AM
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 10:28:37 AM
After the flood of bad press from the ultra horrible Mario Sunshine commercial, Nintendo pulled it.
God willing, this flood of bad press will get them to do the same.
Post by: Nosferat2 on April 27, 2006, 10:31:09 AM
Edited by Moderator Im sorry but 20 years of loyalty shall now cease. i will buy( maybe rent one if i can) a Revolution only to Play Metriod Prime 3. Then i will return the Rev back to the store and never look at Nintendo again.
As soon as revolution report changes its name to Wiireport i will no longer be a memebr here.
First no HD, then underpowering it, and now a sissy azz name. Jesus. its amazing how one company can screw something that had so much potential up.
Im outta here,
peace Nosferatu
Mod: Sexually charged insults are against the forum rules. This is your warning.
Post by: couchmonkey on April 27, 2006, 10:34:18 AM
I think it will be fun to see if this name really takes the system down, though. I believe it will succeed anyway. I don't think the media is going to say too much, except for some of the hardcore gaming media. It's not really a topic that matters to anyone but hardcore gamers, the mainstream media will probably do little more than add, "The oddly-named" every time they say "Wii".
Post by: Ian Sane on April 27, 2006, 10:34:35 AM
This is pretty much what I think has been Nintendo's problem for years. People think like this because logically it kind of makes sense. This is why small stupid sh!t hurt the Cube. If Nintendo can't get routine things like memory cards or demo discs right then how can one assume they'll get the really important stuff right? In the end Nintendo still makes great games and their products are of incredibly quality and durability and they have fantastic customer service. So they actually do get some of the most important things right. But only people who give Nintendo a chance notice those things. Too many people are turned off because of the "well if they can't get something my senile grandpa could figure out right they must suck" problem.
It is because of things like this that have killed my faith in Nintendo. I don't trust them because I'm certain that I could grab people off the street and they could avoid some of the blatant goof-ups Nintendo has made.
The name isn't going to turn me off of the Rev. The non-gamer focus and the controller might but the name won't. However if I feel because of the name the Wii isn't going to sell worth a damn in North America I won't buy it because I'm tired of paying good money for consoles with no future. If I think the console isn't going to take off I might as well wait a little while and pick it up in the bargain bin.
Post by: vudu on April 27, 2006, 10:36:03 AM
EDIT: Two people posted in the time it took me to write that. I suck at this. I'm referring to Nosferat2's post.
Post by: wandering on April 27, 2006, 10:36:10 AM
Quote
I beleive they got their website hacked
It hasn't been hacked. Peter Griffin's cousin himself has confirmed the name is real.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 10:36:24 AM
I can where you're coming from, honestly. Wii does seem like a terrible name for marketing, even to me. I just happen to personally like it.
Ian and Smash_Brother, while I disagree with them, have some valid points.
Nosferat2, the sooner you're gone the better. You can follow suit, Perm.
Edit: Okay, I just read Ian's post and his isn't much better at all. I do my best to justify Ian's pointless complaints sometimes, but now it's just immature whining.
And yes, even Nosferat2 managed to knock perm from the top spot, in a mere matter of moments. What a startling turn of events!
Post by: ThePerm on April 27, 2006, 10:37:45 AM
if i do end up buying it. It shall be WII, or w2..now i will associate it with taxes
Post by: eljefe on April 27, 2006, 10:37:49 AM
I LOVE the name!
I'm actually going to send congrats for success.
This is MARKET DISRUPTION IN PRACTICE.
All those keynotes mean nothing if they don't back it up..
Post by: vudu on April 27, 2006, 10:40:53 AM
QuoteSo why do you complain so much? If the only things Nintendo screws up is the small crap that doesn't matter, stop worrying about it.
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
In the end Nintendo still makes great games and their products are of incredibly quality and durability and they have fantastic customer service.
Post by: ThePerm on April 27, 2006, 10:45:34 AM
ok, its starting to sound better, however I am a Nintendo fan. Why do they do this to me, they force crap down my throught and they tell me i have to love it. I hate my future self already. I'm not telling anybody the name of the system untill its out and I own one. At least the flash video is cool, but i can't imagine saying wii all the time.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 10:46:57 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: vudu So why do you complain so much? If the only things Nintendo screws up is the small crap that doesn't matter, stop worrying about it.
He mentioned it later in his post: if the console won't sell worth a damn in NA, why should Ian buy it when it likely won't receive much support?
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 10:57:12 AM
With the DS, Nintendo seemed to be demonstrating that they indeed had a firm grip on reality and were following through with that by introducing games which sold the concept and did so admirably.
But this? What research could they have POSSIBLY done? Ask anyone on the street if they think "wee" is a good name for anything and I'm sure they'll tell you it isn't.
What irks me more is that Nintendo seems to have forsaken the apt and solid name of "Revolution" in favor of a bad pun.
I hate to break it to Nintendo, but urine has been called "wee" for far longer than their console and it's what people with think about when they say it, not Nintendo's revolutionary new console.
Nintendo NEEDS to be insulted right now. This message HAS to get through, even if it means insulting the hell out of them. It's better they hear that they're making fools of themselves from us, the loyal fans, than when the console experiences terrible sales because their target market can't stop laughing about the name.
And gentlemen, we are not Nintendo's target market: we're the fans. We're already sure-fire sales. Their TARGET market is the average teenager who thinks their a company designed for babies and this name just solidifies the notion.
For Nintendo's own sake, mail them and let them know how terrible of a name this is.
Post by: vudu on April 27, 2006, 10:59:36 AM
QuoteI meant in general. I meant the posts I've had to read for the last three flipping years.
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
He mentioned it later in his post: if the console won't sell worth a damn in NA, why should Ian buy it when it likely won't receive much support?
Post by: Bubba on April 27, 2006, 11:03:54 AM
Just tell them why you don't like it. Dont try to argue your cause by insulting them. Just make it short and sweet. If enough of this happens they will pull it.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 11:07:05 AM
If wii succeeds, I can see this changing. The jokes will come and go and kids won't call their urine wee anymore. They'll call the wii wee.
Maybe if we're lucky they'll say "Mom, I just revolutionized my pants."
Post by: Athrun Zala on April 27, 2006, 11:08:40 AM
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 11:13:15 AM
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they changed the name back from Wii, to Revolution or something else. However, if that were the case?
I would be severely disappointed in Nintendo. They would lose a margin of respect, even if it is suicide to face such backlash, undaunted. And it's pitiful that all of you can't see this.
Competitors who back down never win. I hope they keep the name. I honestly do.
Post by: The Omen on April 27, 2006, 11:13:50 AM
Quote
This is MARKET DISRUPTION IN PRACTICE.
Disrupting what? Their own profit forecasts?
Seriously, I wouldn't go as far as the Perm, but his reaction is the problem you're going to face from a large portioon of people who need to be swayed into buying into the REVOLUTION. And it is a problem, whether you want to believe it or not.
Quote
Haha.
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they changed the name back from Wii, to Revolution or something else. However, if that were the case?
I would be severely disappointed in Nintendo. They would lose a margin of respect, even if it is suicide to face such backlash, undaunted. And it's pitiful that all of you can't see this.
Competitors who back down never win. I hope they keep the name. I honestly do.
They could easily avert the negativity in response to them cowering and changing the name by acting like it was a big joke and announcing the real name at the conference at e3.
Post by: Ian Sane on April 27, 2006, 11:17:19 AM
Well the weak support issue still applies. Though often with the small things the screwup affects me so I express my displeasure in it. I mentioned I wrote an email to Nintendo about the first Cube demo disc. What pissed me off about it was that I personally could not obtain a copy "officially" because I already had a Cube and for some reason Nintendo decided that only new Cube owners should get the demo disc. A lot of the small screwups on the Cube directly affected Cube owners so it made sense to complain about them.
Thinking about the Rev now it's like this whole time I've been thinking "if I was in charge of NOA how would I salvage this?" First there's the non-gamer focus designed to address an issue in Japan that doesn't apply to North America, then there's the weird controller, then there's no HD, then there's the weak hardware specs, and now there's the worst name every used for a videogame system ever. There's just been so many huge "I don't know about that" stuff revealed about the Wii. There's been some great things too but there is way too much "iffy" stuff here.
Though I'm probably more interested in E3 now. The Rev has become so weird that I can't help but pay attention to it. It's like even if it totally crashes and burns it will interesting to watch in a car wreck sort of way.
Post by: Ceric on April 27, 2006, 11:22:15 AM
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 11:23:17 AM
QuoteI meant in general. I meant the posts I've had to read for the last three flipping years.
Originally posted by: vudu
He mentioned it later in his post: if the console won't sell worth a damn in NA, why should Ian buy it when it likely won't receive much support?
Fair play there, but I used to argue against Ian when he said Nintendo was out of touch with reality. I can't make that argument anymore...
Quote
If wii succeeds, I can see this changing. The jokes will come and go and kids won't call their urine wee anymore. They'll call the wii wee.
Maybe if we're lucky they'll say "Mom, I just revolutionized my pants."
I can't. I don't see this name having even a shred of mainstream acceptance, which means ultra-poor sales.
"Wii" sounds like some new-age, german car which will only be bought by the horribly eccentric. The name will likely scare the same people Nintendo was trying to attract by sounding too far out into left field. The blue ocean strategy won't work if people can't respect the name.
In the US, buying a product is making a decision. American buyers want to feel confident about their purchasing decisions. I know some would argue that "it doesn't matter" but since the American buyers have, you know, MONEY, Nintendo should at least consider what they want to buy.
If Americans hear the name and laugh, they're NOT GOING TO BUY IT. Would you buy a car called the "Stinc"? A blender called the "Püpie"? A TV made by a company called "Phart"? I sure as f*ck wouldn't and neither would 99 out of 100 Americans.
Post by: ThePerm on April 27, 2006, 11:29:38 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
Though I'm probably more interested in E3 now. The Rev has become so weird that I can't help but pay attention to it. It's like even if it totally crashes and burns it will interesting to watch in a car wreck sort of way.
perfect thought
Post by: wandering on April 27, 2006, 11:36:22 AM
Nintendo has recognized this and are now forcing people to pay attention. And it's working.
edit: I think I'm going to go email Nintendo and tell them how much I like the name.
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on April 27, 2006, 11:39:00 AM
Post by: Ian Sane on April 27, 2006, 11:40:52 AM
"It was revealed today that official name for the Revolution is the Wii. I don't like that name at all. I feel embarrased to say it out loud. Wii sounds like "wee" which any English speaking individual knows is slang for urine. It's also just very awkward to say.
I am also concerned about how this name will affect the North American market. I know Nintendo is a Japanese company and that those making the decisions regarding the global name may be unaware of how North America reacts to a name that sounds good for the Japanese market.
I like Nintendo a lot and I enjoy Nintendo consoles. In the last few years I've been disappointed in the amount of third party support the N64 and Gamecube received because of low market share. I'm getting tired of buying consoles with bleak futures. I think the name "Wii" is so unappealing that it will severely hurt consoles sales in North America which means that third party support will be quite poor. I won't buy a "Wii" if I think it's going to flop. There's no point if I can pick it up for cheap in a bargain bin a few months after launch. With that name I think it's going to flop so I won't buy one.
Please reconsider the offical name for your next console. I personally thought that "Revolution" was quite good."
I've kind of given up on the "don't insult them" train of thought. I'm going to perfectly honest with them here. Well I'm fibbing a little regarding how this will affect my purchase but I think a threat of a loss of sale will hit them harder then me just being annoyed.
Post by: The Omen on April 27, 2006, 11:41:19 AM
Quote
Nintendo has recognized this and are now forcing people to pay attention. And it's working.
Stop shoveling this horsesh*t! It could have just as easily been called King Chicken Nintendo, and the exact same hype would have reverberated throught the community, but without thinking of p*ss first. No matter how you slice it, the name could have been just as provocative without sounding ridiculous.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 11:47:05 AM
I think every last one of you is forgetting how the reaction to the controller was exactly the same as this. The same people were complaining about it, the same people thought it was a terrible idea and Nintendo would bomb. And now what? Nintendo is expected to take E3 by the balls and dominate the show.
I'm already becoming accustomed to seeing the word Wii. So will everyone, probably within less than a week.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 11:51:09 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation I think every last one of you is forgetting how the reaction to the controller was exactly the same as this. The same people were complaining about it, the same people thought it was a terrible idea and Nintendo would bomb. And now what? Nintendo is expected to take E3 by the balls and dominate the show.
I'm already becoming accustomed to seeing the word Wii. So will everyone, probably within less than a week.
Umm, I don't think so.
My first reaction to the controller was, "Wow, I can't wait to see what they're going to do with it."
"Wii" is always going to be a synonym for urine. It's never going to change. There's nothing else about the name which needs to be revealed to make it more interesting. "I wonder how the name will change gaming." is not a valid statement. The name is that which potential customers will have to call the console, and many of those potential customers will be turned away from buying it because they don't want to own something which has the same name as a bodily excretion.
Post by: trip1eX on April 27, 2006, 11:52:12 AM
Wii will. Wii will. Rock you.
Wii are the champions my friends. Wii'll be together until the end. Wii are the champions. Wii are the campions. No time for 360s because wii are the champions of the world.
Somehow wii can use the word we in a sentence and not all giggle like Beavis and Butthead. Check back in a week and half the namesayers we'll be ok with it.
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on April 27, 2006, 11:54:00 AM
QuoteUm, no. Actually, I for one loved the controller from the beginning, and I think Wii is a bad name (just read the last part of that sentence out loud for proof). It's not just chronic naysayers complaining.
I think every last one of you is forgetting how the reaction to the controller was exactly the same as this. The same people were complaining about it, the same people thought it was a terrible idea and Nintendo would bomb
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 11:56:30 AM
If we can say "we" without thinking wee, we're perfectly capable of saying Wii in a similar manner. Grow up.
Also, the reaction to the remote was overwhelmingly negative, initially. I remember checking out controller threads the day of, and twenty pages are dedicated to whining about how terrible Nintendo is. So yeah, it pretty much is the same freaking thing, now isn't it?
Post by: MaryJane on April 27, 2006, 11:57:49 AM
my initial reaction the name wii was: why would pgc joke about something like that, there's no way that could be the name, then once i realized it was for real i was kind of pissed. now my reaction is: eh, whatever.
Post by: KnowsNothing on April 27, 2006, 12:01:01 PM
Quote
King Chicken Nintendo
This is about the only thing that could be better than Wii.
Post by: The Omen on April 27, 2006, 12:02:27 PM
Quote
I think every last one of you is forgetting how the reaction to the controller was exactly the same as this. The same people were complaining about it, the same people thought it was a terrible idea and Nintendo would bomb
There's a big difference between 'WTF?' and "Oh dear Lord no!" Most of the Revmote reaction was along the lines of wtf, not hatred. Go check the thread, I believe the positives outweighed the negatives by a wide margin.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 12:04:26 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation If we can say "we" without thinking wee, we're perfectly capable of saying Wii in a similar manner. Grow up.
Also, the reaction to the remote was overwhelmingly negative, initially. I remember checking out controller threads the day of, and twenty pages are dedicated to whining about how terrible Nintendo is. So yeah, it pretty much is the same freaking thing, now isn't it?
The controller is a peripheral. How it's used is more important than how it looks and Nintendo can and WILL prove that.
The name is just a name. There's no more depth to it than that. No one can say, "Well, let's see how the name plays." or "I wonder what developers will do for the name."
And it's not the people here that matter. Again, the people on PGC are already Nintendo fans: no convincing is required.
It's the average joe gamer who Nintendo needs to persuade, and with this name, they're going to have a lot harder time doing that.
Post by: eljefe on April 27, 2006, 12:09:04 PM
I may be the only Nintendo fan who didn’t EVER make fun of Sony’s first PS3 controller. I was actually sad when they said it was gonna be scrapped (because of what fans said).
Sony changing it shows who's REALLY in control. To a degree all sellers of a product are guided by the wants/needs of customers, however, the most enjoyable games and systems do not cater to fans excessively.
Recalling a product before anyone even tried it? What is that? Sony may have created something comfortable and functially superb, but they didn't have enough self-confidence and withered under misplaced fan pressure.
They set themselves up for it, tho. By stagnating for years, they cultivated a fanbase that was used to conservative increments of "newness".
THAT is what seperates Nintendo from the pack. All companies are fallible, but Nintendo seem more willing than most to make HUGE gambling leaps into "new" territory.
They have deliberately cultivated fans who will "leap" with them, pretty much blindfolded, almost anywhere. THAT is why their fans accept no HD. THAT is why their fans accept an overhauled input device. That is why they can name their system Wii.
And the ones who "get it" will stand by them proudly: because its hilariously fun and invigorating to do something new/weird/out of the ordinary.
This name announcement is just another step in the process of knocking people off the proverbial fence.
More and more people will choose one side or another. There is less of a gray area. A sharp line between black and white is defining itself.
Post by: Ian Sane on April 27, 2006, 12:09:58 PM
Actually I think this reaction is more similar to when we found out that purple was the official colour for the Gamecube.
Smash Brother is right. With the remote I really didn't like it at first but there was so much that was unknown. There was a natural curiousity about it. Even though I didn't really like the remote I wanted to see the games for it. The name is just a name. You can't wait to see what happens next. Plus that's not even "final" yet. For all we know the remote will be poorly received.
Plus people said the same thing about Wind Waker. "Oh you'll get used to it." Well it sort of looks like we did but in reality only the people who stuck with the Cube got used to it. We didn't hear from the people who didn't buy a Cube because of Nintendo's switcheroo or who didn't by Wind Waker. We only heard from the people who in the end did buy the game. Yet the Cube still finished in last place. Wind Waker didn't sell Cubes.
For years now every time something negative comes up regarding Nintendo the same people defend it and say it won't matter. Yet the Cube was a failure. Compared to what Nintendo was aiming for the Cube was a complete disaster and the Rev will be a disaster if it suffers the same fate. So stop saying we'll all get used to this or this won't matter because all those things that supposedly didn't matter with the Cube DID. If Nintendo had a better track record then these excuses would have some weight but for the last two generations there's been a formula of Nintendo making questionable decisions followed by an underperforming console.
Post by: BigJim on April 27, 2006, 12:14:32 PM
September -- Reaction to Revmote: "Stupid."
Today -- Reaction to Revmote: "Stupid."
Today -- Reaction to Wii: "Stupid."
One guess what my reaction to Wii will be in a week.
That doesn't mean E3 won't will be cool. But I'm still not sold on the controller. So throwing this ridiculous name out there on top of it does them no favors.
Post by: TrueNerd on April 27, 2006, 12:16:47 PM
Ridiculous.
Post by: Rancid Planet on April 27, 2006, 12:17:13 PM
Ah Nintendo, you learn so little from the past.
This is Lanny Campbell, resident Nintendo fanboy supreme of the website VG-Reloaded.com. I handle affrairs of Nintendo at my site. And I must talk with you about...ugh..."Wii"
So exactly what in the blue hell are you guys smoking anyway? And pass it to me because I could use some Nintendo smoke blown up my ass atm. I know you must've expected a negative reaction from at least some concerning the Revolution name change. I mean surely you've heard us Nintendorks mention by now that any name BUT "Revolution" would be a silly choice. Considering the marketing value of the name "Revoultion".
You say you want to breakthrough to the mainstream and beyond with the Rev...er..."Wii"? Wel then the best way to do that is to introduce the system with a name that all of the world will find cool and interesting. "Revolution" would be that name. It sounds intense. It sounds interesting and aggressive. It makes you feel like Nintendo may be going to start little something this coming gen. Something that might make them number one again. "Revolution" means change. It means nothing will be the same after it.
"Wii" is another American slang word for going tinkle.
Congratulations Nintendo. You managed to screw yourselves over and lose the race before it has even started...again.
For the sake of success. Please change your minds.
Like it?
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 12:17:52 PM
So what's the big deal?
Check out the GAF remote thread. Literally ten to twenty pages of people saying how terrible it is, and how Nintendo's going to crash.
Plus, you're looking at the remote in retrospect, after you've realized it's a good idea. Hindsight's twenty/twenty, remember? It's easy to say you didn't make an @ss of yourself then because you've changed your mind since.
Edit: Also, we had positive impressions of the controller coupled with the announcement. It was confusing, no one knew what to think because it was different. A name is easy to understand. But the initial impression was still resoundingly negative.
Post by: Ceric on April 27, 2006, 12:24:21 PM
Now they go and make the name something that is hard for me say. That was another blow at almost a year later. "The Console Whose Name Shall Not be Said" is cumbersome and I can't just keep spelling it out. I feel pretty alienated by all this. I guess I'm just not as hardcore as others.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 12:26:08 PM
Well then you're just behind on things. The Wiimote was confirmed awesome like four months ago. Pay attention.
(I still find myself calling it Revolution, habits die hard)
Post by: The Omen on April 27, 2006, 12:26:09 PM
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 12:28:20 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
Check out the GAF remote thread. Literally ten to twenty pages of people saying how terrible it is, and how Nintendo's going to crash.
Plus, you're looking at the remote in retrospect, after you've realized it's a good idea. Hindsight's twenty/twenty, remember? It's easy to say you didn't make an @ss of yourself then because you've changed your mind since.
I reiterate, when I saw the controller, my interest was piqued. I was interested from the VERY start. When I saw the DS, I wanted one immediately.
I DIDN'T make an ass of myself: right off the bat, these were my opinions. I never changed them. I love the idea of the Revmote and I love the way developers are implementing it.
But "Wii"? Huh?
For starters, it's a stupid pun. "Wii" will rock you? Come ON! Since when have gimm!cky, stupid puns pushed consoles?
And there is the problem that it sounds very much like the baby talk slang for urine. How can you take the console seriously? I can't call Gamestop and say, "I'd like to check if you have a game for the wee."
THINK ABOUT THIS: My call to a store to check on a game can be confused with a prank call about piss! Doesn't that SAY anything to you!?
Post by: mantidor on April 27, 2006, 12:30:15 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Mario
Let's just laugh now instead
Im with Mario, theres really nothing we can do, its just a name and I'll just call it "rev" or "nintendo", how will this affect their performance in northamerica is hard to predict I suppose, but I dont see this name doing well at all...bah whatever...
Post by: BigJim on April 27, 2006, 12:32:31 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
"Today -- Reaction to Revmote: "Stupid.""
Well then you're just behind on things. The Wiimote was confirmed awesome like four months ago. Pay attention.
(I still find myself calling it Revolution, habits die hard)
"Confirmed" by who and what, pray tell? What makes it a fact? When have any of us played it on actual games?
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 12:33:46 PM
You are not representative of the entire gaming community.
"Come ON! Since when have gimm!cky, stupid puns pushed consoles?"
Never. But no one's ever tried, either. Besides, Nintendo hasn't actually used sparkling innovationy puns yet. They have a coherent philosophy and design behind the logo, the unification of gamers and having fun together.
"Doesn't that SAY anything to you!?"
I don't think someone's talking about anus whenever they use the conjunction "but" in a sentence. Do you seriously think that's going to be a problem?
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 12:35:35 PM
Good job getting jokes on the internet.
Post by: Requiem on April 27, 2006, 12:38:12 PM
Alas, there is no secret special function with a name such as "Wii." On the otherhand, the name Revolution is just begging the question. It makes me want to try it out and see what it can really do. This is exactly inline with Nintendo's thinking. The name change is absolutely unnecessary.
I have never seen the internet blow up like it did today. What a terrible terrible name. Bad press is Good press, but not when EVERYBODY HATES IT.
So now Nintendo is faced with a very critical decision: Go back on their announcement and at E3 announce the new (most likely old) name for the console, or, they can go lose another console war and hope the DS bails them out.
It may not seem that simple. In fact, it isn't. But people are and always will be insecure. If "they" don't like it, then those people who want to fit in will also hate it.
I will still buy it because names don't mean sh*t. The Revolution is by far the most intriguing console I have ever dealt with, and to pass up on the fun....the fun of the many still unknown games would be a crime against my nature.
Basically what I'm trying to say is: This name doesn't help at all.
Post by: Ceric on April 27, 2006, 12:38:21 PM
Post by: The Omen on April 27, 2006, 12:39:03 PM
Quote
I don't think someone's talking about anus whenever they use the conjunction "but" in a sentence. Do you seriously think that's going to be a problem?
Hostile, you can defend it all you want, but your word comparisons are way friggin off. You don't think of an anus when you hear the word but? What if the word was Anis, and was pronounced exactly the same way? It's the sound of the word, and the context it's used for sure, but if all they wanted was we, how about naming it WE?
Post by: Ian Sane on April 27, 2006, 12:44:24 PM
Different context. "But I didn't do it because..." is interpreted differently then "I sat on my butt." Written down the words are spelled differently but aurally the context is required to determine the meaning. So if Nintendo called their console the "buht" the context would be "let's go to the store and buy a buht" or "have you seen that new buht" or "let's go play with my buht". In that context it sounds like "butt" instead of "but". You would hever say "let's play with my we". It doesn't make sense. But "let's play with my wee" DOES make sense. In the context that Wii will be used it fits with "wee" but not with "we". Just like "but" and "butt".
To me the ultimate question is who didn't like the name "Revolution"? No one had any problem with that name. Tons of people are having issues with the name "Wii". There was no need to change the name. There is no immediate advantage to using "Wii" and tons of potential problems. So they shouldn't use it. It's as simple as that. Option 1 no one hates and option 2 many people hate. In that situation anyone who isn't a complete f*cking idiot would go with option 1. Absolutely NO ONE would have been turned off by the Nintendo Revolution.
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 27, 2006, 12:48:58 PM
In an episode of Time Squad, the guys went back in time to meet the creator of the sandwhich. The chef had entered a culinary contest and was going to present the sandwich for the first time.
When it's time for him to show off the sandwhich, the judge looks at it and saays; "Looks very interesting. What is the name of this?". The chef proudly says: "The name of this is...STINKY PILE OF POO!". At that point everyone becomes shocked and disgusted and the judge disqualified the entry due to the very un-appetizing name. People associated the sandwhich as being made out of poo, and we all know that poo is not pretty.
The Time Squad guys try to convince him that Stinky pile of poo is a very bad name for the sandwhich and that it needs to be changed. The chef stubbornly decides to not change the name. He even opens up a store to sell his "stinky pile of poo". NO ONE wants to buy one because of the name, even if the sandwhich is very good.
In the end, the chef decides to call his sandwhich a "sandwhich", people eat it and they love it! And thus history was made with the sandwhich.
This is the same problem Nintendo is having right now with the name "Wii". It's a very unappealing name, very tiku tiku tiku! , childish and foolish, especially for a high end console like the Revolution. As it has been explained. Wii also doubles as the slang for pee. Plus it opens up the doors for VERY mean jokes.
"Nintendo's wii console revealed!"
"Nintendo's wii wii games"
"The Wii little console"
"Wii little Nintendo".
Nintendo MUST get rid of this image with this console, and a name like Wii is NOT going to help them. If Nintendo wants an easy to pronounce game why not "Go". Or N Rev.? Who gives a crap if some guy in Indonesia can't pronounce the console's name? So why try to make a name everyone can pronounce all of a sudden? It's stupid. It's uber retarded.
Nintendo needs to get their heads from out of the ground and realize that they need to sell an image. They need to destroy an image Sony and Microsoft has given them unfairly. Wii is NOT going to do that.
And it's not like Nintendo can't change the name. The Revolution won't be released till the end of the year. That gives them PLENTY of time to either go back to the Revolution name or think of another one. It won't stop console manufacturing, it won't cost Nintendo money, hell it doesn't even take a lot of effort. They can do this, they have time.
Let me put it this way. I know this isn't videogame related, but remember when they revealed Loonatics and they showed the bastardized, evil versions of the Looney Tunes characters? No one liked those! No one liked the idea behind the show. So this one kid, an 11 year old, got help from his parents to create a website and a comic book to change the look of the characters as well as alter the overall content of the show. After a while and having gathered a lot of signatures, the kid was able to convince WB that the look of the Loonatics was too mean and evil, so they went back to the drawing board and they changed the Loonatics so that they looked like heroes. They gave them eyes, rounder edges and looked like good guys. True, the show was NOT canceled or reworked, but the kid was able to at least change the look of the characters.
If an 11 year old can make an international film corporation like the WB drastically change the looks of the characters months from the show premiering, what stops us from trying to convince Nintendo that the new Rev. name sucks and need to change it? Like I said, this doesn't take much effort. Having to redo the characters then alter the episodes that were already finished to reflect the new look of the characters took a lot of effort and work to complete, and they did it. So why not Nintendo?
A lot of people complained that the original DS design looked too clunky, chubby and tiku tiku tiku! , so Nintendo went back and re-designed it, with just months till the US release.
So if we the fans and the media push hard, Nintendo will have to go back and change the name, or else it will seriously hurt their credibility as game makers.
Insult them, calmly express your opinion, whatever. Express your opinions whichever way possible, I don't care. The idea is to let Nintendo know that this new name sucks big time and that they need to do something about it.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 12:49:14 PM
The obsession with urine you people have is baffling.
Edit: Brilliant metaphor, by the way. Really, I'm impressed. Totally changed my mind, citing Cartoon Network as an example.
Post by: BigJim on April 27, 2006, 12:50:14 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
""Confirmed" by who and what, pray tell? When have any of us used it on actual games?"
Good job getting jokes on the internet.
Ah. Ok then.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 12:50:34 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
I don't think someone's talking about anus whenever they use the conjunction "but" in a sentence. Do you seriously think that's going to be a problem?
"We" is a pronoun. It's used at the beginning of a sentence to indicate that the sentence is referencing multiple people.
"But" is a conjunction, often used as an interrupting modifier, for continuing a sentence with an opposing viewpoint. You can start and END a sentence with but. You cannot end a sentence with we.
"We", when left on its own, becomes one of two things "wee" as in, "Help, save me from the wee turtles." meaning small, or baby slang for urine.
When I say "I want a wee." or "I can't wait for the wee." people will think I'm a drooling idiot who has to piss.
Post by: jasonditz on April 27, 2006, 12:51:24 PM
I'm fine with Wii. I do want yellow to be a launch color though.
Note: Ahh... shit, the forum doesn't let me do a pi symbol... you guys know what it supposed to be.
Post by: ThePerm on April 27, 2006, 12:52:10 PM
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 12:52:17 PM
Post by: ThePerm on April 27, 2006, 12:55:05 PM
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 12:58:43 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
My point is, Wii won't be associated directly with urine or the personal pronoun, in a few months. It'll hearken to the pronoun, because that's the idea behind it, but mostly it'll just be a name for a gaming console that people will be buying.
Nintendo's marketing is so good that most people still don't even know the GC exists.
Yeah, that same marketing team is going to replace the word "wee" from meaning piss to Nintendo's console. Uh huh. Sure.
Dream on.
Post by: Ian Sane on April 27, 2006, 12:59:44 PM
In a few months the Wii will start having advertisments and the general public will be see the Wii for the first time. Their opinion is what matters above all else. They won't be in "pronoun mode" like the rest of us supposedly will be. They won't have this elaborate explaination about how Japanese people don't understand that "we" is not used in the same context as "us". They'll see Nintendo Wii and think of Nintendo Pee. That even rhymes.
I think just the sheer fact that a console NAME is causing such a huge stinkeroo (Iwata's second name choice perhaps) should be a sign that it's a bad idea. I cannot think of any console name EVER that has had such a negative response. It's like the internet exploded today. Every forum related to gaming in any way is full of people freaking out about this. "Xbox 360" was a pretty lame name but it didn't have THIS kind of negative response. When people are making petiti0ns (stupid filter) and starting email campaigns for you to not use a name then you picked a REALLY bad name.
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 27, 2006, 01:01:20 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
My point is, Wii won't be associated directly with urine or the personal pronoun, in a few months. It'll hearken to the pronoun, because that's the idea behind it, but mostly it'll just be a name for a gaming console that people will be buying.
The obsession with urine you people have is baffling.
Edit: Brilliant metaphor, by the way. Really, I'm impressed. Totally changed my mind, citing Cartoon Network as an example.
DUDE WAKE UP AND REALIZE IT!
Wii is a name that opens up the opportunity to make fun of the Rev. in many ways.
You think us associating the name Wii with urine is baffling?
Imagine people like G4 talking about the Rev. Imagine all the means they can mention because of the name. Imagine the magazine comics or online comics. Imagine Sony and MS's marketing department. They are going to have a field day creating jokes for negative advertisements!
A name is something extremely important. The name of a product associates it with the company that created it. The name "Wii" doesn't do that. It's very silly. hell, it isn't even "iPod" cool.
Seriously, dude, why can't you see this? Why are you being so hard on us when we have made good points about it?
And don't mock me because I used a Cartoon Network metaphor. The idea behind it is that initially no one wanted a "Sandwhich" because it was called "Stinky pile of poo", even if the sandwhich was the best thing ever created.
This could happen to the Rev.
It may have the greatest games, the controller is AMAZING and it has a bright future. BUT it's marred down by a really bad name. Believe it or not, people ARE self concious about what they buy. They are going to want products that represent their overall attitude and worth. So to some people, the name "Wii" is associated with something childish, not the latest and greatest in gaming. This is a very silly way of thinking, but these people buy the consoles, which mean that they use money to buy them, and money is what Nintendo needs in order to continue living.
Nintendo needs to change it's image to that everyone can enjoy their games and finally realize that Nintendo isn't all that bad.
Agai, dude, why are so uber defensive when the issue is right in front of you?
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on April 27, 2006, 01:06:07 PM
Post by: WesDawg on April 27, 2006, 01:07:37 PM
Lol. You haven't been around long, eh? Just wait a week and a half for E3, and the internets will blow up again. It happens all the time, but especially around the time consoles are introduced. Everyone fights and bitches and moans, and in the end, life goes on.
Unless Nintendo is extremely successful, most people won't have the slightest idea in the world what a Nintendo Wii is. If they are successful, everyone will, and it will make for great jokes and great tag lines. The success of the console won't depend even slightly on the 10 people out there who won't buy it because of the name though.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 01:07:46 PM
Ian, stop and think for a moment. You don't think that maybe, just maybe, that Nintendo will have a motto or tagline that refers to the unity/we (pronoun) metaphor.
"Nintendo's marketing is so good that most people still don't even know the GC exists."
Marketing is all about word of mouth. Sony doesn't have spectacular advertising, it's what the public picked up on. Wii will make waves, and that'll make conversation. We'll see where it goes from there.
Edit: "hell, it isn't even "iPod" cool."
Sir, iPod is cool because Apple made it cool. Simple as that.
Post by: mantidor on April 27, 2006, 01:14:31 PM
It sound like an onomatopoeia, something an animal would utter, not an electronic or entertainment device. Names like TiVo, iPod, google, etc, also sound odd, but they do appear to be the names of technology products for the average guy, not wii.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 01:15:34 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: WesDawg The success of the console won't depend even slightly on the 10 people out there who won't buy it because of the name though.
Beyond sounding like a synonym for piss, the name is silly and childish.
There are far more than 10 people in the US who won't buy something with a lousy name, like easily 200 million who won't.
As sad as it is, many people place more value on the items they own than who they are and these people are not going to own a "wee". They stand a good chance of owning a Revolution, but not a wee.
Revolution is a strong name, indicating a rebellion and change in the way games are played. It perfectly summarized Nintendo's next home console. "Wii" is an irritating neo-marketing buzz pun which has no meaning to anyone and needs to be explained in order not to be ridiculed, and even then, it'll likely still be ridiculed.
"It's like "wii" play together, get it?"
"Yeah, and it's still dumb."
This isn't like nick naming a huge guy "Fluffy". He can be called Fluffy because everyone can see plain as day that he's huge. The joke is readily apparent and no one is going to mess with Fluffy.
The Rev is unproven. It cannot go into the market acting like the concept is already sold when it isn't. The proof is in the pudding, and no one is going to buy "brown poop pudding snacks" so it doesn't matter how good they might be.
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 27, 2006, 01:19:54 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
"My point is, Wii won't be associated directly with urine or the personal pronoun, in a few months."
In a few months the Wii will start having advertisments and the general public will be see the Wii for the first time. Their opinion is what matters above all else. They won't be in "pronoun mode" like the rest of us supposedly will be. They won't have this elaborate explaination about how Japanese people don't understand that "we" is not used in the same context as "us". They'll see Nintendo Wii and think of Nintendo Pee. That even rhymes.
I think just the sheer fact that a console NAME is causing such a huge stinkeroo (Iwata's second name choice perhaps) should be a sign that it's a bad idea. I cannot think of any console name EVER that has had such a negative response. It's like the internet exploded today. Every forum related to gaming in any way is full of people freaking out about this. "Xbox 360" was a pretty lame name but it didn't have THIS kind of negative response. When people are making petiti0ns (stupid filter) and starting email campaigns for you to not use a name then you picked a REALLY bad name.
I agree with this.
The Gamecube was a pretty silly name for a console, same with XBOX and the 360. But like Ian said, the public reaction was not as bad as this is.
Hell, I believe that the outlash is going to be EVEN WORSE than the Celda one from a few years back. At least people later on decided to wait and see and believed that the new look could create some very interesting worlds. No one seems to find something positive about Wii, except the uber hardcore and forgiving Nintendo fans.
VGcats has already criticized the name and will probably do a comic about it. I'm sure Penny Arcade will do it too. Planet gamecube has commented against the name. A lot of websites are responding negatively towards the name.
This is proof that the name is a very bad one and needs to be changed ASAP. Anyone that fails to see this are just way too forgiving.
Post by: jasonditz on April 27, 2006, 01:21:44 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Jonnyboy117
I just want to remind everyone that heated discussion of the topic at hand is fine, but edit/ban/lock/delete will come down hard if the debate turns into personal insults.
Gee... it's a good thing you reminded us... we were all having a good time discussing a big piece of news and would've totally forgotten about how great and powerful you are.
Post by: mantidor on April 27, 2006, 01:29:53 PM
me: "what do you think of the name "Wii" for a product?"
him: "hmmm, as in "we"?"
me: "yes, but spelled W-i-i"
him: "I dont know, it makes me wonder, whats that about?"
me: "is the new name for the new Nintendo console"
*silence*
"Its a damn horrible name for a console, when I think of that name I dont think of a console, I think about food or something else"
Maybe it will work? Ill call it the rev forever though.
Post by: WesDawg on April 27, 2006, 01:33:54 PM
You're kidding right? There haven't been 200 million consoles sold this entire generation. There are less than 300 million people in the US. I would think you're exagerating, but you wrote that whole "easily" part in there.
Post by: King of Twitch on April 27, 2006, 01:43:46 PM
Wii sounds like “why," which emphasizes this console questions why games have to be stuck in the past, using only quaint buttons
Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii.
-no changes
Wii has a distinctive “ii" spelling that symbolizes both the unique controllers and the image of people gathering to play.
-no changes
And Wii, as a name and a console, brings something revolutionary to the world of video games that sets it apart from the crowd.
-no changes.. but come on.. if it's revolutionary why not just call it Revolution?
So that’s Wii. But now Nintendo needs you.
-no changes
Because, it’s really not about you or me.
-no changes
It’s about Wii.
-no changes
And together, Wii will question everything.
Post by: Ceric on April 27, 2006, 01:50:45 PM
"You'll just have to play it to understand."
Ok I want to understand it now so let me play a Rev.
You can tell that even internally there was a good amount of convincing.
They won't reveal how they came up with the name. But then they claim they want you to understand it.
So I'm going to have to sit here in the dark for best guess 2 months. Because I can't understand it until I play a Rev.
This seems silly. At least throw us a bone and tells us what your thought process was.
Oh, Also it was by comittee that explains somethings right their.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 02:00:56 PM
Are you really that blind?! You think google and TiVo sound like technology? Googley eyes. You only think that way because those names are tied to products that MAKE YOU think that way.
Please.
Post by: nemo_83 on April 27, 2006, 02:02:02 PM
Suddenly Nintendo is Michael Jackson with a circus in his back yard saying, "hey kids, want to come play with my wii?"
If I email Nintendo a letter it will read something like this.
The other day I debated with someone for three pages about how the Revolution bridges the gap between the pad of the console and the mouse of the PC because they said that if Nintendo released a jar of piss I would still buy it. Goddamn you Nintendo!
Post by: MaryJane on April 27, 2006, 02:05:05 PM
Why did they mess with the name? Hopefully they put it back. Yes I am gettting used to the name Wii, and the video on Nintendo.com was cool, but Revolution. Vive le Revolution. Viva la Revolution. no taxation without representation.
seriously though, immediate almost subconscious recognition of the greatness of the name. every country has had a revolution in one way or another, even in japan. they had a cultural revolution. Tiananmen square. Boston Tea Party. Let them eat cake. how many cultures relate to revolution? ALL OF THEM! wii all relate to revolution.
Post by: iMoron on April 27, 2006, 02:05:38 PM
I think this is the worce "April Fools" yoke EVARRR.... rather late in the month too...
Wii... mi madre!
Whoever selected the name better stop smoking "mushrums"...
Post by: nemo_83 on April 27, 2006, 02:10:22 PM
Post by: Zach on April 27, 2006, 02:17:31 PM
I would just like to say that the new name for the Nintendo Revolution is not very appealing, and clearly shows that the Japan division of nintendo is not in touch with the western market at all. The Revolution was a much better name, was more fitting for the console, and would be much more appealing. Wii may be fine in Japan, but it will most definately hurt nintendos chances of regaining its popularity in the US, and other western countries.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 02:21:00 PM
Post by: Bill Aurion on April 27, 2006, 02:26:15 PM
Post by: mantidor on April 27, 2006, 02:35:24 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
"Names like TiVo, iPod, google, etc, also sound odd, but they do appear to be the names of technology products for the average guy, not wii."
Are you really that blind?! You think google and TiVo sound like technology? Googley eyes. You only think that way because those names are tied to products that MAKE YOU think that way.
Please.
I didnt even know what Tivo was until all this debate about names came along in every forum I go to, but when I read it I asociated with something technological, something biological even, Wii doesnt relate to anything.
You (and Bill) are defending a lost cause, the name is horrible and thats really all there is to it.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 02:37:47 PM
By the way, I was mocking you. Don't dismiss my opinions unless you want the same treatment from here on out.
Post by: Bill Aurion on April 27, 2006, 02:41:00 PM
Ooooooh, can I play this game too?
*ahem*
You are a moron, the name is awesome...That's really all there is to it...
</smug>
Post by: mantidor on April 27, 2006, 02:52:23 PM
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 27, 2006, 03:00:49 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Bill Aurion
"You (and Bill) are defending a lost cause, the name is horrible and thats really all there is to it."
Ooooooh, can I play this game too?
*ahem*
You are a moron, the name is awesome...That's really all there is to it...
</smug>
OK, this is getting ridiculous...
You guys like the name? Fine. Feel that we are being too harsh on it? Your problem, not ours. Everyone has different ways of thinking.
But to insult us, ridicule us and mock our comments because you don't agree with it? That's online forum inmaturity at its best, people.
A lot of us that dislike the name has posted a lot of good posts about why the name is bad and how it can hurt Nintendo. None of us are morons, stupid or idiotic. Please stop the personal insults just because you liked the name and we didn't.
Like Mantidor said, the majority of the media and the fans HATE the new name, and that's saying something. Like, not even the Celda trailer caused this much ruckus in the media. Even people had hoped that this would be in fact a good thing for Nintendo.
No one is saying the same thing about "Wii". I'm sorry, that's the reality of it.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 03:01:14 PM
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 27, 2006, 03:08:08 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
Neither of us flamed you. Mocked you, yes, but I think "the name is horrible and thats really all there is to it" kinda merits it. It is demeaning, if nothing else. You got some of the same. Big deal.
And mocking isn't the same as flaming? You guys are mocking our beliefs as to why we don't like the name. Like I mentioned before, a lot of us put a lot of thought into our opinions. We truly believe that this will hurt Nintendo in the end, the new name doesn't have strenght.
This is how we think. This is how the majority of the media thinks. Think differently? Fine. But ddon't condemn us because you don't share the same opinions as ours.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 03:10:30 PM
And neither of us are mocking you for your decision to dislike the name. That's totally reasonable. It's a silly name. I was merely insulted by mantidor's totally disregard for my own opinions, and stated that very clearly.
Seriously, chill out. This is a whole lot of crap over so little.
Post by: mantidor on April 27, 2006, 03:12:25 PM
Its just a name and I doubt anyone has changed their minds on what the rev will offer or if they will buy it because of the official name ( I still think Perm was exagerating), but the more I try to make any sense of it the more Im left with nothing. The remote unveiling was chocking but after a couple of hours most people already were buying the concept, including me, the same with Wind Waker's reaction, but this doesnt look like is going to just be accepted.
Post by: Bill Aurion on April 27, 2006, 03:12:56 PM
"You (and Bill) are defending a lost cause, the name is horrible and thats really all there is to it."
Opinion should be considered opinion, not as FACT, which is how this second quote is taken...So I hold every right to mock that...
Post by: Zach on April 27, 2006, 03:16:54 PM
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 03:20:55 PM
Post by: Zach on April 27, 2006, 03:48:56 PM
Quote
Hello and thank you for contacting Nintendo,
I appreciate your taking the time to share your comments regarding the name of our next home console. If you haven't yet had the opportunity, please go to the news section of our Wiibsite (www.nintendo.com/newsmain) to learn our feelings about the name. Rest assured that your feedback will be forwarded to the appropriate department for further review.
Sincerely,
Nintendo of America Inc.
David Glover
probably the same one everyone gets but I dont feel like looking through all the pages to see if it has been posted.
Post by: Flames_of_chaos on April 27, 2006, 03:58:27 PM
I personally like the name; but at first I had a mixed reaction but it grows on you. Its simple and the concept is elegant when you get used to it. And sometimes in life you have to use the golden rule which is "keep it simple stupid".
Post by: Garnee on April 27, 2006, 04:05:47 PM
Second of all...Wii! Dumb! I'm gonna have to bascially back everyone who says it'll put off Joe Blow on the street...who wants to buy a "Wii?" and just think about the game boxes...::shudder::
Post by: Bill Aurion on April 27, 2006, 04:21:40 PM
Perrin Kaplan: Live with it, sleep with it, eat with it, move along with it and hopefully they’ll arrive at the same place."
Perrin says "Hey"...What are you haters going to do? Not buy the system because of the name? Have fun with that...
Post by: Flames_of_chaos on April 27, 2006, 04:21:43 PM
Post by: jasonditz on April 27, 2006, 04:25:29 PM
Consider yourselves foiled!
I also asked for yellow to be a launch color.
Post by: mantidor on April 27, 2006, 04:35:50 PM
Also, is lovely how Kaplan treats Nintendo's fanbase "deal with it"? seriously is that her response? I know that boy-cotting the rev is just silly but I might do it because I f!king hate that arrogant attitude "you will by anything we give you even if we name it like crap". Thats just disgusting, the name is irrelevant afterall but you never should treat your customers that way. Stupid woman.
Edit: ok I read the whole interview and I took it out of context thanks in part to bill's commentary :P sorry bill it wasnt that bad and I retire my criticism. Ill call it rev or revolution anyway Kaplan but thanks for the suggestion.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 04:40:27 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
Oh snap, my opinion amounts to nothing, eh? Yeah, alright. But what about the people at Nintendo who chose the name? They obviously chose it for a reason, and I'm willing to bet, regardless of what you may have lead yourself to believe, that they have at least a little bit of a plan.
None of the opinions here mean anything: we're Nintendo fans, we're already guaranteed sales.
Nintendo's target demographic right now should be the person who wasn't going to pick up their console. Red Steel was a step in the right direction. This is a huge step backwards. I'm sorry, but I know the American mindset far too well. You just won't sell a console called "wee" to 9 of 10 American gamers.
Revolution, sure, but Wii ain't gonna cut it.
Post by: The Omen on April 27, 2006, 04:51:52 PM
Quote
This is a huge step backwards. I'm sorry, but I know the American mindset far too well. You just won't sell a console called "wee" to 9 of 10 American gamers.
I can concede it may sell despite it's name. But it shouldn't have to be despite anything. Nintendo should make it as easy as possible to acclimate a total stranger to what Nintendo represents. Yes, the games are foremost, I agree. But why force a potential fan to wrap their mind around a name. It seems like an unecessary hurdle.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 27, 2006, 05:09:48 PM
Yeah, I'm sure you know the American mindset far, far better than all us other Americans.
By the way, it's not called wee, it's Wii. Get it right.
Post by: Mario on April 27, 2006, 06:23:01 PM
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 06:49:11 PM
Quote
But why force a potential fan to wrap their mind around a name. It seems like an unecessary hurdle.
It IS an unnecessary hurdle. Many people are going to take some convincing to even pick up the revmote, let alone buy the console.
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation Yeah, I'm sure you know the American mindset far, far better than all us other Americans.
By the way, it's not called wee, it's Wii. Get it right.
So you're saying that average Joe gamer X is mature and secure enough to buy a console pronounced "wee"?
Sorry, but no, I don't believe that for even a SECOND. These are the same gamers who are convinced that Nintendo is aimed at children and equate using its hardware and software to wearing diapers.
Seriously, go post on a general gaming forum and the non-Nintendo fans will all say the exact same thing: Nintendo is for children.
I thought, before this announcement, that we all pretty much agreed that Nintendo needed, above all else, to shake this kidd!e image and appeal to older gamers. Nintendo loses and loses BADLY when it comes to selling to older gamers, and they represent the majority of the market, which is clearly indicated by the fact that the GC is LAST in hardware sales this gen.
Reggie had even said that the GC was the benchmark for sales, that, if the Rev didn't outsell the cube, that it was a failure. With this new name, I'm not so sure it WILL outsell the cube.
Selling "wee" to the public is going to be selling something completely unheard of, and unless Nintendo plans to actually do some advertising this gen, it's NOT going to work. Sony and MS advertise their consoles like crazy. The last major wave of Nintendo ads I can recall was the miserable "Who are you?" ad campaign, which the new "Wii will change everything" campaign seems to have a great deal in common with. Both are vague and don't establish what the product in question even DOES.
At least with "Revolution", the name was self-explanitory: who doesn't know what a "Revolution" is? Nintendo shouldn't have to explain the name of their new console for people to understand it, especially when it already has enough new and different factors going for it.
I think it's a bad idea, and chastise me all you want, accuse me of whining, whatever. The average American gamer is image conscious and will not buy a product with a ridiculous name because they feel it will say something about them by association. Yes, that IS an immensely ignorant manner of thinking, but THAT is the sad state of the American mindset. It's not something I'm condoning, but it's the truth of the matter: American consumers are image-conscious and will not buy a product which they feel runs counter to their desired image.
It's not like I'm demanding blood from Nintendo. I simply think that the name "Revolution" had far more impact, universal understanding and selling power than "wii" ever will and I strongly believe that it would be in Nintendo's best interest to keep the name Revolution.
Post by: Caliban on April 27, 2006, 07:41:52 PM
Post by: eljefe on April 27, 2006, 08:09:30 PM
and continue THE DISRUPT
wii is fresh
Post by: Kairon on April 27, 2006, 08:13:11 PM
~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 27, 2006, 08:17:28 PM
Second, the ONLY way Nintendo can succeed with this name is if they market the ever-loving F*CK out of it.
I mean every 10th ad I see on TV had better be for the Wii and I don't think I'm even exaggerating.
If Nintendo can basically push the name so far into the American mindset that people will overlook how silly it is, then it'll probably succeed.
HOWEVER, if history has shown us anything, it's that Nintendo just doesn't advertise its products enough to get the concept across. Do we REALLY expect them to pony up enough of a marketing budget to see to it that Wii becomes the household name it needs to become?
I admit I'm less angry now, but I'm still very much CONCERNED. I hope I'm wrong, but unless they GET THE WORD OUT, Wii will just be another failed marketing concept like "OK Soda" (anyone else remember it?).
Post by: Dasmos on April 27, 2006, 08:25:39 PM
I'm sorry.
Post by: odilon on April 27, 2006, 09:23:54 PM
"Im also not dismissing anyone's opinions..."
Hm.
Personally, I have no problems with the name. I think it has a certain charm to it.
This needless bickering is already getting old, though.
Post by: mantidor on April 27, 2006, 09:29:19 PM
Post by: Michael8983 on April 27, 2006, 10:05:55 PM
Says who?
We don't know that the Gamecube would have sold any better with a realistic Zelda - or online titles and a more generic design and color for that matter. It's easy to blame the console's limited success on what you perceive as mistakes Nintendo made but there's no way of knowing they really made much of a difference. Honestly, they probably did hurt sales but I doubt we're talking millions of units and the difference between second and third-place.
The only really obvious thing that hurt the Gamecube in a major way was the lack of third-party support. Especially exclusives. The Wii already seems to be doing much better in that regard. It's getting exclusive titles and even exclusive versions of games as opposed to the lame often inferior ports the Gamecube was always stuck with. The shift of third-party support to Sony a couple of generations ago is what cost Nintendo it's title as leader in the industry. If it can win back that support which it seems to be doing, the "wii" will be Nintendo's most successful console in a decade regardless of what people think of the name.
Post by: Infernal Monkey on April 27, 2006, 10:23:49 PM
Post by: 31 Flavas on April 27, 2006, 10:33:00 PM
QuoteHonestly though, is it any different then Nintendo has treated you before?
Originally posted by: mantidor
Dreamcast is an awesome game!
Also, is lovely how Kaplan treats Nintendo's fanbase "deal with it"? seriously is that her response? I know that boy-cotting the rev is just silly but I might do it because I f!king hate that arrogant attitude "you will by anything we give you even if we name it like crap". Thats just disgusting, the name is irrelevant afterall but you never should treat your customers that way. Stupid woman.
Edit: ok I read the whole interview and I took it out of context thanks in part to bill's commentary :P sorry bill it wasnt that bad and I retire my criticism. Ill call it rev or revolution anyway Kaplan but thanks for the suggestion.
Kaplan is just telling you to take a chill pill dude. Stop acting like video games have to be such a serious thing.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 05:06:59 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Michael8983
Says who?
We don't know that the Gamecube would have sold any better with a realistic Zelda - or online titles and a more generic design and color for that matter.
I will bet organs that TP will outsell WW. Organs.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 05:08:27 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Infernal Monkey
Hey guys I am complaining on the internet about the name of a video game machine because I will feel very insecure about saying 'wee' out loud. Please agree with how awkward this is for me okay. We can send some emails and everything.
I'm complaining on the internet because the last Nintendo home console I bought is still gathering dust right now because it didn't follow through with good 3rd party support through its life span and I don't want the next console to suffer the same fate.
It's one thing to make a console which doesn't aim at hardcore gamers. It's another entirely to try to intentionally alienate them with a god-awful name. It's like Nintendo actually must have said, "We don't need their money."
It's bullsh*t: Nintendo DOES need their money, especially if they can't pull the non-gamer numbers that they're hoping to pull, and I don't see how slapping a ridiculous pun for a name on a console is going to suddenly make it appeal to non-gamers.
The Revolution was a sound concept which I think could have sold JUST fine as the "Revolution". It didn't need to give potential buyers yet ONE more reason to not buy it. There's already a long list of reasons the average gamer won't buy a Nintendo console and I don't think that banking on non-gamers when we've never seen if they'll ACTUALLY pick up a console is a horrible idea.
I know the blue ocean strategy is supposed to do this, but having a fallback net of GAMERS who like what you're selling is just common sense.
It just seems like one gamble too many. "Wii" doesn't mean anything to anyone and unless Nintendo is willing to drop the BIIIIG bucks on an advertising campaign, then it never will.
Post by: mantidor on April 28, 2006, 05:25:59 AM
Id like to see what KDR thinks though and would love to be proved wrong about the future of the console in Europe.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 05:40:45 AM
Most unknowing people who read it (ie non-gamers. ie Nintendo's alleged target market) might think of it in that direction.
Post by: jasonditz on April 28, 2006, 05:53:04 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_BrotherQuote
Originally posted by: Michael8983
Says who?
We don't know that the Gamecube would have sold any better with a realistic Zelda - or online titles and a more generic design and color for that matter.
I will bet organs that TP will outsell WW. Organs.
I might take that bet at this point, but I don't need any organs.
TP would've sold better, and moved more Cubes, if it had been released when WW was... It would've outsold it if we'd seen it for Xmas of 2005. By the time we see it, frankly, I think the Cube's going to be the last thing on most peoples' minds. Even Nintendo fans have stopped caring about the Cube. TP is going to face the same obstacle that MM did: it's so late in the system's life it feels like an afterthought.
Post by: BigJim on April 28, 2006, 05:53:26 AM
iPod was on the market for almost 2 years before it's "boom" in the 2004 holiday season, and 3 years until the Shuffle came out and took them to new heights. They need to start brand and product awareness NOW if they want to accomplish what they claim. And I don't mean just plugging it on the interwebs to us and in magazines... but POP awareness, and mainstream awareness. And advertising it like the freaking dickins *everywhere*.
This is going to be a hellacious year for their marketing dept. if they have a plan that even remotely does it right. Otherwise their best hope is a fly-by-night brand that drops out of popular consciousness just as quickly as it came. And in 5 years, they can't just drop it once they start it rolling. The next console will have to be the "Super Wii" or whatever.
I haven't seen any good marketing out of them in years, so consider me concerned. They can brand it whatever stupid name they want, but if they don't have a plan to make it stick, they're done before they began.
Post by: nemo_83 on April 28, 2006, 06:06:57 AM
Post by: zakkiel on April 28, 2006, 07:08:16 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: mantidor
Im sure that NoE's marketing department must be at the point of suicide. In the Uk the name is... well, its obvious, in France its confusing, in German they wont even pronounce it right, not to mention how it heavily resembles WWII and the connotations that has for european countries.
Id like to see what KDR thinks though and would love to be proved wrong about the future of the console in Europe.
Actually, I think Germany has it the best. "Vii," while still bad, beats the crap out of "Wii."
Post by: the1st_fret on April 28, 2006, 07:18:36 AM
I think people are afraid of the name because its very unusual. But this was what excited me. It was unusual, it scared me, just like the controller did when I first saw it. But it wasn't a negative fear. It was a really exciting, rush, kind of fear.
What do you feel when you get on a rollercoaster?, you are "SCARED TO DEATH",
I think Nintendo have made the right choice with the name and the logo, its beautiful.
so what are people gonna say about wii? :
Man 1 : I hear Nintendo's new machine is called wii.
Man 2 : Really? that sounds weird.
And i reckon that will be the extent of it worldwide. How can the name bring Nintendo negative attention whe they get hardly any attention anyway. It will make people remember that Nintendo are still here and maybe they have something Very special, its new, its out of this world and its gonna be huge.
Trust me, when you see the logo in the shops, it will all make sence.
EDIT: I'd just like to say since when has a new console name ever sounded good when it was first launched??? I remember thinking the name dreamcast was daft, I remember thinking N64 was daft, hell, I remember even thinkin playstation sounded daft!!! I just found myself going back to nintendo.com and every time I watch that little flash intro, wii feels ever more familiar. The more you see it, the more it'll make sence. Go back and try it for yourself. Oh and one last thing...
But now Nintendo needs you. Because its not really about you or me, its about Wii. And together, Wii will change everything.
Post by: Ian Sane on April 28, 2006, 08:03:48 AM
I probably won't. I don't think the Wii has a chance in hell of succeeding in North America so there's no point in buying it. By Christmas 2007 I'll be able to pick it up cheap in a bargain bin. No point buying a console I know has no future. I don't care about a name but I think a lot of people will. So why waste my money on a console that I think is going to bomb?
My prediction is Nintendo will call it the Wii and initially it will sell out because of hardcore Nintendo fans. However after the initial launch period the sales will drop like a rock. Nintendo will then rename the thing and "relaunch" in North America with a new ad campaign and it will sell much better. "Wii" will remain the name in Japan, something else will be used in North America, and in Europe it will have never been called "Wii" because they'll see how grossly unpopular it is in North America and wisely rename it prior to the European launch.
Post by: mantidor on April 28, 2006, 08:07:15 AM
And I love the name GameCube, I loved it more when the logo was revealed, because the GC logo is just genius.
So I dont know what you are talking about, "Wii" sounds and will sound bad forever in my head, I cant even tolerate it anymore T_T.
Post by: Mario on April 28, 2006, 08:12:46 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
"Perrin says 'Hey'...What are you haters going to do? Not buy the system because of the name? Have fun with that"
I probably won't. I don't think the Wii has a chance in hell of succeeding in North America so there's no point in buying it. By Christmas 2007 I'll be able to pick it up cheap in a bargain bin. No point buying a console I know has no future. I don't care about a name but I think a lot of people will. So why waste my money on a console that I think is going to bomb?
My prediction is Nintendo will call it the Wii and initially it will sell out because of hardcore Nintendo fans. However after the initial launch period the sales will drop like a rock. Nintendo will then rename the thing and "relaunch" in North America with a new ad campaign and it will sell much better. "Wii" will remain the name in Japan, something else will be used in North America, and in Europe it will have never been called "Wii" because they'll see how grossly unpopular it is in North America and wisely rename it prior to the European launch.
Thank you, that's the funniest thing i've ever read in my entire life.
Post by: Caliban on April 28, 2006, 08:35:18 AM
Post by: PaLaDiN on April 28, 2006, 08:38:01 AM
I'm with Deguello. Enough with the immaturity... one day was all right, I assumed you all weren't that serious. Now it's just... kind of sad.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 08:51:25 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: BigJim I haven't seen any good marketing out of them in years, so consider me concerned. They can brand it whatever stupid name they want, but if they don't have a plan to make it stick, they're done before they began.
This is my concern exactly: the iPod is advertised everywhere, all the damn time, all over the damn place. You can't go through any city without seeing an iPod ad.
Unless the "wee" gets that kind of advertising coverage, I don't see it doing well either.
Post by: 31 Flavas on April 28, 2006, 09:01:21 AM
QuoteHm... where have we heard this "absolutely true" prediction before.... Oh yea, with the DS. So much for that prediction, the PSP crushing GBA and DS, and the Nintendo is doomed stuff all being true.
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
My prediction is Nintendo will call it the Wii and initially it will sell out because of hardcore Nintendo fans. However after the initial launch period the sales will drop like a rock.
Post by: PaLaDiN on April 28, 2006, 09:03:44 AM
Xbox, Playstation, Gamecube and even Revolution are typically arrogant and elitist videogame console names and are thus easily dismissed. Wii has no such connotation; it has a mostly blank slate to work with, and people's impressions of it are much more likely to come from word of mouth, marketing and personal experience.
Post by: mantidor on April 28, 2006, 09:05:12 AM
But... marketing is everything, having the better product WONT guarantee your success, Im very, very doubtful now that the concept and the awesome controller will help the console to carry on despite the name, specially with such an agressive and excellent competitor in the marketing department as sony is, sony blows away Nintendo in marketing, thats unarguable, this desision is making sony the job even easier.
The worst part, all this happens just because of the stupid name and the arrogance of Nintendo, they can come up with other names that arent "exxtreme" like "revolution" or "xbox" and unfriendly to the "non gamer" but also that arent so badly recieved as this one, they knew this was coming, yet they stick with it, so because it sounds like "we" and the "i" represent people playing together it rocks and we have to deal with it? thats simply not enough reason to outweight the backslash that the name is recieving and will recieve everywhere from nongamers and gamers alike.
Post by: IceCold on April 28, 2006, 09:07:51 AM
QuoteAnd also, Wind Waker's preorder bonus was brilliant and sold a lot of copies..
TP would've sold better, and moved more Cubes, if it had been released when WW was... It would've outsold it if we'd seen it for Xmas of 2005. By the time we see it, frankly, I think the Cube's going to be the last thing on most peoples' minds.
Post by: Strell on April 28, 2006, 09:09:07 AM
Cuz that would be ten bucks well spent.
Please take me up on my offer.
Post by: Ian Sane on April 28, 2006, 09:15:04 AM
This whole console's success seems to rely a lot on people actually sitting down and trying the thing out. Thus it relies on successful marketing more than anything. Yet marketing is the one thing that Nintendo just absolutely SUCKS at.
Plus I would assume that a better marketer would think of a better name. It seems kind of a odd for a company to pick such a horrible name and then manage to market it successfully. If you're so good at marketing why would you pick a name that requires a long explanation for anyone to even understand?
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 09:23:20 AM
Quote
Thank you, that's the funniest thing i've ever read in my entire life.
Quote
<sarcasm> We've got a Nostradamus in the forum! </sarcasm>
When you don't even pose a counter argument, it further proves Ian's point.
See what Paladin did here? This is a counter argument. You look like less of a nebbish Nintendo fanboy when you use one.
Quote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiN
Okay Ian, have fun avoiding a console whose name you "don't care about" because of its name... and what your no doubt extensive marketing experience tells you other people will think about it. Because after all, market success is more important than having fun. Your dollars shouldn't go towards buying things to have fun with, they should go toward guaranteeing you belong in a group that will get fun things later.
I'm with Deguello. Enough with the immaturity... one day was all right, I assumed you all weren't that serious. Now it's just... kind of sad.
I'm still going to buy one (read my sig quote, heh), but Ian's point is not that he's afraid to buy one because of the name but that the console will bomb in NA because of the name and it'll be the GC all over again.
Frankly, this is my concern as well, and like I said, unless Nintendo advertises this thing more than the iPod, I don't see how it's going to take off.
Nintendo's name should have been one that all of their fans (at least 95%) would have heard and said, "That's PERFECT!" If anything, we have the exact opposite ratio going on. If the majority of Nintendo's fans don't like it, what are the non-gamers going to think? What are OTHER gamers going to think?
Even Japan isn't pleased with it.
The Rev was likely going to sell JUST fine with its current name and setup. Why throw one more hurdle in its path with a bizarre name which needs to be explained before a person even knows how to pronounce it and even then will likely still sound ridiculous to them?
If Nintendo was going for a joke to make people laugh at their console, I'm sure it worked, but who's going to take a console seriously (and buy it) when it can't even take ITSELF seriously?
I'll enjoy my Rev, no doubt, but I don't think Ian is too far off. I think people need to get out of PGC's forums and see what the rest of the internet is saying because you can't sit in a safety web of loyal Nintendo fanboys out there and denounce dissenting opinions on the name.
People hate the name and many people who were on the fence will likely not buy it because of the name. If Ian doesn't want to buy a console which is basically jeopardizing its own future, then I don't blame him.
Post by: zakkiel on April 28, 2006, 09:29:25 AM
Post by: 31 Flavas on April 28, 2006, 09:33:56 AM
QuoteAhh, right, who can forget those awesome 'urban ranger' grafitti or the commercials with the tag line "PSP. It's like an acorn, that you can take out side." Maybe the tag line should have been, "PSP. It's like 'Member's Only' from the 80's, but in 2006."
Originally posted by: mantidor
Im very, very doubtful now that the concept and the awesome controller will help the console to carry on despite the name, specially with such an agressive and excellent competitor in the marketing department as sony is, sony blows away Nintendo in marketing, thats unarguable, this desision is making sony the job even easier.
Post by: Strell on April 28, 2006, 09:38:14 AM
On the one hand you are smart enough to look past colorful graphics to the gameplay.
And on the other you scream about the name. A name for godssake.
Please. If you won't buy on name alone, don't. Then don't come back and whine at the forums. And don't pass yourself off as this kind of enlightened gamer when it's obvious you're just a tool because you're branding sh*t before it's even available based on the name alone.
If I want to have a discussion about marketing potential and other things regarding sales, I'll do it in another thread. But as far as I am concerned about the name, it's livable. I can deal with it. You're using an excuse of marketing to mask/disguise your childish refusal of the name, hoping that will fool most people. I'm not blindsided by some arrogant mofo trying to talk down to me to hide their own thoughts. Give me a break.
We'll dredge up sales reports a year from now and see what happens.
Post by: nitsu niflheim on April 28, 2006, 09:40:53 AM
Post by: PaLaDiN on April 28, 2006, 10:17:58 AM
Why would a console that you play games on take itself seriously? Why would you need to take it seriously in order to buy it? This is going to be a sort of impulse buy, something to buy in order to have fun, and doubtless the price will reflect that. I hate to bring up toys because of the negative connotations, but that's basically what it is... a toy. Please stop with these silly delusions of serious grandeur... you're going to buy Wii because you want to have fun, not because you've carefully considered the matter and decided that it'll offer you sufficient return on investment and guaranteed popularity in return for your unflinching loyalty. There really is such a thing as overthinking simple decisions.
See, this crap is exactly why Nintendo is so easy to dismiss these days. Gamers have dug themselves into an elitist hole that everybody else just doesn't get. I remember being three years old and buying the NES just to play with Mario... I couldn't imagine doing that anymore these days because "games" take themselves way too seriously now, and it saddens me. My 8-year-old brother is buying a PSP, not because of the games, not because it's fun, but because it's cool. Do you see nothing wrong with this?
Like it or not, the market has mostly gone to crap and it does need a drastic overhaul, and a thoroughly unexpected name like Wii can only serve to help. The more I think of Wii, the more Revolution just seems forced, elitist, cliche and overly serious.
Post by: Jin-X on April 28, 2006, 10:36:20 AM
How can you not understand this? ITS NOT ABOUT US HARDCORE NINTENDO FANS, ITS ABOUT ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT DIDNT BUY THE GC. SALES IMPACT 3RD PARTY SUPPORT. AMERICANS ARE VERY IMAGE-CONSCIOUS AND STUFF THAT IS STUPID AND INCONSEQUENTIAL, BUT THAT IS HOW IT IS REGARDLESS.
Sorry for Caps but I used them to get a point across.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 10:42:37 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiN My 8-year-old brother is buying a PSP, not because of the games, not because it's fun, but because it's cool. Do you see nothing wrong with this?
You just answered your own question.
Unless Nintendo has completely abandoned the NA market, then they're going to have an insanely uphill battle when it comes to elevating "wii" to the status of "cool".
In fact, giving the tendency of their marketing to be awful, I don't think they can do it.
Revolution was at least a socially acceptable name. It wasn't diminutive, spelled oddly and didn't have any meaning other than its intended meaning. You didn't need a pamphlet to understand what Nintendo was trying to get across.
I think most people won't BOTHER to learn what "wii" means. I think most people will assume it's something pretentious and uninteresting and never think twice about it. People are bombarded with so much advertising crap these days that I hardly expect Nintendo to be able to catch their eye, especially when Sony and MS have roughly 20X their marketing budget.
I'd LOVE to be wrong here, but "wii" will have a harder time earning respect in the eyes of the potential American buyer than Revolution will and that's my primary gripe with the name.
No one wants to buy the console that is a "joke", they want to buy the cool console. The Rev had a very good chance of BEING that console, especially with games like Red Steel in its launch lineup, but the "wee" practically demands that the image-conscious American does NOT buy it. Again, this is a market in which Nintendo BADLY needs to recover and giving their console a bad pun for a name is not the road to that recovery.
Post by: jasonditz on April 28, 2006, 10:48:35 AM
Kids are insecure, and you're right, a lot of them won't buy it because it's not the cool thing to do. But lets face facts, Nintendo hasn't been a cool thing for a highschooler to buy in nearly 20 years. That boat sailed long before we heard of Wii, and no amount of Tony Hawk look-alikes playing GBAs was going to change that.
The non-gamer market isn't that market. The 40 year old housewife who wants to play the painting simulation doesn't have any misconceptions that she's cool. The 60-something couple playing brain training isn't operating under the assumption that it's going to get them laid.
Real gamers are going to buy it if it's what they want regardless of the name. Non-gamers are going to buy it if it's what they want regardless of the name. Fashion-conscious teens and tweens are neither a growth market in the video game industry nor with all the advertising it takes to convince them buying it will enhance their cool are they a particularly high margin segment, it's best to let Sony and MSFT spend billions advertising towards them and just grab the whole rest of the market.
Post by: Jin-X on April 28, 2006, 10:49:47 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiN
My 8-year-old brother is buying a PSP, not because of the games, not because it's fun, but because it's cool. Do you see nothing wrong with this?
That's the point.
Post by: PaLaDiN on April 28, 2006, 10:53:07 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
You just answered your own question.
Unless Nintendo has completely abandoned the NA market, then they're going to have an insanely uphill battle when it comes to elevating "wii" to the status of "cool".
In fact, giving the tendency of their marketing to be awful, I don't think they can do it.
You realize you're just strengthening my point: they need to find another way to sell the console to people, because this "cool" thing just isn't working out for them.
Nintendo needs to utterly divorce themselves from the whole Sony and Microsoft marketing style of "cool" and reach out to new people the way they reached out to me with the NES and Mario... the message should be, "buy this console to have some simple fun". Forget about "cool". Forget about catering to the whims of an increasingly jaded and elitist mindset. Give my brother a reason other than a pathetic desire to be "cool" to buy their console.
This would be a good time to note, the guy takes the DS out of my hands everytime I fly back home and doesn't give it back till I leave. The only reason he isn't buying one of his own is because I promised him mine when I get a DS Lite.
Post by: Jin-X on April 28, 2006, 10:54:45 AM
Post by: Jin-X on April 28, 2006, 10:57:28 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiNQuote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
You just answered your own question.
Unless Nintendo has completely abandoned the NA market, then they're going to have an insanely uphill battle when it comes to elevating "wii" to the status of "cool".
In fact, giving the tendency of their marketing to be awful, I don't think they can do it.
You realize you're just strengthening my point: they need to find another way to sell the console to people, because this "cool" thing just isn't working out for them.
Nintendo needs to utterly divorce themselves from the whole Sony and Microsoft marketing style of "cool" and reach out to new people the way they reached out to me with the NES and Mario... the message should be, "buy this console to have some simple fun". Forget about "cool". Forget about catering to the whims of an increasingly jaded and elitist mindset. Give my brother a reason other than a pathetic desire to be "cool" to buy their console.
This would be a good time to note, the guy takes the DS out of my hands everytime I fly back home and doesn't give it back till I leave. The only reason he isn't buying one of his own is because I promised him mine when I get a DS Lite.
The DS has no name issues, and Nintendo has never tried the "cool" thing, they may think otherwise, but they haven't. And I hate the kewl thing but the bottomline is that increases sales which means more games, intead of droughts.
Post by: mantidor on April 28, 2006, 11:00:36 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: 31 FlavasQuoteAhh, right, who can forget those awesome 'urban ranger' grafitti or the commercials with the tag line "PSP. It's like an acorn, that you can take out side." Maybe the tag line should have been, "PSP. It's like 'Member's Only' from the 80's, but in 2006."
Originally posted by: mantidor
Im very, very doubtful now that the concept and the awesome controller will help the console to carry on despite the name, specially with such an agressive and excellent competitor in the marketing department as sony is, sony blows away Nintendo in marketing, thats unarguable, this desision is making sony the job even easier.
Say what you want, but the psp is almost head to head with the DS in NA WITH NO GAMES WHATSOEVER, just check the NPD data. the only seller has been GTA and it didnt do as good as it should.
In sony's case, a really bad product is being helped by good marketing, and marketing doesnt limit itself to just the obnoxious commercials.
Post by: PaLaDiN on April 28, 2006, 11:07:59 AM
They can also increase sales and get more games by being fun instead of cool... look at the DS. The thing has everything going against it except for fun, and it's outselling the PSP with its amazing superior image and marketing pretty much everywhere.
Post by: jasonditz on April 28, 2006, 11:08:33 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Jin-X
Sorry Jasonditz, but sales say otherwise.
Care to provide actual data or are we to be contented with broad claims that only take up a single sentence?
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 11:09:50 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiN
You realize you're just strengthening my point: they need to find another way to sell the console to people, because this "cool" thing just isn't working out for them.
Nintendo needs to utterly divorce themselves from the whole Sony and Microsoft marketing style of "cool" and reach out to new people the way they reached out to me with the NES and Mario... the message should be, "buy this console to have some simple fun". Forget about "cool". Forget about catering to the whims of an increasingly jaded and elitist mindset. Give my brother a reason other than a pathetic desire to be "cool" to buy their console.
Sony and MS didn't invent that image: it was already there, they just adhered to it and learned to market within its confines. Tobacco companies have made billions selling to children by convincing them that smoking is cool. Kids were trying to be cool LONG before video games were around. Like it or not, THAT is how you sell product in the US, by convincing Americans that they'll have a better image for owning it.
Look at the Gamecube. Look how well the "ignore image, people will buy it anyway" philosophy worked for them: LAST FRIGGIN' PLACE!
Nintendo didn't HAVE to do anything else this gen to be the COOL console. They have what equates virtual reality for many people and that alone would make them the coolest, but then they go and stick the console with one of the fruitiest sounding names imaginable, sending it right from 1st place in the "cool" department to last.
I'd say they shot off a foot, but this is more like shooting off a whole leg.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 11:11:54 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiN They can also increase sales and get more games by being fun instead of cool... look at the DS. The thing has everything going against it except for fun, and it's outselling the PSP with its amazing superior image and marketing pretty much everywhere.
...Everywhere except the US, where people care more about the image than the product.
Post by: jasonditz on April 28, 2006, 11:18:47 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_BrotherQuote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiN
Sony and MS didn't invent that image: it was already there, they just adhered to it and learned to market within its confines. Tobacco companies have made billions selling to children by convincing them that smoking is cool. Kids were trying to be cool LONG before video games were around. Like it or not, THAT is how you sell product in the US, by convincing Americans that they'll have a better image for owning it.
That's how you sell a product to children. It's also very expensive.
Post by: PaLaDiN on April 28, 2006, 11:18:47 AM
Actually, funny how that works out, they're pretty much neck and neck there last I heard. Seems the product somehow managed to be just as important as the image this time around, unless you can honestly tell me the DS is just as cool as the PSP in the US.
I've got to run to class now.
Post by: Gamebasher on April 28, 2006, 11:28:01 AM
Paladin, I couldn´t agree with you more. If Nintendo was all about being cool in the minds of these so-called "cool" gamers out there, we would have lost Nintendo a long time ago. Ninty has struck the right vibe by calling their console by that name, and local translation issues concerning actual meaning of it are...well...local!
Let Sony and Microsoft dry up their pockets in an effort to attract the most gamers, rolling out huge advertising campaigns. Nintendo was never about that. For Nintendo QUALITY goes before quantity, and so for them it´s way more about an educated gaming population that appreciates great games carefully crafted over time and infused with love, than it is sporadic "cool" gamers and average "cool" (read: crappy games made by big name developers like EA, where you pay more for the name than the actual game content) games made with speed out of greed for more and more money coming from maximum number of hardware units dumped onto the market.
I really see Nintendo as the only one left standing within two to three generations, simply because they are the most profitable company of the three, with the other inevitably becoming forced to make compromises down the road as their cash reserves starts to dwindle, and their investor standing follows suit. The more money they blow on advertising, the more money they are forced to rake in, and if they don´t rake them in they post losses! That is exactly what both Sony and Microsoft have been doing on and on for many years! And they are bound to post yet more, as the gamedevelopers will rather quickly gather around Nintendo for the simply reason that it will be both easier and cheaper for them to make games there! This will impose a direct bearing on the whole of the videogame market to the better for gaming overall. Nintendo spend their money wisely, and this is the legacy left behind by the great father of Nintendo, Hiroshi Yamauchi! That is why they can afford to continue to stand up!, while the others are forced more and more down by their exaggerated spending craze!
Nintendo has already significantly lowered the costs of gaming production, enabled easier gameplay than ever, and have already shipped over 1000 (!) developer kits to game developers already! Now if THAT is not evidence of a clear winner down the road, I don´t know what a winner is!
Nintendo has always given me the best games there is to play, so good in fact that I found it hard to find anything that was as good on the other two consoles, so I have no reason to believe that a name which at first seem odd, will change any of all that!
Post by: Plugabugz on April 28, 2006, 11:31:27 AM
Post by: Ian Sane on April 28, 2006, 11:40:53 AM
But "Wii" sounds like baby-talk. It creates the same bullsh!t k!ddy image as Nintendo's other recent consoles.
Why is everything so black and white with Nintendo apologists? "Well if you don't want Nintendo to be k!ddy then I guess you want Mario killing hookers and blood guts and stuff." No I don't. "Well Nintendo can't be cool so they shouldn't try." I'm not saying they should try. I'm saying they should make an effort to not be lame. What's wrong with Nintendo having a very normal name that no one would have any strong opinion about? If the games are all that matters then why do they need an odd name anyway? What does Nintendo possibly gain with calling their console Wii? There is an INSANE amount of risk and there is like no payoff. They gain no advantage whatsoever in choosing this name over something more neutral.
40 year old housewives aren't going to NOT buy a Rev because it's called the "Revolution". Nor will they be attracted to it because it's called "Wii".
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 11:44:52 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Gamebasher Nintendo has always given me the best games there is to play, so good in fact that I found it hard to find anything that was as good on the other two consoles, so I have no reason to believe that a name which at first seem odd, will change any of all that!
I'm sorry, but it all means jack-squat if no one buys the thing because they have no idea what it is.
It's possible to be cool and yet appeal to the average person at the same time. Best example? The iPod. The iPod didn't try to be so ambitious as to replace a proper noun in any language and its name fits what is: a pod-shaped device which belongs to you. Even the name "iPod" suggests that the device has a presence of some kind.
"wii" has none of that. It could be a soda, a plant, a line of women's clothing, etc. No matter what you may believe it is, it sounds pretentious and manufactured by advertisers.
Post by: BranDonk Kong on April 28, 2006, 11:45:45 AM
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 11:50:47 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane I'm saying they should make an effort to not be lame. What's wrong with Nintendo having a very normal name that no one would have any strong opinion about? If the games are all that matters then why do they need an odd name anyway? What does Nintendo possibly gain with calling their console Wii? There is an INSANE amount of risk and there is like no payoff. They gain no advantage whatsoever in choosing this name over something more neutral.
This is exactly what I mean.
I don't see the need for a gamble with a strange and bizarre name. The Rev would have sold fine because of the GAMES. Nintendo itself cannot stop touting the fact that they're all about GAMES, first and foremost.
So what do they need this fruity-ass name for if the games are what could sell the console? Why have a name which will likely be a turn off in the US (and Japan and France hate it too, apparently) when a name with no potential negative connotations would work just as well?
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 12:48:14 PM
Post by: Dirk Temporo on April 28, 2006, 01:02:01 PM
Post by: Ian Sane on April 28, 2006, 01:07:19 PM
That actually is kind of refreshing.
Though I'd rather Nintendo had revealed a name I really liked and everyone was agreeing with me that it was a good name.
Post by: Dirk Temporo on April 28, 2006, 01:36:09 PM
Post by: PaLaDiN on April 28, 2006, 01:47:26 PM
Except I'm happy and the rest of you are not. Oh well.
Post by: Jin-X on April 28, 2006, 02:03:25 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiN
"...Everywhere except the US, where people care more about the image than the product."
Actually, funny how that works out, they're pretty much neck and neck there last I heard. Seems the product somehow managed to be just as important as the image this time around, unless you can honestly tell me the DS is just as cool as the PSP in the US.
I've got to run to class now.
Yeah they're neck and neck when the DS completely owns the PSP, Nintendo has a fantastic rep with portables and they didn't give a name with built in jokes. And yet the PSP is keeping pace on image alone.
Now imagine the same sceneraio but with terrible rep and the bad name.
Post by: Jin-X on April 28, 2006, 02:05:40 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: jasonditzQuote
Originally posted by: Jin-X
Sorry Jasonditz, but sales say otherwise.
Care to provide actual data or are we to be contented with broad claims that only take up a single sentence?
The GameCube, Wind Waker. There were quite a few people at my school that got an Xbox when they were gonna get a GameCube when they saw WW. They all loved the demo.
Post by: Jin-X on April 28, 2006, 02:09:51 PM
Post by: PaLaDiN on April 28, 2006, 04:11:35 PM
I'm going to have to disagree with Ian.
"40 year old housewives aren't going to NOT buy a Rev because it's called the "Revolution". "
Sorry, you're going to have to give some evidence of that. I've already pointed out why they wouldn't buy a Rev: because "Revolution" still fits the status quo of arrogant and unapproachable videogame console names, geared towards the elitist group of geeks who play videogames already and thus alienating everyone else.
Wii is meaningless, it's a blank slate that doesn't fit with traditional or "cool" console naming and represents something completely different.
Yes, Nintendo's got an uphill marketing battle... on the flipside, they've got a new name to make all their own. "Playing Wii" just might become its own term, part of the lexicon, the way "playing Nintendo" became its own term when the NES came out. They've already proven it is at least possible, and it's what I'm hoping for.
Post by: Requiem of Darcness on April 28, 2006, 04:41:59 PM
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 28, 2006, 04:58:57 PM
Nintendo KNEW that the name would be extremely infamous. It confirms that even they the name could turn out to be trivial. They also learned from the past and didn't want a Celda to happen at E3.
Although it would've been a lose/lose situation anyway. Had they revealed it at E3 it would've been the BIG joke of the show. They announced it now and now everyone will go with Wii jokes to E3.
Here's the thing people hasn't noticed, and that's that the media can be very cruel. I mean, last year when G4 talked about E3's showing they bashed the DS, even when the DS was already a proven success.
Can you imagine the jokes that will air during E3?
Post by: Jin-X on April 28, 2006, 04:59:26 PM
Post by: PaLaDiN on April 28, 2006, 05:02:34 PM
Post by: Guitar Smasher on April 28, 2006, 05:05:20 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiN
"Playing Wii" just might become its own term, part of the lexicon, the way "playing Nintendo" became its own term when the NES came out.
Here's hoping the console's just so cool that the name 'Wii' becomes cool, simply by association. In the end, the console can be cool, only on its own merits. Even if NGage had the coolest name ever conceived, it would still be lame.
Even so, I still dislike the name. Honestly, to me it sounds like they put absolutely no thought into it (don't give me that 'we' explanation, there's surely a better way to convey the same idea).
Post by: Jin-X on April 28, 2006, 05:14:30 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiN
"40 year old housewives aren't going to NOT buy a Rev because it's called the "Revolution". "
Sorry, you're going to have to give some evidence of that. I've already pointed out why they wouldn't buy a Rev: because "Revolution" still fits the status quo of arrogant and unapproachable videogame console names, geared towards the elitist group of geeks who play videogames already and thus alienating everyone else.
There.
Post by: mantidor on April 28, 2006, 06:26:00 PM
Post by: EasyCure on April 28, 2006, 06:38:00 PM
Quote
So what do they need this fruity-ass name for if the games are what could sell the console? Why have a name which will likely be a turn off in the US (and Japan and France hate it too, apparently) when a name with no potential negative connotations would work just as well?
hey i take offense to that. i'm an apple and even i think the name is terrible but doing go dragging the good name of innocent fruit into this!
Post by: 31 Flavas on April 28, 2006, 06:47:47 PM
QuoteOr maybe you'll realize you don't have to take it or yourself so seriously. Pop a chill pill man, lighten up and just have fun with it.
Originally posted by: mantidor
I will have to stand the crappy name for years to come with my console, ads, and forums like these one which I used to like so much, just... f!ck you Nintendo, seriously.
Post by: mantidor on April 28, 2006, 07:09:34 PM
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 28, 2006, 07:15:46 PM
Post by: Ian Sane on April 28, 2006, 07:22:33 PM
I think Revolution is fairly neutral and I honestly can't imagine anyone being turned off by it. I can't prove that 40 year olds won't be turned off by it I guess. Personally I don't think 40 year old housewives are going to be buying the Rev PERIOD regardless of what Nintendo calls it, how they market it, and what games they have on it. But that's a different issue.
One thing that I think is incredibly important for Nintendo not to do is turn off existing gamers. This is something I've felt since all this non-gamer stuff has been annouced. The non-gamer strategy is risky as hell. There's no indication that people not interested in games ever will. Not even the DS can prove that, at least in North America, because it's getting outsold by the GBA. So Nintendo has to make sure that existing gamers buy the Rev because they're the only ones they can rely on if the non-gamer plan doesn't work or it only works as a fad or if non-gamers don't buy enough games to make it a profitable strategy. The stupidest thing you can do is turn away your bread and butter. "Wii" is not going to attract existing gamers to the Rev. It follows the same trend as all the other marketing goof-ups Nintendo has made that have made them irrelevent to gaming. Anyone turned off by previous Nintendo crap will continue to be turned off. By going with a name like that Nintendo is relying on non-gamers to bail them out. That's just plain stupid. There's no reason to take a risk like that.
If non-gamers don't take to the Wii then the BEST Nintendo can do is as well as the Cube. But they won't because their userbase shrinks each time because they piss their userbase off with stupid crap and, because of this Wii nonsense, have shown no indication that they've improved.
Post by: Mario on April 28, 2006, 07:22:52 PM
Quote
When you don't even pose a counter argument, it further proves Ian's point.
See what Paladin did here? This is a counter argument. You look like less of a nebbish Nintendo fanboy when you use one.
I'm not going to repeat myself, and you need to lighten up.
What I like mostly about Wii, is that Nintendo effectively walked right up to everyone who wanted them to become more mature and generic, and slapped them in the face with a nice bag of reality.
Post by: mantidor on April 28, 2006, 07:40:47 PM
Its a pronoun, and thas why "we" seem to not sounds that horrible, maybe is because it nevers comes alone I guess, the shortest phrase would be the answer to a question and that still goes like "we are" "we will" etc, never just "we". But now its going to be a noun, "the we this" "the we that" and ugh, I cant help to associate it with a pig screaming or something similary unpleasant, and I have tried plenty to accomodate this new name in my head...
What the hell, Ill never be able to explain why the sounds is just so hideous and horrible in my poor ears, Ill just hope you dont flame for sticking with rev to avoid myself some pain.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 09:14:13 PM
Quote
hey i take offense to that. i'm an apple and even i think the name is terrible but doing go dragging the good name of innocent fruit into this!
Good call. My apologies.
Quote
Originally posted by: MarioQuote
When you don't even pose a counter argument, it further proves Ian's point.
See what Paladin did here? This is a counter argument. You look like less of a nebbish Nintendo fanboy when you use one.
I'm not going to repeat myself, and you need to lighten up.
What I like mostly about Wii, is that Nintendo effectively walked right up to everyone who wanted them to become more mature and generic, and slapped them in the face with a nice bag of reality.
Who wanted Nintendo to be mature and generic? More to the point, how could ANYTHING Nintendo do with the Rev EVER be considered generic?
The only bag of reality is their own hypocrisy when it comes to this name. They say "We're all about the games! Games, games, games!" Then, they roll out a marketing campaign so full of psychotic babble that it rivals scientology in madness, spouting nonsense like "Wee will play as one". What happened, guys? Weren't the GAMES the focus of the console, not some horrible invented word/pun which needs a paragraph of explanation?
I think it's pretty safe to say that non-gamers are going to steer clear of a product when its advertising sounds like the hook mantra for a satanic cult "Weee willl change the wooooorrllldd....".
The Rev was fine as the Rev. The name was neutral and didn't need to be explained.
And I can't see how the Revolution is pretentious when Nintendo pulls out a name which strives to replace a common word in the english language. We've used the word for thousands of years and now Nintendo thinks they can replace the word with their console name?
Even the iPod wasn't THAT ambitious...
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 28, 2006, 09:27:48 PM
Oh, come on! What? They're not replacing the word, what that word means is an integral part of the name. Don't be ridiculous.
Post by: wandering on April 28, 2006, 09:36:50 PM
Quote
What's wrong with Nintendo having a very normal name that no one would have any strong opinion about?
What's wrong with being boring? Are you kidding? No strong opinion means no interest means no sales. Safe and neutral will never work for Nintendo because they aren't a safe and neutral company. They're leaders, not followers. And until they stop acting like wannabe losers, and start actually flaunting their true personality, the majority of americans won't respect them or show much interest in them.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 09:53:45 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation Oh, come on! What? They're not replacing the word, what that word means is an integral part of the name. Don't be ridiculous.
When people have to ask which "we" I mean when I say the word, then they've interjected their language over mine, hence why I'll continue to say "Rev" because everyone knows exactly what I'm talking about.
Quote
What's wrong with being boring? Are you kidding? No strong opinion means no interest means no sales. Safe and neutral will never work for Nintendo because they aren't a safe and neutral company. They're leaders, not followers. And until they stop acting like wannabe losers, and start actually flaunting their true personality, the majority of americans won't respect them or show much interest in them.
"Revolution" isn't boring. Revolution is the act of change for the better via force. You want boring? 360, Playstation...THAT'S boring. Revolution is far from boring. And "wee" is still boring.
The GAMES are what matter, and with a relatively neutral name like "Revolution", Nintendo could have probably convinced far more people to give the console a try and see how good the games are than with a name like "wee".
The US marketplace is a harsh, unforgiving wasteland, and Nintendo is on its last legs here as it is.
I'm sorry, but the beast-raping the American media is going to give this console will not be pretty...
Post by: wandering on April 28, 2006, 09:57:14 PM
Quote
The US marketplace is a harsh, unforgiving wasteland, and Nintendo is on its last legs here as it is.
I'm sorry, but the beast-raping the American media is going to give this console will not be pretty...
I just don't see it. People who knew the system as 'revolution' are mad about the name change. But what do people in general care? Lots of products have goofy names. Why would the american media "beast-rape" the system? They're paid to support stuff like the wii.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 28, 2006, 10:02:53 PM
I hope you realize, and everyone that's intent on calling it Rev, that when this system is released in five or so months things will be different. I'll go into the store and ask for the Wii, and they'll give it to me without even cracking a grin. They'll probably own one themselves. You'll go in and ask for a Revolution, and depending on who you ask they may not even know what you're talking about. "Oh we don't carry that" or "You still call it Rev?". You'll make a fool out of yourself for calling it a code name that died nearly half a year ago.
Post by: Blue Plant on April 28, 2006, 10:04:08 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: wandering
Revolution maybe wasn't boring back when you turned on the tv and didn't hear the word every several seconds. 'The revolutionary new FIVE blade razor!' 'A revolution in online stock trading!'
Ha, really! I even saw this earlier on TV. Talking cats demanding revolution.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 10:05:50 PM
Even "OK Soda" was more intriguing than "wii"...
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 28, 2006, 10:14:03 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation I hope you realize, and everyone that's intent on calling it Rev, that when this system is released in five or so months things will be different. I'll go into the store and ask for the Wii, and they'll give it to me without even cracking a grin. They'll probably own one themselves. You'll go in and ask for a Revolution, and depending on who you ask they may not even know what you're talking about. "Oh we don't carry that" or "You still call it Rev?". You'll make a fool out of yourself for calling it a code name that died nearly half a year ago.
I hope you're right. I hope my concerns are baseless, but I just can't look at the name and not think, "Gee, if I love Nintendo, and I think the name is a bad idea, what are the people who hate Nintendo going to do?" and that includes the same Gamestop clerks who recommend games and systems to people on a daily basis.
It's time I stopped talking about this. It's irrelevant. Nothing I say will change what Nintendo is going to do. Might as well just wait and pray that E3 offers some more explanation, like that Wii is an abbreviation for something interesting or what they plan to do, or that they have a billion dollar ad campaign ramping up.
Post by: Avinash_Tyagi on April 28, 2006, 10:16:48 PM
Quote
"Playing the "wii" will be like banging a hot girl named "Doug". She's hot, and the sex is great, you're just not going to introduce her at many parties."
ROFL
Post by: 31 Flavas on April 29, 2006, 06:21:57 AM
QuoteWii boring? Why does it have you and the internet all hot and bothered then?
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
"Revolution" isn't boring. Revolution is the act of change for the better via force. You want boring? 360, Playstation...THAT'S boring. Revolution is far from boring. And "wee" is still boring.
QuoteHere we go again, you're projecting your opinion as fact. Have you asked non-gamers yet what they think of Wii? We saw this last time with the DS vs PSP.
The GAMES are what matter, and with a relatively neutral name like "Revolution", Nintendo could have probably convinced far more people to give the console a try and see how good the games are than with a name like "wee".
I mean, geez, EVERYONE was going to buy a PSP over a DS or GBA. It was just one of those internet FACTS. The PSP was quickly and succinctly going to put an end to Nintendo and the DS would just get miserable ports of a few general audience PSP games. What happened in the end? DS killed the PSP in Japan and 7 year old GBA out sold PSP in North America. So much for that widely held fact...
QuoteWeeee, more of these "facts".
The US marketplace is a harsh, unforgiving wasteland, and Nintendo is on its last legs here as it is.
I'm sorry, but the beast-raping the American media is going to give this console will not be pretty...
Post by: Artimus on April 29, 2006, 06:24:48 AM
Post by: 31 Flavas on April 29, 2006, 06:28:29 AM
QuoteQuintipio MEGA SHAVE. The new revolution in shaving! *14* blades.
Originally posted by: wandering
Revolution maybe wasn't boring back when you turned on the tv and didn't hear the word every several seconds. 'The revolutionary new FIVE blade razor!' 'A revolution in online stock trading!'
I kid you not... that was a real commercial. Even if the product wasn't real.
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on April 29, 2006, 08:25:44 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Artimus
To be honest, Revolution isn't the right name for what they want. Wii was the right idea, it's just the totally wrong word. I think they should've called it the "Zii" or the "Glockenspiel" or the "Kui".
How 'bout the Nii? N for Nintendo, same double i symbolism, sounds like knee, which is perhaps the least sexual body part. They can use the same logo, too. Just pick up the i on the end and use it to chop off the W's arm (and then, if you've already made the Monty Python reference, it could claim it was only a flesh wound).
I'll say again that my objection to the name is not based on love for the name Revolution, which I long ago accepted would not be the final name. The codename is never the final name. Everyone who does prefer Revolution can take comfort that the model number will be REV-001, at least.
31 Flavas: I for one never thought the PSP would be able to beat the DS. I'm amazed that it's done so well. Also, I don't recall the people claiming otherwise basing their opinions on the name, but on the power of the hardware. This isn't the same.
Post by: Gamebasher on April 29, 2006, 09:45:44 AM
Right about that, Smash_Brother!
When people play Metroid Prime 3, Legend of Zelda: TLP, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, Red Steel they will become less hostile towards the name of the machine. Following E3 Nintendo will launch a cool advertising campaign which will make a lot of cynics a lot more comfortable as they hear and see the name in use by real gamers from around the world. The gaming revolution has started to roll... Next, I predict a situation where many people who already own an Xbox360, and who have been drooling over the current and upcoming Zelda media will dash out to the local gameshop on day one of Wii´s release and snap up a unit plus Zelda, Metroid Prime 3 and Red Steel. Their sheer astonishment at the ease of play with the Wii, and the awesome games, will spread like wildfire as the talk of towns everywhere and people will drop the issue with the name and carry on playing away and enjoying Nintendo´s revolution. It is truly astounding how people are capable of accepting odd things, once they find out that the same things are great no matter how strange they seemed at first!
One example, is the BMW car. Bayerische Motoren Werke has changed the design of their 3, 5, and 7 series repeatedly, and I have watched this ongoing design row over the past 20 years. When they got to their latest design of the three mocel classes, I nearly almost thought I was never going to like BMW cars again. They just appeared that strange. But now, after some two years of looking at the new design, I have become used to it, and I can see the reason why they changed the design. Simply to match the vibe of the times. So as with design of a car, it can be the same with the construction of a name. Nintendo must have hauled in heavy duty advertising experts to coin that name. But in half a year when it comes out, people will have already become used to it. Think of it as seeing ahead of times, and catching a future acceptable public perception of a given marketable product. I think a lot of companies are doing like that these days.
Fairytale story? No ways, mates! DS´ name was also criticized, but when people got to play it they went wild. Wait untill you see what happens with Wii!
Post by: TOY on April 29, 2006, 10:03:12 AM
I was never fond of the name Gamecube or the design of the console but I learned to live with it. Wii, come on! Do yourself a favor and FIRE the person that came up with it. Will it keep me from buying the console, No, but the controller will. I truly hope you guys are going to impress me at E3 or this will be the first Nintendo console I dont buy, I still have them all, even the Virtual Boy! I've been a huge fan of Nintendo since the Nes so I'm not that hard to win over but their are millions of Sony fanboys that hate Nintendo and your not doing anything to change it with such a STUPID name for the console. You need to start listening to us (the gamers) or we will be playing Zelda & Mario on the PS3, which I'm definitly buying.
Sincerely,
Kenneth Toy
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 29, 2006, 10:09:19 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: 31 Flavas Wii boring? Why does it have you and the internet all hot and bothered then?
Because Nintendo announced that it's the name of their console and the only ones in an uproar are the people who already play videogames.
Quote
Here we go again, you're projecting your opinion as fact. Have you asked non-gamers yet what they think of Wii? We saw this last time with the DS vs PSP.
I mean, geez, EVERYONE was going to buy a PSP over a DS or GBA. It was just one of those internet FACTS. The PSP was quickly and succinctly going to put an end to Nintendo and the DS would just get miserable ports of a few general audience PSP games. What happened in the end? DS killed the PSP in Japan and 7 year old GBA out sold PSP in North America. So much for that widely held fact...
What are you talking about? Since when did EVERYONE say they'd buy a PSP? I remember reading the comments from multiple sites about what people though and, before both consoles launched, it was ALWAYS about even in terms of support. Most people said they wanted both.
And every gamer or non-gamer I've asked has given nothing but negative feedback to the name.
Quote
Weeee, more of these "facts".
I don't go to to Gamestop very often, but the past 2-3 times I've been there, I've ALWAYS seen at least one person show up with a GC and a pile of games to get rid of. The first time I can see as coincidence, but it has happened far too often.
Nintendo is not a respected name in the US, certainly not with older gamers, and less and less all the time in general. It doesn't take research to figure this out. When game stores and rental places have tiny GC sections, it's because it's the least moved software, and I routinely see the GC getting very little shelf space.
Nintendo has a great deal of ground to recover in the US. Like the name or hate it, this is certainly the current state of Nintendo.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 29, 2006, 10:11:10 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Gamebasher When people play Metroid Prime 3, Legend of Zelda: TLP, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, Red Steel they will become less hostile towards the name of the machine.
See, it'd be even better if the machine wasn't given a name that generates hostility to begin with...
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 29, 2006, 10:26:02 AM
I'm sure you've asked tons of people.
I've asked a few. A few liked it, most didn't mind. Didn't matter to them. Know what that suggests to me? That your negative outlook is affecting the people you're asking, which can only make the problem worse.
Post by: The Omen on April 29, 2006, 10:37:46 AM
Quote
I sent an email to Nintendo and told them to keep it. This is my message to some of you: GROW UP!
Uh, yeah. We'll do the growing up while you send emails to a huge corporation giving them the okay to keep the name they chose. Okay.
Quote
What I like mostly about Wii, is that Nintendo effectively walked right up to everyone who wanted them to become more mature and generic, and slapped them in the face with a nice bag of reality.
Do you really believe that? Seems to me everyone defending the name is doing so just because the majority is not, which is lame indeed.
By the way, Revolution was not mature and generic. It made perfect sense for their supposed new direction. Also by the way, mature doesn't mean generic, and vice versa.
Post by: The Omen on April 29, 2006, 10:41:36 AM
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 29, 2006, 10:43:41 AM
This is a pretty weak comeback. Though in your defense, the insult was pretty weak, too.
Post by: The Omen on April 29, 2006, 10:54:53 AM
Quote
"Uh, yeah. We'll do the growing up while you send emails to a huge corporation giving them the okay to keep the name they chose. Okay."
It wasn't a 'comeback', per se. I thought what he did was more childish than anything on this board, and told him so. I wouldn't write Nintendo either way, because I'm quite certain my input is not being sought after/. I dislike the name. That's as far as I take it.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 29, 2006, 11:30:53 AM
Post by: Zach on April 29, 2006, 12:03:09 PM
BTW. I still dont like the name, Im getting over the immature genitalia jokes, but I still just dont really like the way the name sounds (looks really cool, sounds funny to me)
Post by: ThePerm on April 29, 2006, 01:54:00 PM
Post by: IceCold on April 29, 2006, 03:20:27 PM
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 29, 2006, 03:27:36 PM
I did not, nor will I, deny this.
Post by: Caliban on April 29, 2006, 05:13:10 PM
Post by: mantidor on April 29, 2006, 05:21:12 PM
Post by: Artimus on April 29, 2006, 05:23:37 PM
Post by: IceCold on April 29, 2006, 07:47:07 PM
Post by: Caliban on April 29, 2006, 07:52:32 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Artimus
"I appreciate your taking the time to share your comments regarding the name of our next home console. If you haven't yet had the opportunity, please go to the news section of our website (www.nintendo.com/newsmain) to learn our feelings about the name. Rest assured that your feedback will be forwarded to the appropriate department for further review."
Exactly, lol, don't you see, they were already prepared for such emails of either nature.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 29, 2006, 08:22:16 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
Sounds reasonable enough. I must say, of all the people disagreeing with the name, you're probably the only one who hasn't annoyed me at all.
Yeah, we all know how annoying dissenting opinions are.
I understand you like the name, but you haven't exactly been either convincing nor civil in your attempts to persuade others to your opinion.
Two posts ago, you called me a liar by insisting that I didn't ask anyone. I've talked to at least 5 people on the subject, and all I've said is, "The new Nintendo console is called the "wee". "
I know you don't want to believe it because it derails the fanboy train, but their reaction was immediately "WTF are they THINKING?"
The problem is, you and I and everyone else on this board have had time to mull over the name. We've had time to gauge it. We've slept on it and had time to get used to the name, often eliciting a different reaction at a later time.
What you and the other Wii supporters don't seem to realize is that, for MANY potential buyers, their first reaction will be their ONLY reaction, that people will look at it, say, "The why? That's retarded." and go look at other consoles. Even if they DO try the console, they'll likely have a preconceived negative reaction from the name and thus not give the console a fair chance.
Nintendo is about games. Giving their new console some bizarre marketing gimm!ck for a name distracts from that. The name has to be explained before a person even knows how to pronounce it. If that's not a gimm!ck, what is?
Look, I'm done arguing about it, and rather than make a snide comment about my opinions, I'd prefer that we could just agree to disagree. I think the name is a mistake on their part, and I'd LOVE to be wrong, but sitting here slinging mud at each other isn't going to change a thing.
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 29, 2006, 09:09:49 PM
Let me just say that I object to these comments:
"Yeah, we all know how annoying dissenting opinions are.
I understand you like the name, but you haven't exactly been either convincing nor civil in your attempts to persuade others to your opinion."
The first is unnecessarily snide, and not really sensible, based on the very words you quoted.
The latter is untrue. I've tried to be civil. Someone like Nosferat2 doesn't deserve civility, however.
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 29, 2006, 09:24:52 PM
I wouldn't be saying this stuff if I didn't believe it. I don't think a weird name was necessary or even remotely warranted. I think it clouds the issue when the issue should JUST be the games.
I hope E3 reveals more about why they picked the name and some marketing strategy.
I think I want to hear about marketing more than ANYTHING because it'll make or break them. Do you at least see where I'm coming from with the marketing issue?
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 29, 2006, 09:33:27 PM
So should they call the system "Game"?
Wii won't be a distracting name, in the marketplace. People don't think about brand names. It will allow a focus on the games.
"I hope E3 reveals more about why they picked the name and some marketing strategy."
Same here. I do understand the marketing issue. I just don't think it'll be a big deal outside of hardcore gamers (where marketing isn't so much a factor).
Post by: Smash_Brother on April 29, 2006, 09:46:21 PM
And I hope they spend more money marketing the wii than they've ever spent on marketing, period.
Post by: IceCold on April 29, 2006, 10:07:49 PM
Post by: Gamebasher on April 30, 2006, 08:42:21 AM
R-E-A-D:
The real truth about peoples reaction to the Wii-name
I hope that this article will effectively end any further discussion about namechanges. There aren´t going to be any.
Post by: NWR_pap64 on April 30, 2006, 10:00:16 AM
Here is one thing I want to say, though. No ammount of hate or love towards the Nintendo Wii can determine the outcome of this battle.
The Wii Haters have made points varying in quality. som are good, some are bad, others are just plain stupid. However, they can analize it all they want, but the reality is that they can't predict what will happen in the marketplace. In fact, all this worrying, whining and bitching might end up being in vane if the system is a hot seller.
However, faith and hope in Nintendo can't determine the outcome either. You can pray and hope as much as you like, but miracles will not move consoles. What will do is proper strategy, games, excellent marketing and great word of mouth. If Nintendo fumbles this, then they are screwed.
All of us agree that we want the Nintendo Rev/Wii to be a success, no matter which camp you fall into.
So let's all just wait and see what destiny has in store for Nintendo...
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 01, 2006, 07:11:05 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Gamebasher
THIS article over at SPONG says a lot about this discussion in this forum, and the same discussion elsewhere. Any negative attitude towards the name "Wii" on the internet is not shared similarly on the street where people are asked about the same.
R-E-A-D:
The real truth about peoples reaction to the Wii-name
I hope that this article will effectively end any further discussion about namechanges. There aren´t going to be any.
Where in that article do they address the American view on the name?
I agree with Pap that I want it to be a success, but I think that, if the system becomes at all successful in the US, Sony and MS will probably make ads mocking and tearing it down, and I hate to say it, but in the US media, mudslinging works.
With a name like "wee", it'll be immensely easy to make people self-conscious about buying one and, like I've said before, discouraging customers from buying your competitor's products is just as good as encouraging them to buy yours.
Post by: Mario on May 01, 2006, 07:17:51 AM
Quote
I agree with Pap that I want it to be a success, but I think that, if the system becomes at all successful in the US, Sony and MS will probably make ads mocking and tearing it down, and I hate to say it, but in the US media, mudslinging works.
I hope they do, free Wii advertising.
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 01, 2006, 07:36:45 AM
MS slung mud at Nintendo, mocking them on the official xbox website with flash animations even, and I think that strategy did help them to become #2 ahead of Nintendo.
Image is just too much of a deciding factor in American buying decisions. That's the only reason the PSP has any sales in the US at all (it sure as hell ain't games...).
Post by: Gamebasher on May 01, 2006, 08:45:03 AM
Otherwise they wouldn´t have to bully Ninty. The whole problem from the start was that Nintendo dropped down from the heights of the throne of videogaming, thanks to their N64 flop, and Sony rushed in to take the top spot after them, with Microsoft smelling the money and eyeing the number two spot. Now, the DS is a huge success, with the PSP struggling just to make even because it doesn´t have any games worthy of mention, and Microsoft are going to launch their own handheld very soon.
But nomatter what these competitors do, Nintendo can´t be dismissed as "a sparkling innovation" or worse designations since they started videogaming and therefore is having the sharpest edge of all the drawn swords. So, knowing this, and being afraid (of course you will NEVER get them to admit it), there is these vicious attacks by Ninty´s two competitors not only fighting for the topspot, but also to squeeze out Nintendo altogether, no doubt wishing they can do to Nintendo what has already been done to SEGA. According to them there can only "be two companies" in console gaming (this is what I have heard over and over, and it has got to be coming from somewhere inside their HQ´s).
They are just fools, however, who lose money on all of their efforts, and maliciously refusing to bow out for the reason that they "have to" look good in the publics eye thus maintaining their selfesteem and pride. The sad truth about them is that they not very profitable at all, because they have chosen the path of advanced graphics that cost fortunes to develope into games, with the cost of any such game running into tens of millions of dollars, and a general public not willing to pay much more at retail for said games. This spells deficit to me.
So Nintendo´s two competitors who so strongly fights for the two top spots (to stay there that is), have not only Nintendo to worry about, but also their own financial backyard to be concerned for as they keep moving along into their own financial downcoming foolishly believing that they will eventually make it down the road. All the while watching Nintendo going the exact opposite direction of where they want them: Up!
So they can bully all they want, ridicule all they want. Nintendo has always had its loyal followers, and gained even more with the DS, and are to gain yet again more with the Wii. All the while making a profit on everything they do. So Nintendo goes only one way all of the time: UP And the other two is going only one other way al of the time: DOWN.
That is why they keep on squealing so much, and bang on their empty barrels that their "big money" can buy them. In Nintendo´s bank money keep trickling in, but in their bank money keeps on trickling out. So nomatter how long they keep on trying to hurt Nintendo, they will only be hurt themselves as Nintendo CAN afford to KEEP on going for as many generational cycles as is needed before they are again the number one in videogaming, something the other two cannot afford. Not with how they throw money around. You can say that Microsoft has very deep pockets indeed, so of course the first of the two to go at any time in the future will be Sony.
But eventually, if Microsoft keep on being bad, they will in one way or the other go out too. I trust in the workings of Nature and in the Law of Karmic pay-back. This has always worked (I have personally seen and experienced it do so all of my life), and will always continue to do so. No religious bs, just plain fact about how the Universe fights back on those who do harm to others for their own selfish reasons. The Universe demands BALANCE, and that there shall be once one of the two bullies have left the videogame market.
If I am not completely mistaken, the God who runs everything (as I believe it) does not approve of videogame companies who make a living off of corrupting the hearts and minds of the young by launching mostly violent videogames to the market, saturating everything with it, and not caring about it.
It has already been proved (IGN) that violent videogames (and movies) have a direct (!) influence on peoples behaviour to the negative making them violent themselves. Already now there is laws that have been made to curb the influence of such games in several countries around the world, in several US States. So Sony and Microsoft do not care what their games do to people who play them, but concerned parents and a large segment of the rest of society does. And so there will be one further problem which the two bullies will have to worry about: the people pressure! People will not tolerate the violence in games, if, and as has been proven, it hurts their loved ones on one way or the other. This sentiment will grow every day from now on. At any one time in the future it will become big enough to squeeze out gamemakers who make such games. So imaging what appeal the Microsoft and Sony machines will have to people, once they see that such games will have nearly been removed entirely from their games systems library! There wont be much left which can compete with Nintendo. It is clear by then, if not already, that Nintendo will stand out as the clear winner. Because they can entertain people, without also corrupting the hearts and minds of those who play on their machines. That is the winner of the future videogame market!!
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 01, 2006, 08:50:53 AM
Post by: Ian Sane on May 01, 2006, 09:09:20 AM
I don't think that. In the console business competitors always sh!t on each other if they can. The only time they don't is if one competitor is so small time that even addressing their existence would be giving them free publicity (ie: Nintendo crapped on Sega but didn't bother with 3DO). Despite being in last place Nintendo still has a strong enough market share that it's in Microsoft's and Sony's interest to kill them off. Plus remember that Nintendo is a strong competitor in the portable field. If Sony can hurt Nintendo's portable success by attacking their console they'll do it. MS doesn't have a portable but they may want to release one someday. Plus they'll do better in Japan if Nintendo bites the dust.
I don't think either of them are seriously afraid of Nintendo (maybe Sony in Japan). I just think they see them as a potential threat that, if it doesn't require much effort, is worth killing off. If Nintendo is going to pretty much hand you a gun you might as well blow their head off with it to make sure they're not a problem.
Post by: Kairon on May 01, 2006, 09:12:39 AM
In fact, I'm inspired by Nintendo. A willingness to take risks, a courage to challenge conventions, and the uncertainty of a blue ocean market that may or may not receptive to your efforts.
Finally Nintendo is playing anything other than catch-up to its competitors. Finally Nintendo is going to have something better to say than "The PS3 has Jak and Daxter...but uh...we've got Mario!" Finally Nintendo is calling out "Liberty or Death!" and defending their principles, not just for them but for everyone who agrees with that indomitable belief in innate human creative capability.
Nintendo is taking a stand, and so am I. I don't pretend to know how the future will turn out, but I do know this: Nintendo leads me to that precipice of unknown possibilities, and I cannot think of anywhere else I'd rather be headed.
~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
Post by: eljefe on May 01, 2006, 09:55:29 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Kairon
What can I say? I don't share your pessimism on the subject I'm afraid.
In fact, I'm inspired by Nintendo. A willingness to take risks, a courage to challenge conventions, and the uncertainty of a blue ocean market that may or may not receptive to your efforts.
Finally Nintendo is playing anything other than catch-up to its competitors. Finally Nintendo is going to have something better to say than "The PS3 has Jak and Daxter...but uh...we've got Mario!" Finally Nintendo is calling out "Liberty or Death!" and defending their principles, not just for them but for everyone who agrees with that indomitable belief in innate human creative capability.
Nintendo is taking a stand, and so am I. I don't pretend to know how the future will turn out, but I do know this: Nintendo leads me to that precipice of unknown possibilities, and I cannot think of anywhere else I'd rather be headed.
~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
POST OF THE YEAR
seriously well put
Nintendo has always innovated, but recently they kinda lost their spark, the spark of confidence. I don't know all what caused it, but I do know I'm feeling something different coming from them of late.
Its really quite intangible, but its still quite palpable, and it can be observed and noticed.
Like the wind, you can't see it...but you can observe its effects so you know its there. Its real enough to base decision off of (sailing a boat, hitting a golf ball, etc) but you can't properly explain it to someone else.
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 01, 2006, 10:10:01 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Kairon In fact, I'm inspired by Nintendo. A willingness to take risks, a courage to challenge conventions, and the uncertainty of a blue ocean market that may or may not receptive to your efforts.
Finally Nintendo is playing anything other than catch-up to its competitors. Finally Nintendo is going to have something better to say than "The PS3 has Jak and Daxter...but uh...we've got Mario!" Finally Nintendo is calling out "Liberty or Death!" and defending their principles, not just for them but for everyone who agrees with that indomitable belief in innate human creative capability.
Nintendo is taking a stand, and so am I. I don't pretend to know how the future will turn out, but I do know this: Nintendo leads me to that precipice of unknown possibilities, and I cannot think of anywhere else I'd rather be headed.
I see them trying to spin their console into something which it's going to take the non-gamer a LOT of convincing to buy.
A weird name which can be dismissed without a second thought by your average non-gamer isn't anything to be excited about. The FHC, yes. The download service, yes, but a marketing gimm!ck name which plays heavily upon puns? That's not exactly challenging conventions. It's more along the lines of pretentious marketing jargon which will likely turn more people off than on.
The name "Wii" may or may not say, "Maybe I should learn more." to people. How many spam messages with off the wall weird names have you deleted from your email today alone? When I see strange advertising, the first thing I think is, "Apparently, it can't sell itself without resorting to bizarre noveau-marketing tactics."
It's the same as throwing paid models into advertisements: if the product isn't good enough to sell on its own, they'll sell it with sex.
Again, I think a straight forward name was the way to go here.
Post by: eljefe on May 01, 2006, 10:25:35 AM
QuoteSTOP RIGHT THERE.. Will YOU enjoy it? Then maybye others will too...try being optimistic. Even if noone else does, at least you'll be having loads of fun.
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
I see them trying to spin their console into something which it's going to take the non-gamer a LOT of convincing to buy.
QuoteLike what?
Again, I think a straight forward name was the way to go here.
Post by: Kairon on May 01, 2006, 10:37:05 AM
Play with it high-brow if you like, play with it low-brow if you like, but just play with it. Be curious and explore it.
It's not a literal name, so it immediately evokes curiousity, and to figure out what it is you need to investigate it and play with it.
Play. As far as bizarre niveau-marketting tactics go, that's a hell of a lot more than a simple pun.
~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 01, 2006, 10:58:26 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: eljefe Even if noone else does, at least you'll be having loads of fun.
I will, but I fear that, like the cube, the Wii will experience a software drought later in its life, leaving me to play PC games or go buy another console if I want to play games.
Quote
Like what?
Well, like Revolution: the console which promises a Revolution in gaming. What's wrong with calling it as such?
Quote
Originally posted by: Kairon
Smash, you are meant to play with the Wii name.
Play with it high-brow if you like, play with it low-brow if you like, but just play with it. Be curious and explore it.
It's not a literal name, so it immediately evokes curiousity, and to figure out what it is you need to investigate it and play with it.
Play. As far as bizarre niveau-marketting tactics go, that's a hell of a lot more than a simple pun.
God willing, Nintendo can devise an ad campaign that will make "Wii" hip.
I hate to say it, but ALL of the marbles are riding on what Nintendo can do with advertising here.
Post by: eljefe on May 01, 2006, 11:28:03 AM
Revolution, as a name, is NOT as staightforward as people think. And contrary to popular thought, IT TOO needs an explanation.
To someone with no prior knowledge of videogames, Revolution could be derived from "revolve" (as in RPM) OR from "revolt". Nintendo obviously wanted people to take the latter as its meaning. But, revolt against what? The videogame industry (everything negative at least, the stagnation, excessive focus on niche 'hardcore', excessive focus on graphical updates...) Casual gamers who see a white box at Best Buy with NINTENDO REVOLUTION printed on it, having never heard of it, are not going to instantly know all of that.
So to understand the full meaning of any product you have to have SOME sort of explanation. I think most people just like the explanation of the Rev better than Wii.
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 01, 2006, 11:39:33 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: eljefe So to understand the full meaning of any product you have to have SOME sort of explanation. I think most people just like the explanation of the Rev better than Wii.
I think that's probably the bottom line, there.
Ideally, Nintendo should be advertising so much that people should know what "Wii" is before they go to the store.
Let's hope they didn't pick the name under the belief that it would allow them to skimp on advertising in favor of word of mouth.
Post by: eljefe on May 01, 2006, 01:49:16 PM
very true
That's what Kaplan is missing from her comparison to Google, Amazon, iPod. By the time people heard those names they needed their services.
If you needed to find something on the net and someone recommended Google the name wouldn't matter at that moment, and if you were satisfied with service, the name now equaled "search engine".
If they can make people equate what they see in Ads or play at a friends house as "fun/ easy/ affordable" then Wii, despite its piss-humour baggage, will be a sucess.
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 01, 2006, 03:00:57 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: eljefe If they can make people equate what they see in Ads or play at a friends house as "fun/ easy/ affordable" then Wii, despite its piss-humour baggage, will be a sucess.
Exactly.
If they can establish the brand, they'll be fine.
The commercials should just be Reggie screaming at the camera at the top of his lungs, so loud and so intimidating that people won't go for their remotes because they'll be afraid Reggie will be waiting for them on the next channel.
Post by: 31 Flavas on May 01, 2006, 03:46:46 PM
QuoteNot that I assosicate Nintendo as a cripple, but if you mudsling a cripple you're just seen as a jerk. Even back in the day when Nintendo was #1 with no "kiddy" image, Sega's mudslinging and ridiculing ads against Nintendo and the Gameboy were just seen as offensive, insulting, and patronising.
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
I agree with Pap that I want it to be a success, but I think that, if the system becomes at all successful in the US, Sony and MS will probably make ads mocking and tearing it down, and I hate to say it, but in the US media, mudslinging works.
Blatant attack ads against Wii, if its about it's name. It won't do them any good. They'd just harm them instead. Stick to the numbers (polygons/triangles/whatnot), the advanced silicon, and multimedia. Is a political leader going to win more votes by making an attack ad, that attacks his opponets name? The opponet is Harry P. Johnson, by the way... Or by attacking his credibity to do the job well?
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 01, 2006, 06:11:19 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: 31 Flavas Blatant attack ads against Wii, if its about it's name. It won't do them any good. They'd just harm them instead. Stick to the numbers (polygons/triangles/whatnot), the advanced silicon, and multimedia. Is a political leader going to win more votes by making an attack ad, that attacks his opponets name? The opponet is Harry P. Johnson, by the way... Or by attacking his credibity to do the job well?
Easy. You just call everyone who wants Harry Johnson g ay and they won't vote for him out of insecurity.
Post by: The Omen on May 01, 2006, 06:25:24 PM
Quote
To someone with no prior knowledge of videogames, Revolution could be derived from "revolve" (as in RPM) OR from "revolt". Nintendo obviously wanted people to take the latter as its meaning. But, revolt against what? The videogame industry (everything negative at least, the stagnation, excessive focus on niche 'hardcore', excessive focus on graphical updates...) Casual gamers who see a white box at Best Buy with NINTENDO REVOLUTION printed on it, having never heard of it, are not going to instantly know all of that.
Anyone with a grasp of the english language can pretty much gather what it means, contrary to all of your over analyzing, and circular logic.
Post by: Artimus on May 01, 2006, 06:27:36 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: The OmenQuote
To someone with no prior knowledge of videogames, Revolution could be derived from "revolve" (as in RPM) OR from "revolt". Nintendo obviously wanted people to take the latter as its meaning. But, revolt against what? The videogame industry (everything negative at least, the stagnation, excessive focus on niche 'hardcore', excessive focus on graphical updates...) Casual gamers who see a white box at Best Buy with NINTENDO REVOLUTION printed on it, having never heard of it, are not going to instantly know all of that.
Anyone with a grasp of the english language can pretty much gather what it means, contrary to all of your over analyzing, and circular logic.
Not really. I'd say revolving would be the most likely interpretation. Normal people have no clue there is any need for a revolution, let alone that Nintendo wants one.
Post by: 31 Flavas on May 01, 2006, 06:50:33 PM
QuoteOh really? Who would you get to air this "YOU ARE HOMOSEXUAL if you vote so and so. Vote Macho Manly Man to prove you are a hetrosexual!" commercial? You won't get it aired on any clear channel radio station, top network TV channel, or in any non-conservative Christian print magazine.
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
Easy. You just call everyone who wants Harry Johnson ga y and they won't vote for him out of insecurity.
Blatent bigotry/intolerance just doesn't fly with adverstisers these days.
Post by: BiLdItUp1 on May 01, 2006, 06:52:40 PM
Post by: wandering on May 01, 2006, 06:58:09 PM
Quote
Oh really? Who would you get to air this "YOU ARE HOMOSEXUAL if you vote so and so. Vote Macho Manly Man to prove you are a hetrosexual!" commercial? You won't get it aired on any clear channel radio station, top network TV channel, or in any non-conservative Christian print magazine.
Blatent bigotry/intolerance just doesn't fly with adverstisers these days.
That's what talk show hosts and shadow organizations and flyers passed around chruches are for. Of course, trying to convince people that they'd be seen as gay if they voted for a certain canidate would be pointless since voting is an anonymous activity, but whatever.
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 01, 2006, 07:03:49 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: 31 Flavas Oh really? Who would you get to air this "YOU ARE HOMOSEXUAL if you vote so and so. Vote Macho Manly Man to prove you are a hetrosexual!" commercial? You won't get it aired on any clear channel radio station, top network TV channel, or in any non-conservative Christian print magazine.
Blatent bigotry/intolerance just doesn't fly with adverstisers these days.
Who said anything about "blatant"?
If you make a comparison ad with your games being dark and mature and showing your competitor's alleged games as being colorful and immensely fruity, then yeah, you can get away with suggesting that your competition is for homosexuals via means of suggestive advertising.
I only recall MS doing this on their website, not in television advertising.
Suggestively berating your competition is an age old tactic and will pass cleanly under the noses of any censor.
Post by: 31 Flavas on May 01, 2006, 07:17:10 PM
QuoteOk, so lets bring this full circle... Smash bro, or you, or whoever is saying Sony and/or Microsoft are going to allow themselves to be labeled as intolerant bigots for the purpose of burying Wii and Nintendo? You're joking, right?
Originally posted by: wandering
That's what talk show hosts and shadow organizations and flyers passed around chruches are for. Of course, trying to convince people that they'd be seen as gay if they voted for a certain canidate would be pointless since voting is an anonymous activity, but whatever.
The name calling or "Ga y" labeling just isn't an viable weapon for adverstiments at all.
Post by: wandering on May 01, 2006, 07:37:36 PM
Quote
Ok, so lets bring this full circle... Smash bro, or you, or whoever is saying Sony and/or Microsoft are going to allow themselves to be labeled as intolerant bigots for the purpose of burying Wii and Nintendo? You're joking, right?
The name calling or "Ga y" labeling just isn't an viable weapon for adverstiments at all.
Of course they wouldn't make a commercial with a tagline like "So go ahead, buy a Wii. If you want everyone to think you're homosexual. Are you homosexual? Didn't think so. Xbox 360. Jump in."
What smash is saying is that they might try to subtly imply the Wii is less...masculine than the competition.
I don't think the Wii opens the door for negative ads or even much ridicule, personally. I don't think there's much of anything objectively wrong with the name, and I think all this wild speculation about the various ways it'll help bring down Nintendo will turn out to be wildly false. But I could be wrong.
Post by: 31 Flavas on May 01, 2006, 08:12:06 PM
QuoteSuggesting that your competiton's product is less masculine then your product is one thing. And done all the time. 'My beer is more Manly then your Beer', 'My coffee is more exotic then yours', 'Blast Processing', etc....
Originally posted by: wandering
Of course they wouldn't make a commercial with a tagline like "So go ahead, buy a Wii. If you want everyone to think you're homosexual. Are you homosexual? Didn't think so. Xbox 360. Jump in."
What smash is saying is that they might try to subtly imply the Wii is less...masculine than the competition.
Implying even ever so subtly that the competing product is inferior by means of being Queer, or Black, or Jewish, is a completely different thing. It may not be illegal and/or something the censors can't prohibit, but you don't want that association following you unless you ARE the KKK or an ultra-conservative christian ministry. It would severly impact all of Sony and Microsoft's other bussiness sales if the court of public opinion judged them guilty of bigotry or anti-semitism.
Post by: mantidor on May 01, 2006, 08:20:35 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: ArtimusQuote
Originally posted by: The OmenQuote
To someone with no prior knowledge of videogames, Revolution could be derived from "revolve" (as in RPM) OR from "revolt". Nintendo obviously wanted people to take the latter as its meaning. But, revolt against what? The videogame industry (everything negative at least, the stagnation, excessive focus on niche 'hardcore', excessive focus on graphical updates...) Casual gamers who see a white box at Best Buy with NINTENDO REVOLUTION printed on it, having never heard of it, are not going to instantly know all of that.
Anyone with a grasp of the english language can pretty much gather what it means, contrary to all of your over analyzing, and circular logic.
Not really. I'd say revolving would be the most likely interpretation. Normal people have no clue there is any need for a revolution, let alone that Nintendo wants one.
I disagree, revolution's first and most usual association is with rebel movements and such, the "revolve around something" is a more technical or scientific meaning, not mainstream. When the beatles sang "you want a revolution" Im pretty sure people didnt think about going in circles.
Post by: The Omen on May 01, 2006, 08:45:38 PM
Quote
I disagree, revolution's first and most usual association is with rebel movements and such, the "revolve around something" is a more technical or scientific meaning, not mainstream. When the beatles sang "you want a revolution" Im pretty sure people didnt think about going in circles.
Exactly. There's no need to know a revolution is needed. You think when Rage Against the Machine named their band, they were worried people would think they were talking about raging against Zerox copiers? I mean, come on....
Post by: IceCold on May 01, 2006, 09:14:55 PM
QuoteI remember a Conservative ad over here putting a picture of Jean Chretien on screen and asking "Do you really want this man to be your leader?" or something like that. Chretien has a condition that disfigures his face. There was immense backlash from this, and it was pulled.
Is a political leader going to win more votes by making an attack ad, that attacks his opponets name?
Also, watch the NiGHTS commercial.
Yeah, anecdotes without opinions don't really work
Post by: 31 Flavas on May 01, 2006, 10:00:30 PM
QuoteWell, don't get me wrong. I know there are people that will actually do such rediculus things. The point, of course, was since everyone and their mothers uncle is 'supposed' so insecure or intolerant about ga yness would such an outragous attack ad actually get more votes then a "credible" attack ad would? Hell fuc king no.
Originally posted by: IceCold
I remember a Conservative ad over here putting a picture of Jean Chretien on screen and asking "Do you really want this man to be your leader?" or something like that. Chretien has a condition that disfigures his face. There was immense backlash from this, and it was pulled.
QuoteWell, unless it far too subtle for me, or just went by too fast, I don't see it making any attack that the PSX is queer. It does do name calling, "Plaything", but it is limited to a fraction of the comercial. Compairitivly though, the entirety of a certain Sega vs. Nintendo ad insinuated that Nintendo fans were not only color blind, but flat out stupid, and drink from toilets, as well.
Also, watch the NiGHTS commercial.
Post by: IceCold on May 01, 2006, 10:19:03 PM
QuoteIt doesn't. I just threw it in there - my whole last post was pretty random.
Well, unless it far too subtle for me, or just went by too fast, I don't see it making any attack that the PSX is queer.
Post by: wandering on May 01, 2006, 10:19:15 PM
Quote
Well, don't get me wrong. I know there are people that will actually do such rediculus things. The point, of course, was since everyone and their mothers uncle is 'supposed' so insecure or intolerant about ga yness would such an outragous attack ad actually get more votes then a "credible" attack ad would? Hell fuc king no.
I dunno.
Guy in a pink shirt, slight lisp walks up to a cool person who's talking with a 2 attractive women.
"So, later, you wanna come over and play with my Wii?" asks the guy in the pink shirt.
"Actually, uh, we were planning on playing Halo 3." Cool person puts arms around women and they walk away.
Xbox 360: Jump In.
Post by: Artimus on May 02, 2006, 03:33:24 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: wanderingQuote
Well, don't get me wrong. I know there are people that will actually do such rediculus things. The point, of course, was since everyone and their mothers uncle is 'supposed' so insecure or intolerant about ga yness would such an outragous attack ad actually get more votes then a "credible" attack ad would? Hell fuc king no.
I dunno.
Guy in a pink shirt, slight lisp walks up to a cool person who's talking with a 2 attractive women.
"So, later, you wanna come over and play with my Wii?" asks the guy in the pink shirt.
"Actually, uh, we were planning on playing Halo 3." Cool person puts arms around women and they walk away.
Xbox 360: Jump In.
If they did that they'd be blasted by every homosexual group in the country, and rightfully so. It would cause a huge political fallout.
Post by: 31 Flavas on May 02, 2006, 04:18:12 AM
QuoteAnd not just LGBT would be bashing it, straight folk would bash it too. Like I said, namecalling and "G ay" labeling just is not acceptable for the COMPANY to do. If you want to, on your own, time spread the word Wii is queer, it's your perogitive. But coporations just can not afford to be seen as intolerant these days, it's very bad for bussiness.
Originally posted by: Artimus
If they did that they'd be blasted by every homosexual group in the country, and rightfully so. It would cause a huge political fallout.
Post by: eljefe on May 02, 2006, 04:52:20 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: The OmenQuote
I disagree, revolution's first and most usual association is with rebel movements and such, the "revolve around something" is a more technical or scientific meaning, not mainstream. When the beatles sang "you want a revolution" Im pretty sure people didnt think about going in circles.
Exactly. There's no need to know a revolution is needed. You think when Rage Against the Machine named their band, they were worried people would think they were talking about raging against Zerox copiers? I mean, come on....
You're not serious..are you?
did you read my post?
it was in response to Smash Bro insinuating what many of you apparently believe: that the name Revolution is INSTANTLY COMPREHENSIBLE to people unnassociated with the gaming world.
I stand by my statement. Technically nobody on this board can prove me wrong, even tho I might be, because ALL OF US ARE GAMERS and ALL OF US HAVE HAD TIME TO DIGEST revolution's EXPLANATION.
Smash Bro HIMSELF called it, " Revolution: the console which promises a Revolution in gaming"
Tho brief, there IS an explanation in that statement. That's ALL I'm saying: both Rev and Wii need explanations.
I happen to be OK with Wii, mainly because its out of my hands to change it, but if it weren't named Wii I would not want to go back to Revolution.
Post by: eljefe on May 02, 2006, 04:56:24 AM
Most people will know of Wii as this consoles ORIGINAL name. They won't have to run thru the mental gymnastics we all are engaging in.
Wii is a lot less weird if its all you've ever known. Think about that..
For people who have never heard of GameBoy or Xbox (believe me...they exist. I know plenty)
or what "generation" of gaming is 'current' or 'next'
or don't know what SNES stands for...
Wii isn't all that bad.
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 02, 2006, 06:12:11 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: wandering Guy in a pink shirt, slight lisp walks up to a cool person who's talking with a 2 attractive women.
"So, later, you wanna come over and play with my Wii?" asks the guy in the pink shirt.
"Actually, uh, we were planning on playing Halo 3." Cool person puts arms around women and they walk away.
Xbox 360: Jump In.
You don't need to even imply homosexuality in that case. Give the guy a regular shirt and subtract lisp and it preys on insecurity just fine. The comparison ad, showing dark and gritty and then bright and fruity gets the point across subtly. Obviously, you can't come right out an say, "That's g ay!" but they can suggest it and still get away with it.
Just suggesting that owing a "wee" will diminish your chances with women (who, from my experience, love Nintendo games) is enough of an insecurity catalyst that many people would be discouraged from buying one.
Better yet, if I were MS or Sony, I'd have the "wee" fanboy, which follows this one poor bastard who goes around asking if anyone wants to play with his "wee" and repeatedly getting the sh!t kicked out of him by men and slapped by women because the name sounds suggestive.
It's a very easy name to make fun of, and that's my primary qualm with it because I think the US market will avoid it like the plague, especially if Nintendo doesn't advertise enough to get the brand name out there.
Post by: 31 Flavas on May 02, 2006, 06:23:44 AM
QuoteHm... now I wonder why neither would persue that kind of advertisment either.... Geez that's a toughie. </sarcasim>
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
Better yet, if I were MS or Sony, I'd have the "wee" fanboy, which follows this one poor bastard who goes around asking if anyone wants to play with his "wee" and repeatedly getting the sh!t kicked out of him by men and slapped by women because the name sounds suggestive.
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 02, 2006, 06:27:09 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: 31 Flavas Hm... now I wonder why neither would persue that kind of advertisment either.... Geez that's a toughie. </sarcasim>
If Nintendo starts to look like a genuine threat or, god knows, pull into the lead, you can count on anti-wee ads popping up.
Sony and MS have nothing to rival what Nintendo is offering so trying to ridicule it will be their only recourse.
Post by: 31 Flavas on May 02, 2006, 06:53:44 AM
QuoteNothing has stopped Sony from copying before... and you know Microsoft has this whole "Embrace and Extend" thing...
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
If Nintendo starts to look like a genuine threat or, god knows, pull into the lead, you can count on anti-wee ads popping up.
Sony and MS have nothing to rival what Nintendo is offering so trying to ridicule it will be their only recourse.
I guess the only thing stopping either in such a 'genuine threat' situation would be pride and admitting that Nintendo was right, AGAIN.
Post by: jasonditz on May 02, 2006, 07:07:48 AM
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 02, 2006, 07:15:38 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: 31 Flavas Nothing has stopped Sony from copying before... and you know Microsoft has this whole "Embrace and Extend" thing...
I guess the only thing stopping either in such a 'genuine threat' situation would be pride and admitting that Nintendo was right, AGAIN.
Oh, they'll more than likely have Revmotes of their own come next gen, but this gen, you'll see them bashing Nintendo in an attempt to not lose ground to them.
Just like the Crash Bandicoot commercials where he was outside Nintendo HQ mocking Mario and then later went all console, including Gamecube.
Post by: Ian Sane on May 02, 2006, 08:00:21 AM
So just because a guy has a pink shirt and a speech impediment it means he's homosexual? The guy is asking an attractive woman if she wants to play videogames with him. That suggests to me that he is interested in women. But because he's such a loser the Xbox 360 guy gets the girl instead.
Post by: The Omen on May 02, 2006, 08:03:27 AM
Quote
You're not serious..are you?
did you read my post?
it was in response to Smash Bro insinuating what many of you apparently believe: that the name Revolution is INSTANTLY COMPREHENSIBLE to people unnassociated with the gaming world.
Yes, I am serious. Did you read my post? Saying the word revolution needs to be explained to anyone who speaks English is ridiculous. The word Machine in "Rage Against the Machine" never needed explaining, and in that case, machine didn't even mean actual mechanical machines, but it was a symbol, a monicker for worldwide governing, the powers that be, which with your argument should have been harder for people to grasp, right? Afterall, in this case, the word isn't even associated with the first thought that comes to peoples minds when they hear it. But it is obvious, just as revolution is. Humans have pretty substantial deductive reasoning for the most part, and our brains inform us what makes sense, and in what context, long before we actually dwell upon it. I believe it's called common sense.
Post by: Artimus on May 02, 2006, 08:05:01 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
"If they did that they'd be blasted by every homosexual group in the country, and rightfully so. It would cause a huge political fallout."
So just because a guy has a pink shirt and a speech impediment it means he's homosexual? The guy is asking an attractive woman if she wants to play videogames with him. That suggests to me that he is interested in women. But because he's such a loser the Xbox 360 guy gets the girl instead.
Oh come on. A pink shirt and a lisp? What else is that supposed to say? It's the definitive homosexual stereotype.
And why is a person a loser just for wearing a pink shirt? And since when does a speech impediment make you a loser? Well?
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 02, 2006, 08:06:11 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane So just because a guy has a pink shirt and a speech impediment it means he's homosexual? The guy is asking an attractive woman if she wants to play videogames with him. That suggests to me that he is interested in women. But because he's such a loser the Xbox 360 guy gets the girl instead.
That's a good point.
If there was any outcry from the g ay community, they'd likely just point out, "He's hitting on women." and the argument would be nullified.
Meanwhile, the suggestion would go through unhindered.
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 02, 2006, 08:08:52 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: The Omen
Yes, I am serious. Did you read my post? Saying the word revolution needs to be explained to anyone who speaks English is ridiculous. The word Machine in "Rage Against the Machine" never needed explaining, and in that case, machine didn't even mean actual mechanical machines, but it was a symbol, a monicker for worldwide governing, the powers that be, which with your argument should have been harder for people to grasp, right? Afterall, in this case, the word isn't even associated with the first thought that comes to peoples minds when they hear it. But it is obvious, just as revolution is. Humans have pretty substantial deductive reasoning for the most part, and our brains inform us what makes sense, and in what context, long before we actually dwell upon it. I believe it's called common sense.
People know what "Revolution" means, but they don't know that it's a Revolution in gaming.
However, they won't know what "Wii" is, either and I doubt they'll care very much. I think people overestimate the effect that strange marketing tactics have on today's populace.
People are gradually being trained to simply ignore advertising altogether. Without a massive ad campaign, the word "Wii" will do nothing.
Post by: The Omen on May 02, 2006, 08:13:31 AM
Post by: The Omen on May 02, 2006, 08:16:29 AM
Quote
People know what "Revolution" means, but they don't know that it's a Revolution in gaming.
I guess I have more faith in people. If they know what Revoltuion means, and they are shown it's a gaming console, I tend to think they get the message. I highly doubt anyone cares if one is needed, wanted or ongoing. And I sincerely hope no moron would think it meant the console revolves in the living room.
Post by: Ian Sane on May 02, 2006, 08:34:15 AM
He's a loser because he's hitting on some chick but another more manly guy comes and steals her away.
Post by: Requiem on May 02, 2006, 09:00:18 AM
Any type of steriotype is bad business. Just cause the g@y dude is hitting on a girl, it still implies that he's a typical g@y dude.
It's just like if a black dude walked up instead, started freestyling, then tried to steal the cool dude's wallet. Since I am black (striaght african...no american here) I would be pretty offended.
Same sh!t.
Post by: Artimus on May 02, 2006, 09:00:43 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
"And why is a person a loser just for wearing a pink shirt? And since when does a speech impediment make you a loser? Well?"
He's a loser because he's hitting on some chick but another more manly guy comes and steals her away.
Oh come on, get real. You know very well that's not how a commercial like that would play. But I'm not surprised to see you of all people defending it.
Post by: eljefe on May 02, 2006, 09:01:42 AM
it will be meaningless
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 02, 2006, 09:15:20 AM
Also, this ad communicates exactly what I mean:
http://movies.apple.com/movies/us/apple/getamac_ads1/networking_480x376.mov
The subtle message here is that mac users are more capable and thus will get laid more often.
Imagine a commercial where someone comes out and says, "I'm an xbox 360," and the other guy says, "I'm a wee!"
Post by: Ian Sane on May 02, 2006, 09:31:30 AM
In all honestly I would probably make the Wii guy in the ad look more like a wimpy dork and not make him so effeminate. Making the guy seem queer would probably make the ad confusing.
Though I don't really like the ad that much anyway. I personally would use the tried and true k!ddy label. Another idea would be to have a commercial where a guy tries to buy a Wii but finds it too awkward to ask the clerk for it. Then another guy (who is better looking of course) asks for a Playstation 3/Xbox 360 and then the Wii guy says "you know what? I'll just have what he's having."
But then Nintendo could probably use a similar ad that jokingly plays up the fact that the guy finds it hard to order the Wii. There could be a whole lineup of guys. Maybe the guys find it hard to say "Wii" and then some hot girl buys one at the other counter and they say "what she bought." Or have an ad where guys get their girlfriends to buy it for them. I don't think these are really great ad ideas but at least they seem doable. I still think "our console kicks ass" is better than "our console isn't very cool but you'll like it anyway".
Post by: The Omen on May 02, 2006, 09:37:04 AM
Quote
Imagine a commercial where someone comes out and says, "I'm an xbox 360," and the other guy says, "I'm a wee!"
Then if I'm marketing for Nintendo I make a rebuttal about how all 360 players have "console envy". In all truth here, I doubt MS or Sony will attack the Wii name officially unless it takes the lead by a wide margin.
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 02, 2006, 09:45:18 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: The Omen In all truth here, I doubt MS or Sony will attack the Wii name officially unless it takes the lead by a wide margin.
Like I said, if the wee becomes a threat, count on it.
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on May 02, 2006, 10:36:03 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_BrotherQuote
Originally posted by: The Omen In all truth here, I doubt MS or Sony will attack the Wii name officially unless it takes the lead by a wide margin.
Like I said, if the wee becomes a threat, count on it.
If Wii becomes a threat, and Sony along with MS indeed do attack it based on its name, that in itself is taking a risk. They could come off looking childish, or stupid, which is why most competitors avoid taking pot shots at their competition by using their name, which is why most only hint at who the competitor is. With a name like "Wii" it would be a blatant attack, and it is hard to hint at who they are referencing.
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 02, 2006, 11:53:59 AM
Also, it's easy to make fun of the name. They could do one of those "Them, Us" ads: all they have to do is have a fat kid swinging on a swing set shouting "Wheee!" with a really awful voice to be the "them" group. Compare that to anything for the "Us" and us will look better by comparison.
Post by: Kairon on May 02, 2006, 12:07:00 PM
~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
Edit: Besides, there are already periodicals titled "US" and "We" and "US Weekly."
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 02, 2006, 12:14:12 PM
I mean that if MS wanted to compare itself to Nintendo and accentuate their differences, it would be a "them, us" TYPE of commercial.
Post by: Kairon on May 02, 2006, 12:23:41 PM
~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
Post by: jasonditz on May 02, 2006, 12:54:42 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: ArtimusQuote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
"If they did that they'd be blasted by every homosexual group in the country, and rightfully so. It would cause a huge political fallout."
So just because a guy has a pink shirt and a speech impediment it means he's homosexual? The guy is asking an attractive woman if she wants to play videogames with him. That suggests to me that he is interested in women. But because he's such a loser the Xbox 360 guy gets the girl instead.
Oh come on. A pink shirt and a lisp? What else is that supposed to say? It's the definitive homosexual stereotype.
And why is a person a loser just for wearing a pink shirt? And since when does a speech impediment make you a loser? Well?
you could make them anthropomorphic animals I guess. If the PSP commercials have anything to teach, it's that you can get away with all manner of insulting stereotypes so long as they're thinly veiled.
Post by: jasonditz on May 02, 2006, 12:59:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
Since when do g ay guys hit on women?
Also, this ad communicates exactly what I mean:
http://movies.apple.com/movies/us/apple/getamac_ads1/networking_480x376.mov
The subtle message here is that mac users are more capable and thus will get laid more often.
False advertising, I've been using this mac for over a year now and I still haven't gotten any Japanese girls who are also cameras.
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 02, 2006, 01:07:48 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Kairon
Aren't all commercials "Them, and us" anyways though? With the freehand controller, Nintendo's commercials will probably come out the same way.
Exactly, and thus you see the angle MS/Sony would play, right?
I'm saying, why give them that angle to play against Nintendo?
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 02, 2006, 03:25:32 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: jasonditz
False advertising, I've been using this mac for over a year now and I still haven't gotten any Japanese girls who are also cameras.
Actually, there are no Japanese citizens not armed with cellphone cameras so technically...
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on May 02, 2006, 03:29:37 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_BrotherQuote
Originally posted by: Kairon
Aren't all commercials "Them, and us" anyways though? With the freehand controller, Nintendo's commercials will probably come out the same way.
Exactly, and thus you see the angle MS/Sony would play, right?
I'm saying, why give them that angle to play against Nintendo?
I believe that NIntendo decided on "Wii" in order to differentiate themselves from the competition. Unlike others, I believe Nintendo ha a good reason for choosing such a strange name, there is no way they couldn't have known it would be controversial. I think as time goes on, it will be revealed more and more why it is named Wii through their marketing campaign heats it.
If Sony and MS want to do mud slinging because of the name, then they can go ahead and do it, but like other strangely named things, this mud slinging will have little to no effect on Nintendo or Wii if it is sucessful. Since the name is so different, it has a big chance of being a separate entity from the whole "next generation" console wars, especially if it attracts those that usually don't play games. Like iPod, Amazon, google etc it may become its own entity in people's eyes.
Post by: wandering on May 02, 2006, 08:23:34 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
He's a loser because he's hitting on some chick but another more manly guy comes and steals her away.
I was actually thinking the guy was just coming up to the other cooler guy, ignoring the girls the cooler guy was already with. But whatever.
I'll agree with people that don't see Sony or Microsoft trying to paint people who play as actually being attracted to members of the same sex. More likely that they'd try to paint the system as 'gay' in the mornic derogatory term sense of the word. Show cute and colorful games side-by-side with badass games or whatever. Of course, they could still have done that even with 'Revolution' as the title.
Really, I'm not expecting much negative advertising directly related to the 'Wii' name. Maybe a stupid side comment on Xbox.com about how Nintendo fans would rather play with their wiis instead of other people or something.
Quote
Originally posted by: The Omen
Exactly. There's no need to know a revolution is needed. You think when Rage Against the Machine named their band, they were worried people would think they were talking about raging against Zerox copiers? I mean, come on....
I don't think the issue is that some people won't understand what Revolution means (well, some people have brought up that possibility, but let's put that aside a moment.) The issue is: who does the name speak to? If you aren't a hardcore gamer, you don't know that gaming needs a revolution. The name wouldn't speak to non-gamers.
Also, Revolution is just a horribly generic name. Try looking it up on Google. And also, the describes what the system is supposed to do in the marketplace, instead of what it actually does.
...But then, Wii doesn't really describe what the system does, either. It describes the system's 'inclusive' nature. Hmm. Perhaps Nintendo Go wouldn't have been such a bad name after all?
Post by: Smash_Brother on May 03, 2006, 07:12:24 AM
Games would be "On the Go", and people would "play some Go" and joke about "Wanting to Go". Not really any urine references there.
Post by: mantidor on May 03, 2006, 08:28:35 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
I'd be quite pleased with "Go" right about now.
Games would be "On the Go", and people would "play some Go" and joke about "Wanting to Go". Not really any disgusting, annoying high pitched sounds there.
fixed.
Post by: Ian Sane on May 03, 2006, 08:32:43 AM
Doesn't having a console that sacrifices cutting edge hardware in favour of a lower price and a new way of controlling games do a pretty good job of doing that on its own? It's not like they have to name it something idiotic to differentiate themselves. The whole console is different already.
Post by: Kairon on May 03, 2006, 08:38:10 AM
~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
Post by: IceCold on May 07, 2006, 11:47:05 AM
QuoteI dunno.. I could see people thinking it was the Luddites' warcry
You think when Rage Against the Machine named their band, they were worried people would think they were talking about raging against Zerox copiers? I mean, come on....
