Topic: the official : "telling family about wii" thread

[eljefe]

profiles..

PARENTS: both approaching 50, never liked videogames. My dad did watch a whole game of FIFA once. Haven't told them anything about the Wii. I'll just let them play it.

SISTER: 25, used to play (especially fighting, racing, sports games). She was the one who turned on the NES when we got it. Haven't told her anything about the Wii. I'll just let her play first as well, she's a SHOW ME type.

BRO #1: 24, used to buy and play games(same genres as my sis, also he loves any game with Link) Still plays MarioKart 64 and SSBM if he has a minute. He still rents games occasionally. Hates complicated controls so I kept him up to date with all breaking news about Rev. Just emailed him about the Wii name news. He said, "Nice, maybe Wii should get it!" He's been sold on the concept since heard about the 8 press demos, and the news about Spiderman 3 on it. The name doesn't affect his decision at all.

BRO #2: 22, still actively buys and plays videogames (he'll play anything but FPS and turnbased RPG) Sadly, his favourite games are all EA SPORTS games. I know it hurts. He really likes good graphics. He is also image conscious. So when he sees screens and videos of 360 or ps3 he gets hyped (just like he did when he saw xbox and ps2), but when he PLAYS Nintendo consoles he says, "For $200? This is enough graphics." Like I said tho he's all image conscious, so when he heard about the revmote and saw it he was not interested. As he heard more especially how it could change old genres he likes, he was gradually sold. I told him about the Wii and he said, "As long as its not purple...What are Nintendo doing?" I quickly smoothed that over by telling him the overshadowed news of the day: Madden's control scheme. He was hyped about being able throw side-armed. He'll be sold solid when he plays it or sees videos of it.


that's my immediate fam anyway, I'll update later with friends who are mostly Sony lovers or "casual" gamers.

[Dasmos]

I told my brother and mum, they both laughed and asked when it was coming out. They didn't cry or say it was the worst thing to happen ever.

[ThePerm]

i was mad, but beatles songs make me better, hence the sig

[Hostile Creation]

My mother (early forties): seems sold on the concept of the Wii, and I didn't even talk to her about it that much.  She's been a very casual gamer before (she liked Wave Race and the original Mario Bros), but definitely not recently.  She wants a DS of her own now.  When I told her about the Wii (then Revolution) she got really interested and says she'd like to get one of her own.
And that, without any game announcements or anything.  Haven't gotten the chance to mention the name Wii yet.

My father (mid forties): I haven't really told him about it at all.  I suspect he'd like playing Wii with me and my family, though.  He beat my high score on the bob-omb slingshot game in Mario 64 DS on his first try, but that's all I think he's gamed for a long time.
Haven't told him about Wii, even the concept.  I probably will sometime soon.

My sister (sixteen): Pretty casual gamer, she likes games (particularly cute ones, loves Pikmin and Kirby Air Ride) and plays with me fairly often.  Less often on her own, though I have seen her playing my DS from time to time.  Loves the DS, seems really excited for Wii.
I told her about the name Wii and she seemed to really like it.


I'll do a friend profile later.  I can say that most of them are enthusiastic, though; five of my friends own a DS.
Overall pretty good news, though.  Cool to hear about your brother liking the sound of Madden, that's great news.

[MysticGohan]

o...k reading that Perm, I think my comphension skills went down 20points... damn you!!

[obscureownership]

Parent #1(Dad): I told him that Nintendo's next console is going to be officially called the "Nintendo Wii" and he began to convolse uncontrollably. I shook him and he began to yell, "Why cruel God, WHY?!?!?!?!?" He then fell to his knees, and pushed his fingers into his eyes until blood started pouring from his eyes.

Parent #2(Mom): She came up to me and asked why Dad was yelling, and then I told her that Nintendo's next console is going to be called "Nintendo Wii," after she learned of this, she preformed ritualistic suicide.

Parent #3(Frenchy McFrencherson): I told him about the name and he really liked it.

Okay,  I'm lying guys. I didn't really tell my parents anything.  

[mantidor]

I told my brother, he hated the name, but told me "thats the console you move your hands and all, right? thats so nice, stupid name though"

I feel the same is going to happen with everyone.

The concept is awesome, the games will be awesome and everyone will like the rev, but everyone will also agree that the official name is stupid.

The more I think about it the name will do nothing to break or make the console, so the only possible explanation for it is that Nintendo wanted to piss of everyone.

[eljefe]

Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
My mother (early forties): seems sold on the concept of the Wii, and I didn't even talk to her about it that much.  She's been a very casual gamer before (she liked Wave Race and the original Mario Bros), but definitely not recently.  She wants a DS of her own now.  When I told her about the Wii (then Revolution) she got really interested and says she'd like to get one of her own.
And that, without any game announcements or anything.  Haven't gotten the chance to mention the name Wii yet.

My father (mid forties): I haven't really told him about it at all.  I suspect he'd like playing Wii with me and my family, though.  He beat my high score on the bob-omb slingshot game in Mario 64 DS on his first try, but that's all I think he's gamed for a long time.
Haven't told him about Wii, even the concept.  I probably will sometime soon.

My sister (sixteen): Pretty casual gamer, she likes games (particularly cute ones, loves Pikmin and Kirby Air Ride) and plays with me fairly often.  Less often on her own, though I have seen her playing my DS from time to time.  Loves the DS, seems really excited for Wii.
I told her about the name Wii and she seemed to really like it.


I'll do a friend profile later.  I can say that most of them are enthusiastic, though; five of my friends own a DS.
Overall pretty good news, though.  Cool to hear about your brother liking the sound of Madden, that's great news.

cool

If I had a DS I think the hype machine would be in full swing. My oldest bro wanted a DS for his fiance' after he heard about Nintendogs (in the news). That didn't pan out tho. We might split the cost of a DS Lite when it hit NA.

But my Madden-loving brother, I honestly thought, if anyone who had planned to buy it would give up on it because its now named Wii, it would be him. But, the name seems to be really inconsequential to people outside of the swirling hype/hate vortex that is the Innanet.

[eljefe]

Quote
Originally posted by: mantidor
I told my brother, he hated the name, but told me "thats the console you move your hands and all, right? thats so nice, stupid name though"

I feel the same is going to happen with everyone.

The concept is awesome, the games will be awesome and everyone will like the rev, but everyone will also agree that the official name is stupid.

The more I think about it the name will do nothing to break or make the console, so the only possible explanation for it is that Nintendo wanted to piss of everyone.

true

I tried to explain what the press release said to my 22-yearold brother while driving. We stopped at a red light, he paused and said, "There's no two ways around it: its a dumb name." Then he started laughing.


So yeah everyone knows it could've been "better".

[Hostile Creation]

I think it's good that it's making people laugh.
I'm enjoying that, at least.  Nintendo knows fun.

[ShyGuy]

So I told my family I was into Wii

My mom asked if I ever tried not to be into Wii, just find the right girl and get all this crazy nonsense out of my head.

My dad got mad and said he was going to buy me a  frilly pink tutu

My sister was really accepting of me coming out about Wii and said her roommate had a friend who was into Wii too, she is going to introduce us.

[mantidor]

Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
I think it's good that it's making people laugh.
I'm enjoying that, at least.  Nintendo knows fun.

Thats really the only redeeming factor I see here. Thanks god I know english and I got to know what "wee" means thanks to all this uproar, because if I was just hearing it from a "spanish" point of view I wouldnt have laughed at all.

[capamerica]

This morning I decided to get the opinions from my family and what they thought of the name. Without saying what it was I asked them a few Questions. Questions that Nintendo should have asked.

Note: None of my family members are gamers, they are the exact audience Nintendo would be aiming at. I also asked each of them one on one so their opinion wouldn't be effected by others.

1. What do you think of when you hear the word "Wee"?

2. What do you think of when the word "wee" is spelled "Wii"

3. What would you think/do if (insert brand name appliance) was called the Wii?

My results:

For Question 1 everyone one first thought of "We" as in You and Me

For Question 2 I got a mix, But No one thought of "We"
All three sisters all thought of going the bathroom
My Mom though some one mis-spelled it
My Dad though it was baby talk.

For Question 3
All three of my sisters said the same thing again and thought it would be very stupid and none of them would pick up a system called the "Wii" they found the name to be very childish and a over all joke.

My Mom thinks you should be worried that it might mean something else in another country. And also thought it was a very silly name.

My Dad thought at first maybe it was something in Roman Numerals or Maybe something very small, But he also stated that the name was very weak and that he wouldn't take the item seriously. And he even said the name sounded "fruity" as in Gay.

When I finally mentioned that "Wii" is what Nintendo is calling the Revolution, they were all pretty shocked. They all saw it as a bad move. My two youngest sisters both started laughing.
My Mom was amazed that they would pick a name like that and she even said she could see a lot of men feeling very unconferable going into a store and asking for an item called the 'Wii'

My Dad saw this as a HUGE marketing blunder. That someone in marketing really dropped the ball. The name had no selling power and then he went on to say the same things he said before, the name was very weak and no one will take the item seriously and the name sounded "fruity". When you put the name up against names like "PS3" or "Xbox360" the "Wii" is going to get crushed. When I told him how Nintendo was comparing it to "Google", "iPod", "Amazon", "Yahoo" and "Tivo" he said that is a really lame. those words have a lot more power behind them and "Wii" has no where near the same sound. People buy items based on the name, Just look at your electronics and exercise equipment, they have powerful names with lots of numbers, thats how they get the average consumers to buy something, its not about how well it works its about if the product jumps off the shelf at you.

Its what I feared, No one in my house would buy any product named the "Wii". They see it as a joke.

I fear for Nintendo even more now.  

[Smash_Brother]

Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
I think it's good that it's making people laugh.
I'm enjoying that, at least.  Nintendo knows fun.

But when you're laughing AT them and not WITH them, do you know what that makes Nintendo?

That's right: the next Starwars kid.

[Caliban]

Oh shut up Smash_Brother, there was nothing wrong with the Starwars kid but there was/is something really wrong with people that make fun of him in a bad way.

[obscureownership]

Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother

Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
I think it's good that it's making people laugh.
I'm enjoying that, at least.  Nintendo knows fun.

But when you're laughing AT them and not WITH them, do you know what that makes Nintendo?

That's right: the next Starwars kid.

Calm down.. The reason why people were laughing at the starwars kid is because the movie was awful, not because the kid's name was phallic. It's not like this is going to make people side against Nintendo, it's just a name. People will side against Nintendo if the games are awful. That's the only factor.

[The Omen]

I told my girlfriend last night.  She glared at me for a moment and got real pissed.  I believe she said "Wii, as in weeee?"  I said "apparently".  She said "You're not buying that."  Of course, she's not a gamer, but that's the problem.  Not being a gamer, she should be attracted to the product by the name, not repulsed.

Of course, contrary to her advice, I will still be buying the Rev on launch day.

[Ian Sane]

I told my family last night.  I made sure to sound as neutral as possible when telling them so that they weren't swayed by my opinion.  Brother 1 used to like games but doesn't so much now because they're too complicated.  He fits Nintendo's Wii target demo to a tee.  He also thinks the remote is dumb.  Brother 2 is more of a hardcore gamer.  He also thinks the remote is dumb.

Ian: So Nintendo annouced the official name for the Revolution last night.
Brother 1: That's the stupid remote thingy, right?
Brother 2: It's got to be a better name then "Revolution".
Ian: It's called the Wii.
Brother 2: What?
Ian: It's called the Wii.  W-i-i. It's like "us".  Wii.
Brother 1: What the hell is Wii?  What does that mean?
Brother 2: That doesn't make any sense.  That's such a stupid name.
Brother 1: What happened to Nintendo?  They have this weird remote sh!t and now this stupid name.
Brother 2: That's the worst name for anything ever.

So I also told my parents.
Mom: The Wii?  I don't get it.  Is that like Japanese or something.  What does that mean?  Is it really small?  I don't get it.
Dad: What the hell are you talking about?  Wii?  You can't have double i's in English.  That should be "wee-ee".  Is this in Latin?  Some languages don't even have a 'w' sound.
Ian: So what do you think of the name?
Dad: I think it sucks.

The way my Dad said "I think it sucks" just made me laugh.  I never expected him to say something so matter-of-fact like that about a videogame console no less.

So in conclusion.  Brother 1 thinks Nintendo is going to die.  Brother 2 loves Nintendo but is incredibly turned off by pretty much everything revealed about the Wii thus far.  Even Red Steel doesn't interest him.  Mom thinks gaming is for young people and isn't interested at all.  Dad thinks games are too complicated and never tries any of them ever, not even stuff like Pac-Man and he thinks the name sucks.

My family probably thinks a fair bit like me so it's not a perfect sample but they unanimously think the Wii name is horrible.  I am by far the most optimistic about the Wii in my entire family.  I think this name is going to completely sabotage sales in North America.  The name is just confusing.  It sounds dumb and the spelling is awkward in both English AND Japanese.

[obscureownership]

It sounds like people have masculinity issues.

ZOMG GAY  

[NWR_pap64]

Quote
Originally posted by: Caliban
Oh shut up Smash_Brother, there was nothing wrong with the Starwars kid but there was/is something really wrong with people that make fun of him in a bad way.

See, this is one of the things that bugs me the most about all the recent Wii discussions.

True, there have been some ridiculous statements from BOTH sides of the arguments, but there has also been some VERY good points as well. If you want proof of this, read the latest "Blah Blah Blah" on the front page. All the editors point some good points about how the new name might other while other posted some good points about how the name could fail.

If you like the name, fine. If you are annoyed by the argument, simply leave the forums or the internet all together and come back till the hype has died down. But please, don't go around bashing us that aren't 100% convinced with the name.

I admit I was extremely angry at first, but now I am cooled off and don't mind the name as much. However, I still doubt the power the new name may have on the console. So I am annoyed when I read childish comments like this simply because you disagree.

I'm going even further with this. I think the reason you guys are so forgiving of the new name is because you are so excited for the console that anything negative that may surface about it annoys you right now. I did the exact, same thing when SSB Melee was released.

I was extremely excited for the game. I wanted to play it badly. I kept checking websites for news updates, character info, videos, ANYTHING. But then one day a forum member at IGN got the game and posted his review of the game. Turns out that even if he liked the game he was severely dissapointed with it. All he did was post complains about the game. It annoyed many, myself included. I became so annoyed by his comments that I began to hate his guts and whenever I had the opportunity I bashed him.

But then I finally got the game, analized his comments with the game turns out that he was right. The game had many flaws that prevented it from being the best. And once I met him and talked to him about it, I believed him. I don't hate the game as much as he does, but now I undertstand what he is talking about.

I think this is what happening to you guys with the new name. You guys are so excited for the Rev. or Wii that you ignore anything that is negative and dismiss it as being garbage. You have high hopes that the system will deliver no matter what. Even if someone has posted EXCELLENT views on why this could turn out to be a potential flaw for Nintendo to you it's annoying, because your hopes for the console are so, so high that you really don't want to hear anything negative about it.

One thing I want to mention that just because we don't like the name it doesn't mean we aren't Nintendo fans. It's quite the opposite. We don't like the name because we LIKE Nintendo and truly believe that the name could be a potential if done wrong. Would we even bother with this if we weren't Nintendo fans?

So I am telling everybody from BOTH sides of the argument to please calm down and tone down the personal insults. Neither of you need to shove your opinions down each other's throats. You have the right to post whatever opinion you may have on the new name, but just because you truly follow that belief it doesn't mean you have to demean others to do so.

[KDR_11k]

My mother was just confused but then again "Wii" has absolutely zero meaning in German. Hated the idea of flailing around with the controller until I explained to her how e.g. in her CSI games it could control the numerous tools directly.

[vudu]

Quote
Originally posted by: The Omen
I told my girlfriend last night.  She said "You're not buying that."

Dump her.  Now.

Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
I told my family last night.  I made sure to sound as neutral as possible when telling them so that they weren't swayed by my opinion.

You explained it horribly.  Just direct everyone over to the computer and show them the Revolution home page.  It'll give a much better first impression.

[Ian Sane]

"You explained it horribly. Just direct everyone over to the computer and show them the Revolution home page. It'll give a much better first impression."

I figure most people would hear the name without the long winded explanation accompanying it.  I think the name should be good enough on it's own that just hearing it will create a positive or neutral response.

[vudu]

Most people don't read the Internet to check out gaming related websites.  Most people don't read magazines (gaming-related, business related, Time, anywhere that would mention Wii).  Most people don't even watch/read the news.  

Most people watch TV.  Most people's first real impressions will be from commercials.  I find it unlikely that Nintendo will just say Wii and end the commercial like that.  At least in the beginning, they'll explain the name, the concept and how it works.

[Smash_Brother]

Quote
Originally posted by: Caliban
Oh shut up Smash_Brother, there was nothing wrong with the Starwars kid but there was/is something really wrong with people that make fun of him in a bad way.

That's exactly the point I'm making.

The Starwars kid was ridiculed. Nintendo is being ridiculed. They're giving their console a name which invites ridicule. Not sales, ridicule. I can think of many, many marketing strategies, but intentionally giving your product a name which people will find weak and easily mocked has never crossed my mind as one of them.

If the console doesn't even take itself seriously, how is the average customer going to take it seriously enough to buy it?