Topic: Revolution no more-Nintendo Wii

[Smash_Brother]

Quote
Originally posted by: Dasmos
Come on, why is there such drama? It's just a name.

You're not going to kill yourself over a bad name, are you?

I went from "WTF Nintendo?!?!" to "Well, they'd better advertise the HELL out of it if they want it to succeed."

I want it to succeed. I'm genetically programmed not to dislike the actions of the little guy (aka Nintendo), but they had BETTER get the lead out and throw so many ads on American TV that everyone and their mother will know what Wii is.

[Zach]

Now that I have been thinking about it, I am starting to get accustomed to it,  It is very unique and interesting.  I still dont like it, im just used to it, and The revolution was a MUCH BETTER name.

The problem isnt what I think about it, think about the major negative reaction we are getting on a NINTENDO FORUM!!!  If the reaction is typical among people who are already nintendo fans, think about the people who nintendo doesnt have?

As a whole a lot of people are brainless and immature, and others simply go along with the crowd.  This needs to be able to sell to people who say:

A) HA HA ITS PEE PEE LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLERS!!!

OR

B) Well guy A isnt getting it, so maybe its not a good idea.

This name is a very difficult problem that nintendo has made for itself, and they have to realize what some people are going to think about it in the west, it will at first be a negative reaction when the casuals hear about it, so Nintendo will have dug themselves into a hole before they even launch.  

[Smash_Brother]

Quote
Originally posted by: Zach This name is a very difficult problem that nintendo has made for itself, and they have to realize what some people are going to think about it in the west, it will at first be a negative reaction when the casuals hear about it, so Nintendo will have dug themselves into a hole before they even launch.

That's what I'm concerned about.

Everyone here can say, "I love it!" but we aren't the segment Nintendo needs to convince and when it came to market, I think the name Rev would have served them better in that department.

[ThePerm]

instead of saying lets go play wii, or play the wii

say

lets go play some wii

spoken in the same way as "lets go smoke some wiid"(i dont smoke)

[Michael8983]

Wii is really growing on me.

As fond as we may have been of Revolution, it's pretentious and a turn-off to all but hardcore Nintendo fans who are going to buy the console regardless. It's not a name that's going to win over non-gamers. It just sounds like the typical, macho, arrogant game console name. The shortened "Rev" just would have been more so. It's not something that would be easily recognized or pronounced in different regions with different cultures and languages. It's not something unique enough that Nintendo can call it it's own.
Wii is everything that it's not. It's simple. It's a logo and a console name all in one. It will be easily recognized and pronounced anywhere in the world. More than anything, it's completely unique. There have been revolutions, but this is the first "wii".  
Perhaps most importantly, it's attention grabbing and will allow for some very cool advertising. The "wii" movie on the Nintendo's site is awesome and its safe to assume the ads will be similar in style. The playful "i"'s could very well become the console's mascots. This is a name that was obviously chosen mostly for advertising purposes which leads me to believe Nintendo is planning a massive, MASSIVE campaign for this thing. Beyond anything we've seen from it before. It might be hard to believe Nintendo would do it but Nintendo has done a lot of unbelievable things as of late.

The Nintendo Revolution would have been perceived as just another Nintendo console. Something most would have dismissed right off.
The "wii" is something weird and different. Something that people who don't like or are indifferent to Nintendo may give a second look. It's funny how Nintendo even downplayed itself in the "wii" movie. The normally red and bold Nintendo logo is now grey and the "wii" gets all the attention. This isn't the next Nintendo, this is "wii".

We need also keep in mind we don't know the supposed final secret of the "wii" which could give a new level of meaning to the strange name.  

[slacker]

I can't say the damn system's name without smiling and laughing. It sounds funny. I read some of the posts here, and I'm just cracking up. The name is horrible. If they have to explain its multiple meaning, then its a horrible name. They should have named it Nintendo Me.  Anyways, I'll make my own personal policy to call it  the Nintendo gaming system. I don't want to spontaneously laugh after saying the console's name or even reading about it.  I'll hand it to Nintendo, it got us talking and using the name in many ways. Still, I don't like the name, I think its horrible. I like the system however, but the name is horrible. In case I haven't emphasize it enough, I think the name is horrible.  It sounds ugly. The XBOX is starting to sound better in comparison.  

[Hostile Creation]

They don't have to explain the meaning, it will become ICONIC.  Does anyone know the explanation for Nike?  I know it, but most people don't.  What about ipod, or Macintosh for that matter?  Why are these products named what they are?  No one cares, no one's asking why.   The explanation is just convenient for those who want to hear it.

[eljefe]

Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
They don't have to explain the meaning, it will become ICONIC.  Does anyone know the explanation for Nike?  I know it, but most people don't.  What about ipod, or Macintosh for that matter?  Why are these products named what they are?  No one cares, no one's asking why.   The explanation is just convenient for those who want to hear it.

true

I agree with the ferst part of slackers' post

I haven't smiled and laughed while reading stuff on the net in years

and I'm not even laughing at the weak piss jokes

just folks reactions and thought process

[Dasmos]

Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother

Quote
Originally posted by: Dasmos
Come on, why is there such drama? It's just a name.

You're not going to kill yourself over a bad name, are you?

I went from "WTF Nintendo?!?!" to "Well, they'd better advertise the HELL out of it if they want it to succeed."

I want it to succeed. I'm genetically programmed not to dislike the actions of the little guy (aka Nintendo), but they had BETTER get the lead out and throw so many ads on American TV that everyone and their mother will know what Wii is.

I think the name will intrigue people, that when they hear it they want to know what it is, what it will do. I believe because of its "odd" name, it will market very well. I think there will need to be a decent marketing scheme, to show what the system can do. To get Wii, out there. People will get over the name easily, and those who don't will miss out.

[pudu]

I hope they start out with some crazy marketing a few months before launch where they introduce everyone to Wii yet show no console or games or nothing.  What I"m talking about is show little things here and there in short commercials and other advertisements to build the brand name and get people wondering what the heck Wii is all about before they actually start showing us games, etc.  I hope that came out where you guys will understand what I'm talking about.  

[Michael8983]

Pudu: That's exactly what Nintendo needs to do. Get everyone talking about "wii" before they're even sure what it is. Nintendo better have those cute little i's jumping around on the big screen before major movie releases, on tv, in internet ads, etc...
Put wii slogans in gaming and electronics stores all over the country. Imagine walking past an FYE and seeing a bold poster out front that simply reads "wii willl arrive" followed by a release date. That's the kind of off-beat marketting that has proven highly effective with American consumers in the past.

People will first be curious about the product (people, not gamers), more interested in it once they learn more about it, and be suckered into wanting it before they realize it's the next Nintendo game console which they would normally immediately dismiss it.

[The Omen]

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They don't have to explain the meaning, it will become ICONIC. Does anyone know the explanation for Nike? I know it, but most people don't. What about ipod, or Macintosh for that matter? Why are these products named what they are? No one cares, no one's asking why. The explanation is just convenient for those who want to hear it.

Hostile, you keep pointing out other 'odd' names that have gone on to be households, but you have yet to show or mention one apt example of a word being used for a product when it already has a negative connotation attached to it.  Lets say it's Hatfield, don't you think people will think of ham first?  What if it's Breyers?  Ice Cream.  What if it's brown eye?  A big fat as*hole, and that's the problem.  Name association, not the name itself.  Jesus!  

Quote
People will first be curious about the product (people, not gamers), more interested in it once they learn more about it, and be suckered into wanting it before they realize it's the next Nintendo game console which they would normally immediately dismiss it.

Could just as easily accomplish this with a name that doesn't make you think of...well...anything else.  Gee, what an idea.

[Michael8983]

"but you have yet to show or mention one apt example of a word being used for a product when it already has a negative connotation attached to it"

But wii isn't a word. It's pronounced like "we" which is a word but doesn't have a negative connotation. In fact if anything it has a positive connotation. It could be mistaken for "wee" which could arguably have a negative connotation but Nintendo is making it very clear it's intended to be thought of as "we" with that single "e". It will make it clear to the public through the advertising campaign.  The press release is full of "we" puns and it's obvious this is just the beginning.  There's a reason for that.

[IceCold]

MJRx9000, can you please change the top of your avatar from "PGC HD Discussion" to "PGC Wii Discussion"?

[The Omen]

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But wii isn't a word. It's pronounced like "we" which is a word but doesn't have a negative connotation. In fact if anything it has a positive connotation. It could be mistaken for "wee" which could arguably have a negative connotation but Nintendo is making it very clear it's intended to be thought of as "we" with that single "e". It will make it clear to the public through the advertising campaign. The press release is full of "we" puns and it's obvious this is just the beginning. There's a reason for that.

A name like Ipod, Tivo, Nike, Adidas or Google have basically no comparisons to make...that's all I'm saying.  I'm getting tired of people saying it's the same idea.  It's not.  No matter what Nintendo expects, they have opened themselves up for ridicule, something the number three out of three console maker should want to avoid.  Sure, you say grow up, but that's being downright dismissive.  Names matter.  Perception matters.  Stupid ass jokes about said name DO MATTER.  My concern is Nintendo, not whether or not my balls are intact.  As a fan of Nintendo, I think it's ridiculous to go out on such a moronic limb when you have very little in terms of support.  Can they win the support?  Of course.  But it shouldn't be at the expense, or hurdle, of wii.  It should be as simple as possible, and sadly, as simple as the 'word' 'wii' is, its pronunciation is a huge problem.

[Hostile Creation]

"Hostile, you keep pointing out other 'odd' names that have gone on to be households, but you have yet to show or mention one apt example of a word being used for a product when it already has a negative connotation attached to it. Lets say it's Hatfield, don't you think people will think of ham first? What if it's Breyers? Ice Cream. What if it's brown eye? A big fat as*hole, and that's the problem. Name association, not the name itself. Jesus!"

How about Siemens?

[ruby_onix]

Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
How about Siemens?

German name. The company was founded by Werner von Siemens.

It doesn't matter that some companies have succeded despite having unfortunate names. It's just not something you should try.

You complain about the complaining, saying that the current name will become "good enough". But would you be complaining about a name everyone liked? Let's use "Revolution" as a really easy example.

[King of Twitch]

I sorta remember Yahoo being associated with an outdoors-y or backwoods-y type of person once upon a time.. Dictionary.com says it's synonymous with boor, "A person with rude, clumsy manners and little refinement" but it's so humongously popular now, that connotation is in the distant past. If people start defying the Press Release Decree of 2006 and pronounce it as WHY, it keeps the spirit of the rebellious Revolution alive and maybe the connotation will disappear.

[Michael8983]

"No matter what Nintendo expects, they have opened themselves up for ridicule, something the number three out of
three console maker should want to avoid."

People who want to ridicule Nintendo will always find something to ridicule. If it wasn't the name it would be something else. You know that. If it were called the Revolution, we'd be seeing posts about "the failed revolution" soon as the first sales chart came out showing it being beat by one or both of the opposing consoles. If anything Revolution just would have opened the door to more ridicule because it's so arrogant and sets the bar so high for success.  Anything short of completely over-throwing Sony would make the Revolution seem like a failure and fair game for ridicule.

I get the feeling there's a lot more paranoia from Nintendo fans worried about the name being ridiculed than there is actual ridiculing going on anyway.

[Hostile Creation]

"The company was founded by Werner von Siemens."

Still sounds like semen.
Although that did make me realize that this should totally be called, plain and simple, The Yamauchi.
The name alone is a killer app.

Would I mind the name Revolution?  No.  But Wii has had the advantage of causing buzz for the name alone, which Revolution couldn't have done.  Be honest with yourself, in the global marketplace the name Revolution will sound utterly generic.

[PaLaDiN]

"I get the feeling there's a lot more paranoia from Nintendo fans worried about the name being ridiculed than there is actual ridiculing going on anyway."

Yeah, I've shown the name to a bunch of friends and all of them basically said, "hmmm" or "okay". Sort of disappointing, I wanted to revel in some immaturity.

[UltimatePartyBear]

Regarding Siemens:  First of all, it's a surname.  Second, nobody says "semens" when talking about semen, so it's not a complete homonym.  Third, if they ever did have to cross that hurdle, they did it over 100 years before I was born.  The company is older than my great-grandfather would be if he were alive today.

Google is a better comparison, but I still think it fails.  Google is a homonym of googol, which means 10^100.  The name connotes bigness, which suggests success.  Also, as a mathematical term, it's suited to the very nerdy and scientific business of search engines.

Wii, on the other hand, is a homonym of we, which is the first person plural pronoun.  It is clumsy to use it as a noun in speech.  I cringe every time I have to say "Wii is" because it feels like "we is."  We is not comfortable sounding like a dumb hick.  We's accent does that already even without bad grammar.  

What really flabbergasts me though is that Nintendo is fully aware of the problems with the name, but went ahead with it anyway.  A good name doesn't have to mean anything, really, but Nintendo stuffed this one with so much meaning that it doesn't make sense without its accompanying speech.  I don't want them to change it back to Revolution.  I never expected that to be the final name.  I really wish they would come up with something better, though.

I don't like the logo, either.  It's bland and generic.  Like the name itself, it doesn't stand on its own without an explanation.  The ad campaign shouldn't have to waste time explaining what the name and logo mean.

[Mario]

Virgin is a better example than Siemens.

[mantidor]

Since I like to repeat myself ad nauseum Ill say it again, its not really that it means "pee" in certain parts of the world (which is terrible anyway), its that for the rest of the world is not a word, even if made up, its a sound, like "jaa" or "ree" or "koooo" etc, etc, etc. and thus is empty, now if it was named "kii" it would be a sound but one tolerable, "wii" is a really unpleasant sound, its like an animal screaming.

Im trying to call it the rev, but I keep seeing this hideous name and it doesnt let me, I feel like calling it the Nintendo Win instead because is easier to add a single letter than scrap three and replace them for three different ones.

I can see the add: Metroid Prime 3 for the Win!

Yeah I like it

[couchmonkey]

Well, I've had a night of forum-free thought.  I really love the name now.  It's fun to say.  It's very memorable, and it completely breaks away from the game naming mold.  Xbox, Playstation, even Revolution are all SUPER X-TREME names that are nearly interchangeable, in fact my ex used to call the GameCube "Xbox" all the time (to my frustration).  There will be no name confusion between Wii and its competitors, no matter how little you know about them.  The name is going to lose some macho gamers, but it may be more appealing for people who aren't part of the gamer culture already, which is exactly the market Nintendo is aiming for.  My sister would feel the same way about buying an Xbox as many of the haters feel about buying a Wii.

In spite of this, Nintendo will need to market this name big-time.  As some others have said, Wii ads revolving around the animated i's playing games with each other would be a good idea.  Played early and often.  A lot of people complain Nintendo has put "too much" into this name.  The thing is, the concept doesn't need to be fully explained every time.  The fact that it can be fully explained means that the company already has the basis to make ads that will explain the Wii concept and make the word Wii look and sound fun.  Viewers don't need to know the whole meaning behind the name, they just need to know that it represents fun.  Of course, the question is can Nintendo pull that off?  It will be a huge challenge, no doubt.

As for comparisons to urine, those will go away if Nintendo successfully does the job of engraining "Wii = games" into your consciousness.  It's spelled differently, and it can have other connotations.  "WHEEEEE!"  I'm willing to bet that two years from now most of the people hell-bent on calling it Revolution will be saying Wii along with the rest of us.