Gaming Nintendo Wii. Do you like the new name?

[amptor]

when's someone going to put up an online petition for them to change the name back? I don't think they're going to listen to anyone on the internet anyway, Nintendo is stubborn about everything. For example, if they felt like discontinuing Super Mario Bros. like Shigaru Miyamato sounded like he wanted to do ages ago, they would and the fans wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Revolution was a way better name than Dolphin.

 

[fluffykiwi]

It wont put me off getting the console, but I think the name stinks.

No way I'd ever have figured out Wii was pronounced Wee, and even being told it is pronounced that way doesnt help me like the name.

I like the two i looking like people in the advert, but the name just seems to me to be some misunderstanding through translation.

What languages would pronounce Wii as wee normally?

 

[Glacius0]

What languages would pronounce Wii as wee normally?

That would be Japanese.

 

[cory1492]

when's someone going to put up an online petition for them to change the name back?

in case you totally missed it and arent just being sarcastic - http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=31635
there is a petition going already and its linked there... meh, I'm #150

Nintendo What is it? (good for)
Wii'r off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of wii (ayuh, the yellow bricked road)

What a fun topic, whatever they call it in the end I think I will only be impressed if it has actually more than 5 or 6 games I can stand playing for more than 10 minutes within the consoles lifetime (not including GCN/back or emulated titles).

edit:/ I guess the people who make console cases/skins will have to get extra creative and put a new name (or no name) on it for the picky people...

 

[Hanafuda]

What languages would pronounce Wii as wee normally?


That would be Japanese.

Not really. In Japanese, only syllable chunks of a consonant and one vowel, and vowels alone of course, make up the language. The only exception is the sound N, and that consonant sounds can be doubles, such as a double-s sound. Also, vowel sounds can be doubled too, you just hold the vowel out longer. But N is the only consonant that can stand alone without a vowel. This means that ALL japanese words end with either a vowel or N. Examples:

Suzuki = su+zu+ki
Honda = ho+n+da
anime = a+ni+me
byouin (hospital) = byo+u+i+n (and the byo part is really bi + yo)

well, not trying to teach japanese in one post. The important thing is, while most consonant/vowel combinations follow the a-i-u-e-o pattern, such as ka, ki, ku, ke, ko, sa, shi, su, se, so and so forth, with the consonant W only wa, wu, and wo exist. And wa is used about 10000 times more than wu or wo, which are archaic and basically lost in the modern language.

Now Wii get to the point: There is no "wi" (which would be pronounced like English Wii. The vowel "e", when writing japanese, is pronounced as English a in the word hay, or bay). That's right, in japanese, though anyone could say it if they want to, the sound "wi" doesn't exist.

If you look at the Japanese Nintendo website, and if you can read katakana writing, you'll see that the Nintendo Wii is written in japanese as "u-i-i" Say uii fast and you'll get the idea. It's also important that generally, katakana characters are reserved for foreign words. So, the Nintendo Wii is being explained to the Japanese as a creative use of the English word "Wii." They're probably pissed about it too. But the original Famicom was just short for Family Computer, so they're pretty used to this kind of thing.


edit: crap you've got to read around this automatic wii thing for the times I type w and e and it turned into wii.

 

[Try2bcool]

I agree, but it doesn't remove the fact that WII means "piss" in english, and that the name sounds childish and shitty (thats no fact though)

so, original: YAY,
but fashioned: NAY

Childish and shitty fits the description of most of the people commenting on this...(not limited to just this site, either)

I also don't understand the people who haven't decided whether they like the name or not...that shouldn't even be a poll option! You either like it or you don't! If you don't know, then you shouldn't vote until you do!

 

[Ace Gunman]

I agree, but it doesn't remove the fact that WII means "piss" in english, and that the name sounds childish and shitty (thats no fact though)

so, original: YAY,
but fashioned: NAY



Childish and shitty fits the description of most of the people commenting on this...(not limited to just this site, either)

I also don't understand the people who haven't decided whether they like the name or not...that shouldn't even be a poll option! You either like it or you don't! If you don't know, then you shouldn't vote until you do!

Some people will never be sure. I've accepted it, and even come to admire it's originality. But I'm still not 100% sure about the name in general. I'm sure in time it will come to completely grow on me, but who wants to wait 6 months in order to vote on a poll? Not just that, but someone who hates it now (and voted "Nope") could love it in a year, or vice versa. Opinions are constantly changing, so the poll options should reflect how you feel at this moment.

 

[AMPonzi]

Has anyone thought of the fact that wee is a brit/scot way of saying small? I don't feel like reading through the whole thread for that snippet, but maybe that was something to attract the Euros to it. A SMALL device, or a wee Wii.

 

[Ace Gunman]

Aye, I'm of Scottish (and Irish) decent myself. So it crossed my mind. As I'm sure it did for others.

 

[Lily]

[rant]Alright, I'm pretty shocked at the misunderstanding of English all around the forum, IRC, and the internet in general.

Has everyone forgotten the actual definition of "wee"? It has two definitions in fact:

1. Very small; tiny.
2. Very early: the wee hours of the morning.

..or, as the word is derived from the Scots among us, "A short time; a little bit."

In slang, a "wee" means to urinate. A wee-wee is slang for penis .. so all the "playing with your wee, stepping on your wee" is all incorrect, and it's driving me mad reading it. Sure it's amusing at the beginning, but when you can't even use slang correctly it gets irritating![/rant]

..and to top it all off, it's not the Nintendo Wee, it's the Nintendo Wii! Welcome to English, where words can sound the same and have totally different meanings.

I'm lovin' it, to steal from McDonalds' worldwide friendly slogan.

Has anyone thought of the fact that wee is a brit/scot way of saying small? I don't feel like reading through the whole thread for that snippet, but maybe that was something to attract the Euros to it. A SMALL device, or a wee Wii.

*nods*

'Wii' is meant to be it's own word, and not 'translated' into English or anything else. As with McDonalds 'I'm lovin' it' campaign (which has been going on long enough to make me think it's become their permanent tagline), 'Wii' was obviously designed to be able to be spoken and understood by anyone regardless of what language they speak, and regardless of whether or not the characters even exist in their language. It's the meaning of the word, which can't be acronymed (because it already is) that Nintendo wants to convey, and by branding it as they have, the meaning will filter through globally. That's why McDonalds ended up with 'I'm lovin' it'. It doesn't carry a deep meaning for them, but it allowed them to synergize their marketing around the globe. Nintendo can now to the same, with the added bonus that 'Wii' actually stands for something.

Much smarter than the majority of comments I read about it, anyway.

 

[Foppzter]

There's no way I'm going to a gaming store and asking "Could I get Nintendo Wii". Sounds like I'm asking for Nintendo piss.

--Henry

Why is it so hard to say Nintendo (word for us that starts with a W and follows with a e) or "The new Nintendo system"?
It does not sound as pee or weed, just simply (word for us that starts with a W and follows with a e).

Am I the only one that ******* hate the W E wordfilter? I´m getting horrible flashbacks from 4chan for Christ sake.
*runs screaming away*

 

[Dyne`]

Who ever said that WII was going to be a part of each games title? GameDS, Game2DS, But what makes everyone think nintendo will decide to make the name go after the title? Heh. It will be like any other platform where it's just the game's title. Logo on the side, Yadda yadda. No use bickering about the name. It's not like it will make anyone less likely to get it. Besides, seems like most people that bash on the name the most are sony fanboys or just kids with nothing better to do.

 

[penance]

Am I the only one who saw the name Wii and thought of "Wheeeeeeeee!" as in fun or "We" as in togetherness and never once thought of urine or sexual organs and is disgusted and horrified that so many other people did? Everyone I've talked to offline agrees with me. I don't understand how internet dwellers can be so perverted. Or insecure for that matter. I have no problem saying Wii and I love the name the more I say it. Anyone that seriously thinks that they will have problems saying the name in public needs to grow up a little. Or a lot. I guess it depends on how many dick jokes you've made in the past 24 hours.

 

[decript]

I really dislike this name, I thought of the fun 'weee' when i heard it. To me, it destroyed the image it had.
The Revolution 'it will revolutionize gaming'. Had a cool ring to it, but with wii, its just sad.

 

[penance]

You're right, why should it have an image of something fun?

I liked the name Revolution as much as anybody but the level of anger some people are directing at this is obscenely ridiculous.

 

[Venoman]

Interesting how this topic is already getting old. Nintendo knew exactly the right time before E3 to release the name to the public, and it's paid off. Enough people like the name now that by the time we've seen some solid advertising most of the naysayers will be won over.

 

[shadow1w2]

I dont really like the new "Wii" name at all.
The Revolution was a great name.
However, they seem to know that cool names tend to go with dying consoles more than simple stupid bland and unorigonal names. For some reason these names tend to stick with stupid bland and unorigonal poeple xD (mainstream)

The playstation name was as simple and basic as the Gamecube name, but its when they simply add a number to it when it gets rather unimaginitive.

Anyway, about past names.

Sega codenamed alot of their consoles after planets, wich was cool and the Saturn was made with it.

Saturn was a cool name, it went down ;-;
Dreamcast was a cool name (Dural would have been interesting, but too weird) DC went down too :/
Jaguar, thats just a cool name. It went down.
Neo Geo, cool name, too expensive though, but cool name. Obvoisly went down.
Neo Geo Pocket Color. It was just plain cool xD Went down ;-;
Nomad, not really a console on its own part, but a cool name, also downed.
Virtual Boy, coolest thing ever! Dead ;-;

NES, SNES, N64, Gameboy, Gameboy Color, etc.
Basic names, but never really was too bland back then since it was mostly firsts. They all did well and then some.

Genesis is an exception to the cool name not selling rule. Cuase thats jsut a cool name xD

The Gamecube was origonaly codenamed the "Dolphin" wich personally I think is a cool name. Then it was changed to Gamecube wich was just bland.
the GC was selling fine until the Xbox got itself back up and boasted the online gameing thing like crazy.
Then GC just got left behind in the online department.

Playstation/2 is a bland basic unorigonal name. Heck, its like Gaming player thing station go! Though thats one reason it sold well, basic easy name that is actualy catchy cuase it has the word "Play" in it.
Personally I dislike Sony alot, but hey, its a market out there and everyone is a hard ass once and awhile atleast. They are companies after all.
Though I do hope the PS3 gets a styleish name cuase "Playstation" is getting old kinda like how Megaman keeps kinda getting old, though I love megaman games regardless xD

Xbox360, that name just sucks ass. But it fits into the main stream a bit and targets their main consumers around the ages of 15 to 25 or so. So its simple and crappy, but it'll get stuck in someones head for awhile.

As for the Rev, we all know that we woulda loved that name, but you know. It probly wouldnt have sold even with its innovation.
The "Wii" is catchy becuase it matches too many words in several languages and is only three charectors long like their NES was.
Wich for one makes the name easier to use and doesnt have to be aprevated. I remember how NGC and GCN got confusing for alot of poeple strangely.

The name "Wii" is actually a good sellable name. It fits in childish jokes for one. And we all know that childish jokes have been popurlar since the begining of man.
Plus now that we know of the name "Wii" everytime you say "we" ya think about the game system simply cuase of that.

So bottom line, its a good marketable name that will ring through everyone's head till they cant stnad it anymore.
Personally it sucks arse, but the machine and games wont, so heh, I'll just have to make some Rev stickers. No one said ya cant call a machine by its codename.

Plus with only three letters in the name it'll be real easy to cover up or scratch off xD
So if you really dont like the name, then well, call it what you like.

Hmm, I should make a small business to sell Rev stickers xD