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With little under two weeks left until E3 2006, Nintendo has started to build buzz for its next-generation console by releasing its official name. Formerly referred to as Revolution, Nintendo has now renamed the system Wii (pronounced “We”).
Nintendo offered an explanation behind the name on the system’s official website.
Introducing... Wii.
As in "we."
While the code-name Revolution expressed our direction, Wii represents the answer. Wii will break down that wall that separates video game players from everybody else. Wii will put people more in touch with their games... and each other. But you're probably asking: What does the name mean?
Wii sounds like "we," which emphasizes the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii.
Wii has a distinctive "ii" spelling that symbolizes both the unique controllers and the image of people playing it. And Wii, as a name and a console, brings something revolutionary to the world of video games that sets it apart from the crowd.
So that's Wii. But now Nintendo needs you. Because it's really not about you or me. It's about Wii. And together, Wii will change everything.
Fan acceptance has been mixed, with most seeming dissatisfied by the name, preferring that the company had just stuck with Revolution.
In response to the criticism, Perrin Kaplan, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Affairs for Nintendo of America told CNN Money, "I think people have to look back and let it settle in…I'm sure people felt the same way when Google was named – or the iPod. Napster. Yahoo. There's a whole host of unusual names that have become a part of everyday conversation and I think they're viewed now as unique." |
