[Row]

The fact that nintendo isn't doing something as obvious as changing the name to wii 2 says a lot about their corporate structure

[ShockingAlberto]

I think the problem is people seeing ~$100 "tablets" on store shelves and thinking "now I can use this on my Wii!"

Is that actually a feasible situation, though? Are they selling separate gamepads in the first place?

If the concern is that this turns in to a 3DS situation - people thinking it's just a Wii revision and deciding it's not worth upgrading - is there a functional difference the gamepad being tied as necessary to the software and the system being tied as necessary to the software?

It's not an ideal situation, but I also saw several million people buy a camera for their system for $250 not too long ago. I'm not going to run around claiming that it can never happen.

[Bgamer90]

Demo is on now. Reggie said "this is the system..." but he put more focus on the tablet (as usual). Didn't really correct what Fallon said. Possibly didn't even hear him during the beginning of the show.

[marc^o^]

Wii branding is an asset. They'll market retrocompatibility of games and peripherals. I know people who don't know their wii is made by Nintendo! Wii Entertainment System mock up we saw would have pleased me, but as a name Wii U is catchy.

[ClovingWestbrook]

This is totally thread worthy! :/ EDIT: MAN. This thread is hook, line and sinker. Look at you guys!

Not positive enough for Nintendo for your liking?

[Syphon Filter]

why not just call it wii 2?i dont get it...

[ffdgh]

they still have time to change the name right? Even wii 2 would be good. tho honestly they may be too stubborn to do it =/

[Effect]

The fact that nintendo isn't doing something as obvious as changing the name to wii 2 says a lot about their corporate structure

This is what's so frustrating. It's such an easy problem to fix. Super Wii or Wii 2 would clear up any confusion. People understand right away when you name something like that you are talking about a successor product. Wii U is a problem in the end.

[BY2K]

Is that actually a feasible situation, though? Are they selling separate gamepads in the first place?

Since the Wii U will support 2 GamePads, I think they will, but maybe not a launch, since no launch game will have 2 GamePads gameplay.

[Formless]

Ugh they just showed the trailer

[csquared587]

Im still confused on why they kept the Wii brand. Is it really still a strong brand for any available market Nintendo might be trying to reach? Hardcore gamers seem to scoff at the wii and causuals seem to have moved on.


On top of it being a falling brand, it seems to have created unneccesary confusion with the casual audience and media.

Im sure their marketing guys will think of something clever to clear this up, but I woukd think just the Nintendo name would register higher with people than the Wii brand.

[Meisadragon]

It's sort of understandable why they named it Wii U, but the people who bought Wii in droves won't know it's a separate console unless they market it properly. Even then it poses a lot of challenges. I hope it doesn't end up being a massive mistake.

Even Reggie's explanation last year was dumb, "Wii was for us but U is for you" or something like that. Sigh.

[?oe?oe]

Not positive for Nintendo enough for you?

Right...


Let the cycle continue, my bad.

[ClovingWestbrook]

Right... Let the cycle continue, my bad.

Because if this happened for the PS4/720 you'd be all up in arms. Right?

[Meier]

why not just call it wii 2?i dont get it...

No one does. They're living in a world where you can still just add Super to a system's name and it will obviously be new. You need to hammer it home now because all of your competitors use number differences to signify a new system.

[Double D]

That was actually a great demo for the audience.

[jokkir]

Well, he did correct himself saying it's a new console when it was actually shown. And Reggie showed the system and the gamepad saying it's a brand new console.

EDIT - Not exactly "correct himself" but said it was a new console.

[bigtroyjon]

Is that actually a feasible situation, though? Are they selling separate gamepads in the first place? If the concern is that this turns in to a 3DS situation - people thinking it's just a Wii revision and deciding it's not worth upgrading - is there a functional difference the gamepad being tied as necessary to the software and the system being tied as necessary to the software? It's not an ideal situation, but I also saw several million people buy a camera for their system for $250 not too long ago. I'm not going to run around claiming that it can never happen.

Are you under the impression that Kinect costs $250?

[?oe?oe]

Because if this happened for the PS4/720 you'd be all up in arms. Right?

*sigh*

Where's that thisisneogaf.gif?

[grap3fruitman]

They should have seen this coming after the disaster that was HD-DVD and the more recent 3DS.

HD-DVD is hardly misleading, it tells you exactly what it is and the name isn't the reason that HD-DVD failed. The hell is Blu-ray? Every time I have to explain Blu-ray to someone, the easiest way to do it is to say "DVD but in HD."

On topic, is it so hard for Nintendo to call it the "Wii 2?" That would fix a lot of the image problems the system is having. That's an easy concept to understand. "Oh, this is the new one."

[mugurumakensei]

That was actually a great demo for the audience.

The audience really seemed to take to it. With the right advertising (which is honestly hit and miss with nintendo), Wii U could definitely be huge.

[ClovingWestbrook]

Nintendo thinks its Apple who can add an 's' at the end of its product and everyone will know its a brand new model. Nintendo doesnt have that pull.

[BigJonsson]

Wii branding is an asset. They'll market retrocompatibility of games and peripherals. I know people who don't know their wii is made by Nintendo! Wii Entertainment System mock up we saw would have pleased me, but as a name Wii U is catchy.

Didn't know it was made by Nintendo despite it saying Nintendo when you do anything on the system?

[Dragonzord]

Didn't seem to stop Microsoft.

You're kind of missing 100 dollars there.

[Ninja Scooter]

Fallon is reportedly a big gamer, that's why he has these showcase weeks, so I'm suprised. Perhaps he misspoke?

If he's a gamer it would make sense that he's not familiar with the Wii.

[Clairvoyance]

If he's a gamer it would make sense that he's not familiar with the Wii.

Or Uncharted, apparently.

[ClovingWestbrook]

If he's a gamer it would make sense that he's not familiar with the Wii.

Damnnnnn. Ninja pulling a Bo Jackson and showcasing his talents in two places.

[Zombie James]

We've been saying this for a year. It's a huge branding problem. Apple can afford to get clever with its branding. They're part of the cultural conversation and have enough clout to pull it off. Nintendo doesn't.

It's not even a branding problem, it's execution. If they would talk a bit about the actual system instead of spending all their time talking about the controller, people would be a lot less confused, imho.

[ShockingAlberto]

This is what's so frustrating. Super Wii or Wii 2 would clear up any confusion. People understand right away when you name something like that you are talking about a succesor product. Wii U is a problem in the end.

See, here's where I take exception to this argument. Adding a 2 does not magically clear up confusion.

I have worked retail during system launches and PS1 owners have purchased PS2 games because they were still on discs and thus logically should have worked. I have seen parents complain their DS cart was too small for the GBA. I have seen people on the internet say there was no reason Wii games and controllers should not be compatible with the Gamecube.

The reason that clears up is because of marketing and software. The person who is confused? They rarely become spiteful and refuse to ever buy anything from that manufacturer again. If you've seen this happen, please share it with me, because I have not. If they see a game they want, they will put down the money.

Despite being an add-on, Kinect smashed records and elevated 360 hardware because marketing was abundant. We're six months from launch and Jimmy Fallon mistakenly identified it. His mistakes did not seem to convince the world that Uncharted 3 did not have shooting in it.

[xbhaskarx]

Didn't seem to stop Microsoft.

People still use their Xbox so they're willing to buy an expensive accessory like Kinect for it. Those who have an Xbox collecting dust in a closet are probably not spending three figures on an add-on.

[Good Job Bob]

If he's a gamer it would make sense that he's not familiar with the Wii.

[bon]

What game did they demo?

[ShockingAlberto]

You're kind of missing 100 dollars there.

I am. I must have been thinking of the PC version and conflated the two. I apologize, won't use that example again.

[Duffyside]

Holy crap, it's an add-on!?!? Sweet! I thought it was going to be like $300 or more! Guess I will be picking one up day one actually!

[Bgamer90]

That was actually a great demo for the audience.

Yeah it was a good demo.

Best demo of the week in terms of it being entertaining.

[Good Job Bob]

What game did they demo?

Some Nintedoland ninja mini-game.

[-Pyromaniac-]

Does it actually matter if they pay the $250+ for it?

who is gonna wanna pay 250 for an add on lol.

Kinect was well marketed, everyone knew what that was going into it. An add on for a console they rarely play (wii).

[Kandinsky]

Oh Nintendo you so silly.

[Hiltz]

I can just imagine how painful it is going to watch tonight's episode.

[Zeer0id]

Demo is on now. Reggie said "this is the system..." but he put more focus on the tablet (as usual). Didn't really correct what Fallon said. Possibly didn't even hear him during the beginning of the show.

Fallon himself called it a "new system" while introducing Reggie. He must have gotten the memo during the break.

[Kusagari]

Fallon says he's a big gamer, but there's never been any indication during these weeks he knows anything at all. I remember when they gave him the controller when they were demoing Uncharted 3 and he looked like he had never held one before.

[Rodney McKay]

Didn't seem to stop Microsoft.

The Kinect WAS an add-on for the 360.

[GG-Duo]

I have no idea what's going on at Nintendo of America. Their attitude seems so arrogant and myopic. Change the name or do a better branding already.

[User33]

The audience really seemed to take to it.

Fallon's audience is ridiculously over-the-top with their reactions.

I still remember how much yelling and gasping there was during the Uncharted 3 demo when Drake did something silly like almost fall into a fire during a scripted event.

[Zoramon089]

If Nintendo still has to correct people after E3 that the Wii U is not an add-on but a new console, there is a problem. It is very real, and it's a big one. Rename the goddamn thing, Nintendo. You still have time.

Not really...E3 isn't a show for the general public. It's for gamers. They haven't even started their Wii U advertising campaign

[BY2K]

Some Nintedoland ninja mini-game.

What? Weren't they supposed to demo ZombiU?

[shadowsdarknes]

It's their own fault in the end. They are the ones refusing to talk about the console itself, colored it white, named the system Wii U, and keep focusing on the controller only. Rename the system. Reshape the console hardware and make sure you only launch it in black. Problem fixed.

Boom! It really is that simple.

[Skiesofwonder]

The audience really seemed to take to it. With the right advertising (which is honestly hit and miss with nintendo), Wii U could definitely be huge.

Yeah, for the first time since E3, I got the feeling again.

As for the 3DS confusion situation, this is totally different. The DS has 4 versions, and all look almost exactly alike on the box. The Wii has a picture of a wiimote along with the console, and the WiiU will most likely have a huge picture of a Tablet along with the console in the back. Also, anybody wanting to buy the "Tablet Wii" durin the Holidays will have to buy the WiiU console alongside it because all signs are currently pointing to no single SKU WiiU Gamerpads for sell at launch.

This is a non-issue.

[jokkir]

What? Weren't they supposed to demo ZombiU?

They demoed Nintendoland's ninja star game and showed the augmented reality for ZombieU. The trailer for ZombieU was playing in the background.

[Penguin]

So who gets dibs on the Jimmy Fallon calling it a new console thread?