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[Chi-Town]

"I think people have to look back and let it settle in," she said. "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."

The problem with her argument is that most of those names are unique words. Despite the spelling, their system sounds like a very basic common word(which also happens to have some extra derogatory meanings).

 

[Kicko]

:lol

I think some of you people seriously need to call down. The name may not sound attractive at the moment (to you), but a few months from now you'll all be accustomed to it. The same way we grew accustomed to the Playstation brand, and the Xbox360. Hell I remember people clowning Sega's Dreamcast when that name was first revealed. Once the system is released I doubt we'll even think twice about the name of the system, it'll be all about the games. I personally don't think the name is that bad and I'm sure it'll be a fixture in my vocabularly within a couple of weeks.

 

[FnordChan]

Holy crap if you're having to damage control THE NAME OF YOUR PRODUCT you are in soo much trouble.

Nintendo of Japan: We're calling it the "Wii".

Nintendo of America: Er...that has certain negative connotations in English.

Nintendo of Japan: Don't care.

Nintendo of America: No, seriously, this is an astonishingly bad idea.

Nintendo of Japan: Suck it up.

Nintendo of America: Goddamnit.

FnordChan

 

[Furoba]

Don't be such hypocrites, if Nintendo called it 'We', everyone would've passed it off as 'Wee' anyhow.

WE wasn't a possibility anyway:
http://www.wefashion.com/start.asp?

 

[SuperPac]

I like the video's use of the two i's as well -- it has a certain magic to it, emphasizing exactly what the system's meant to be: an experience for more than one player. I think that's probably key to the whole thing and because E3 hasn't happened yet we're not seeing that part of it. The strangeness of the name is going to pique people's curiosities. Non-gamer curiosities. But we'll see...

The real test of it is going to be E3. It's a different name and it's a little hard to say it with a straight face now, but it hasn't changed the fact that I'm gonna preorder as soon as it is humanly possible. Or the fact that I can't effing WAIT to see what it can do.

 

[jacomar]

Indeed, it sounds stupid. It´s like naming iit Nintendo Pipí or Nintendo Pis. Thanks for the clarification

There is a big difference because wii sounds like we too. Also pis only has one meaning . English is not my first language but i used to live a couple of years there and I knew what wee meant, but when I saw the Wii logo i never thought of wee, i thought of we . I guess it depends at how you look at it.

Talking about wee , what about HP? they have the word pee on their name and i dont see a riot or people blushing when they go buy a new printer.

 

[Mrbob]

Thank you for making this a glorious day Nintendo.

 

[Parch]

We are the Knights who say "WII"

Bring me a shrubbery!

 

[Dragona Akehi]

You work for NOM UK, right?

You are British, right?

How in the hell can think this name is unique? Memorable and unusual for a console I'll give you, but the Nintendo Puu would've been just as unusual and memorable. It means urine for christs sake!

Seriously, if you have any way to get a message to Japan tell them they fucked up. It's OK, it's early, it can be fixed.

Mr. Threepio works for NOE's marketing division. Not a mag.

 

[gimz]

i like the name, simple enough

and NeoGAF is sloooow todayyyyyy

 

[MrSardonic]

This will be cockney rhyming slang gold.

"C'mon mate, get out of the fucking bathroom."

"Hold on a minute, I'm just doing a Nintendo."

err...that isnt an example of cockney rhyming slang. You lose

I reckon people will just call this machine "Nintendo" and the "Wii" part will be more like a logo. Still, after all the good work Nintendo have done recently, they still go and do something this stupid

 

[fly high ~ayunite~]

 

[Clever Pun]

Whatever you think of the name, there's no denying that nintendo knows how to keep us entertained.

 

[borghe]

Nintendo of Japan: We're calling it the "Wii".

Nintendo of America: Er...that has certain negative connotations in English.

Nintendo of Japan: Don't care.

Nintendo of America: No, seriously, this is an astonishingly bad idea.

Nintendo of Japan: Suck it up.

Nintendo of America: Goddamnit.

FnordChan

I love the name, but god damn is this hilarious. And I honestly believe this is how NCL makes all of their decisions. :lol

 

[Jiggy]

The neoGAF hate is strong. Who would've thunk it.

It's even from Nintendo fans, though.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/darkaphalite/wii.jpg

Eh, would be funnier if it was going to cost more than $200, which it won't.

Kaplan said the criticism was not unexpected, given Wii's uniqueness.

"I think people have to look back and let it settle in," she said. "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."

Except that those names can't be mocked on nearly the same level. They're all odd, not ridicule-worthy.

 

[Lindsay]

Nice knowing ya Nintendo!

 

[..pakbeka..]

should have been WRiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Nice knowing ya Nintendo!

1 post too late, DAMN

 

[imastalker co.]

didn't the read the thread, but obviously this one isn't gonna slow down anytime soon, so i'll just jump in.

anyways, Wii is something that you could see written nice a big inside an apple store. everything about the name, the way it looks, the way it sounds, the logo, all screams apple.

they just went full force on copying apple. you know what though, i think it's gonna work. Wii is a much slicker and smoother looking word than xbox360, and PlayStation .

seriously, just think about it.

xbox 360 - Wii - PlayStation 3

i dunno, i think it's gonna work. the name is a full force marketing machine.

 

[BuzzJive]

I vote to remove the word ntard from NeoGAFisms and replace it with wiiner.

 

[Chris Remo]

we have a cnn lurker on this forum :lol

Nah, he reads the site I write for. He took the quote from a comment on that site and referred to my job as an editor there.

 

[Days like these...]

Sweet mother of jesus in heaven! Wii has god forsaken us?

 

[MrSardonic]

IGN: "We went to E3 and the Wii was great"

The IGN Wii Hate

http://blogs.ign.com/craig-ign/2006/04/27/14542/

http://blogs.ign.com/Bozon-IGN/2006/04/27/14531/

http://blogs.ign.com/Matt-IGN/2006/04/27/14523/

http://blogs.ign.com/Gerry-IGN/2006/04/27/14519/

http://blogs.ign.com/Tal-IGN/2006/04/27/14516/

http://blogs.ign.com/chris-ign/2006/04/27/14508/

http://blogs.ign.com/Peer-IGN/2006/04/27/14507/

http://blogs.ign.com/Hil-IGN/2006/04/27/14533/

http://blogs.ign.com/Makaze-IGN/2006/04/27/14520/

 

[meppi]

It's actually a very clever name. Not only the name but the symbolism behind the logo also.

Wii will be seen as much less offensive to people who don't see themselves as videogame players. At least that how I see it.

The reactions are priceless off-course as anyone could have expected, but within a month or so we'll all be used to it.... Well, maybe not all of us. ;p



Loving all the photoshops btw. :lol

 

[Odrion]

Just watch, the Nintendo fanboys will reverse this shit and the board will be filled with "Rumors on a new Wii game?" and "Why Wii will defeat the 360."

What will they call their NES emulation? WiiNES? Harharhar (someone must of already made that joke.)

 

[siamesedreamer]

Where's the "O WiiLY" owl when you need him?

Keep the photoshops coming boys.

 

[deadhorse32]

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/weeee.php

 

[psycho_snake]

I feel sorry for Reggie. He's going to have a hell of a hard time trying to sell the console now.

 

[Archie]

WII WILL WII WILL ROCK YOU

 

[Kaworu]

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

Question: Does Wii have two official pronounciations? The English Nintendo page uses Wii as 'we' and 'why'.

I would like to step it up and offer a third pronounciation: Wiitarded.

 

[Worm_Buffet]

Wii little marketshare...

that's all I have for now.

 

[Vard]

You will say "Wii."

Spoiler

Though I'll be saying "Rev."

 

[qcf x2]

This is indefensible

 

[PhatSaqs]

 

[fly high ~ayunite~]

YOU WILL SAY "WII"

 

[lancubap]

Wii. :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

The GAF will melting down this night !!!! :lol :lol :lol

Anyways, the name is really revolutionary, exaclty like the machine. I didn't expect this, but I expected sure something different: Nintendo Wii !!!

Wii ara all with you Nintendo. Wii are the champions !!!!!!!!

 

[hyp]

wtf?! worst marketing move ever... no one is going to know how to pronounce that.

"hey mom, can i get a Nintendo wh-eye-eye for X-mas???"
"dude, did you hear about the new Nintendo wh-ee?"
"hey what double-you-eye-eye games have you been playing?"
"my wrist hurts from playing with my wh-eeh-eeh too much."

why oh wii...

 

[Orodreth]

We shall say "Wii" to you

Wii wii wii


wii

:lol

 

[psycho_snake]

CNN have reported on it

http://money.cnn.com/2006/04/27/commentary/game_over/nintendo/

Forum members on Gamespot.com, IGN.com and other gaming sites expressed similar thoughts.

 

[littlewig]

Nintendo is pretty brilliant, with a name like Wii, Nintendo is no longer trying to sell a game system, but an idea, a style.

Much like the Ipod, people could care less if their were better and cheaper products on the market that did the same thing, people wanted the Ipod for the image, the idea, the style.


Nintendo could have the crappiest games of all next gen systems, but market the name Wii correctly, and they are set.

 

[Kittonwy]

Nintendo of Japan: We're calling it the "Wii".

Nintendo of America: Er...that has certain negative connotations in English.

Nintendo of Japan: Don't care.

Nintendo of America: No, seriously, this is an astonishingly bad idea.

Nintendo of Japan: Suck it up.

Nintendo of America: Goddamnit.

FnordChan

That is just... wrong.

 

[KarishBHR]

I feel if everyone realises that its "we" than it has no problem... but everyone is going to end up calling it "why" or wi

 

[Netrunner2k2]

After a while, I am sure I will grow to like the name and maybe even say it with a straight face, but not right now.

This outburst is similar to when the controller was first shown and after we found out what it could do, people were extremely excited about it.

Nintendo's mission statment, if you will, is pretty much saying "We aren't going to be normal, we aren't going to follow the same path, and we certainly aren't going to be playing the same game as everyone else." Something we've heard from them many times before.

I applaud them for that, because it takes that kind of thinking to make things huge successes.

 

[Kuroyume]

WII?! :lol

...


:lol :lol :lol


Wii? Wii?


:lol :lol :lol

Wii.... :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[Kolgar]

Oh sweet baby Jesus! I just laughed so hard I sprayed water all over my monitor!

NINTENDO, WHY NOT JUST CALL IT "HIRI KIRI"?

 

[Fallofmart]

The name is either genius or the stupidest thing nintendo has ever done.

We will just have to wait and see.

 

[Alcibiades]

um, "wii" wouldn't have any more connotation to pee than "we", since they are pronounced the same...

As far as I remember, it's "we-we" that means genital part or pee, not "we". If it was just "we", that's just such a common word...

 

[hyp]

Nintendo is pretty brilliant, with a name like Wii, Nintendo is no longer trying to sell a game system, but an idea, a style.

Much like the Ipod, people could care less if their were better and cheaper products on the market that did the same thing, people wanted the Ipod for the image, the idea, the style.


Nintendo could have the crappiest games of all next gen systems, but market the name Wii correctly, and they are set.

wait, you're being serious right?

 

[forensick]

Here's mine that I did in one minute to try and get on the 4th page before the site broked.

 

[civilstrife]

I vote to remove the word ntard from NeoGAFisms and replace it with wiiner.

You've GOT to be kidding me.
How the fuck did you miss Wiitard?