Why Nintendo Why? What did we do to deserve this? I've bought every system since the NES. I've supported you through the tough times of the 64 and the GameCube. I defended you when people said you were for kiddies. I believed the hype about Wind Waker and sat through those long boring sea adventures. I watched as other's enjoyed games such as Ico and Grand Theft Auto whilst I was left with yet another Mario theme game. And then you go and do this. You call your next system the Nintendo Wii. Yes that's right people - Wii (pronounced 'we'). How can you not laugh when you hear that. The old tentative name was the Revolution. A much cooler name.
Surely you did some market testing of this name. Surely you noticed the people snickering when you mentioned the name. Surely somebody in the meeting piped up and said "Mr Iwata, Wii means to urinate"
But does it? It seems (and I can't confirm) that American's don't know the meaning of Wii. The posts on Slashdot seem to be joking about it's resemblance to the word Wee-Wee meaning a penis. Is Wee (as to urinate) an Australian word? Are they going to change this for the Australian (and presumably British) releases.
I can imagine the conversation to prospective buyers going like this:
Shop Assistant: You should get the new Nintendo Wii. It uses a ...
Shopper: Did you say Wii?
Shop Assistant: Yes, but the name doesn't ...
Shopper: Wii? As in to urinate?
Shop Assistant: Well, no. Wii as in an inclusive you and ...
Shopper: You're serious it's called Wii? You want me to pay for Wii?
Shop Assistant: But, the controller...
Shopper: I'll take a PS3 please
There is no way you are going to sell these systems. You're never going to get to the cool stuff about the controller or the virtual console or the cool games.
Why Nintendo? Why have you forsaken me?
Comments
Joel, you've been pimping up Nintendo's new system for at least two months now.
You realise now, you've been gunning for Nintendo's Wii. You were all about how you could swing the controller around through the air, from side to side. I'm just getting bad images now.
If you ever ask me to come over and play with your Wii, don't be surprised if I say no.
I know all that hard work in getting you and others interested in the system has been wasted! I will never be able to get people interested with the system unless I can physically show them it (and don't start with all the 'he wants to show me his wee' jokes).
See Nintendo! See! A name is but a name, unless that name refers to a bodily function. I would have no problems with any comparably weird name as long as that name didn't refer to a bodily function.