The Nintendo Revolution name is gone. Introducing… Wii. As in “we†or “wheeee!” 😀 Press play to see for yourself:
Why Wii we wonder, Nintendo explains: 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.
“The other systems have an extension of their current names; ours is a new leap to something different,” Perrin Kaplan, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Affairs for Nintendo of America said “A lot of thought went into the name.”
So why announce the name now and not at the show? “By letting the gaming community vent now about the name, they will be less distracted as launch titles for the system are announced and initial reports about what it’s like to play the games begin to come in.”
Kaplan continues: “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.”
From the press release: 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 this 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 gathering to play.
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.