Was Nintendo ready for Wii backlash?
by Vladimir Cole 
{ Apr 28th 2006 at 10:10PM }
Nintedo anticipated a certain amount of surprise and even lashback when they decided to rename their newest console
from "Revolution" to "Wii." They've said as much: "it's really noisy at E3 and I don't think
we would have had the chance to explain how we came to the name," Nintendo's Perrin Kaplan told CNN Money, explaining why the
announcement needed to be made the week before E3.
But was the company ready for so much negativity? Forbes writes a blunt headline: "Iwata's Nintendo Lampooned For 'Wii'." The Financial Times is more gentle with "Wii aren’t too sure about this." The CNN story even manages to include the toilet humor right in the headline, with a head that reads: "Nintendo goes 'Wii' ... (not a typo)."
These are major publications that are taking note of the internet backlash that has accompanied Nintendo's latest announcement, and they're all taking care to mention the link between the name and the toilet humor that the name inspires.
Three questions:
- Was Nintendo ready for the volume and ferocity of comments?
- Has the name been indelibly linked to urine? Even after we're all used to the name, the conversation that's going on right now isn't going to be forgotten soon, thanks to the emotional rollercoaster accompanying the announcement.
- Will the company capitulate?
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Anticrawl @ Apr 29th 2006 1:12AM
Hmm actually since the announcement of "Wii" Nintendo's stock hasn't seen any loss. Infact it's quite the opposite. Just this morning it went up 55 cents per share. Thats about a 3.3 percent increase.
I think Nintendo may have something here, no matter how absurd the name is.
Anticrawl
vc @ Apr 29th 2006 1:16AM
Anticrawl: I didn't mean that so literally. I meant "stock" as in "people's belief in the company" and the "sum total of brand equity."
Anticrawl @ Apr 29th 2006 1:28AM
Yeah it's spelt Oui Magazine, a porno mag. When people here "Wii", older gamers, they will think of the porn mag. Oui is pronounced like Wee.
Here is the link. It's not work safe and anyone under the age of 18/21 shouldn't view it. But everyone is an adult on the internet... right?
*ADULT SHIT HERE, WARNING*
http://www.ouimagazine.com/ouibackissues.html
*ADULT SHIT HERE, WARNING*
You have been warned,
Anticrawl
I am not responsible for what you view or do not view on that site and you are 100 percent liable for your actions in viewing that site.
Magenta steam @ Apr 29th 2006 1:56AM
Just thinking about the name just now it gave me a thought what if it is not just Wii but NintendoWii like NintendoDS it makes more sense if you call it NintendoWii for a brand name. the NintendoDS is called the DS but people still call it NintendoDS or NDS. So it is now called NintendoWii or NWii.
jvansen @ Apr 29th 2006 2:26AM
It's obvious that they are going to reveal the missing two or three letters after Wii at E3, Right?
V1L3 @ Apr 29th 2006 3:53AM
#44: THANK you.
I'm getting entirely sick of people calling those of us who immediately think of "urine" as being childish, when anyone with English as their first language will AUTOMATICALLY replace this name with "wee" because it's the only logical word that fits - it's a noun, not a pronoun. And unless Nintendo REALLY hammer this name home, that's how it will remain. But Nintendo shouldn't have to work so hard to do that - sure, they can if they want, but aside from spending tens of thousands of dollars on marketing, they now have to spend hundreds of thousands explaining it and implanting it subconciously in our brains.
Smooth move.
jimmy @ Apr 29th 2006 5:06AM
I've been running this through my head since the announcement. i still hate it. i am sure there are other names that they could have used that fit all those requirements. *sigh*
for those that say whats in a name, would you name your kid c**k-f***er? the kid will be ridiculed. Nobody will like him. It will make him stronger later in life but that's only maybe 20 years time.. nintendo only have 5... maybe 6. I think this name will destroy the console.
mis @ Apr 29th 2006 7:06AM
Well it never did Michelle Wie any harm did it?
What about Michelle Winterbottom?
Or Dick?
Or Will
Or Fanny?
Or Virginia?
What's in name?
SERIOUSLY, some of you guys need therapy.
dan @ Apr 29th 2006 8:15AM
whether or not u want to defend the name or not it doesnt matter. the fact is people in general hate it and you dont buy what you hate. ok its just a name but the fact is more people will buy it if its called revolution so that is really the only argument that matters. also wee is used alot if ur from the UK. and im sorry but the names like ebay, xbox and virgin didnt sound really stupid to me when i first heard them, they sounded cool. noone can say that about wii. it makes me even more angry as a customer of nintendos that they dont give a damb about the people who actually are going to buy the thing, the just say live with it, well ok nintendo i will live with it and not purchase your console you arrogant stupid fools. do you feel better now nintendo. does that satisfy you now u got ur stupid name and noone wants it
Tom @ Apr 29th 2006 9:18AM
Remember the pic of a japanese girl licking the PSP?
I hope she will lick my Wii too...
Ooohhh yeaahhh!
Tom @ Apr 29th 2006 9:20AM
Oh, those naughty japanese girls... surely like my Wii
Marc @ Apr 29th 2006 10:24AM
HA HA funny Tom (but seriously you need help).
Gazbin @ Apr 29th 2006 11:54AM
I'll forgive Nintendo for their wii on the following conditions:
(1)Nintendo makes the NES, SNES, N64 back catalogue free
(2)Downloaded games can be stored to external SD memory or hard drive
(3)Do a better job delivering the so called "innovative" games – IE: Must do much better than Donkey Konga, Mario Dance (10 years too late), Odama (disappointment), Battalion Wars (gameplay?).
(4)Promise no Mario Party 7 or 8 or whatever they are up to.
(5)Don't dumb everything down (don't just go for non-gamers).
(6)Console under $200 and major games under $50, Simple games under $20.
I'll get use to the Weee! Otherwise – Good byeeee!
Babylonian @ Apr 29th 2006 1:08PM
Was Nintendo ready for the backlash? The answer is yes. In one of their interviews, Perrin said that they announced it before E3 to allow gamers time to "vent". Strange, huh?
Brian @ Apr 29th 2006 1:14PM
The reason why it's acceptable, is that the nintendo genre has come to be associated with kids-play. all the big-kids play ps2/3 or xbox/360.
Moogle @ Apr 29th 2006 2:07PM
I think this whole thing is going to go down as the textbook case of failure of a focus group to predict a real-world reaction.
People taking a survey are probably less likely devolve into toilet humor, but on the internet and between friends, people have less inhibition and are willing to think about it, and say it, which reinforces the thought. With all the discussion, even if the toilet humor stops in a week, I don't think the name will ever lose the connotation's it's picking up now in everyone's minds.
I still don't know whether it would be better for nintendo to keep their pride and use the name, or save face and admit a mistake and change it. Their defensiveness makes me think they won't change, but it's also a clear indication (to me, anyway) that the response was greater than expected. Excuses don't make people feel better.
I can live with Wii, but I think, even without the toilet jokes, it's a weak name. No hard consonants, trailing off vowel sound, such a short sound that its meaning and usage is already firm in the public mind. At least iPod didn't mean anything before.
I gave it a few days to settle, it's still not a good name, AND it's a piss joke. I hope it doesn't hurt sales too much, but as many have pointed out, you need strong sales to secure games that secure more sales. This could hurt a bit.
Kellydude025 @ Apr 29th 2006 2:14PM
Anyone who thinks of pee when they hear the word wii is as smart as a mentally disabled Monkey. Wii is a BAD NAME no matter how u look at it, the will have troubles marketing it, and they will have troubles keeping it going, i have a feeling this is nintendos last console and they are trying ot hard to make it successful
MrTroy @ Apr 29th 2006 2:53PM
And I've said this a thousand times. It's a bad name simply because Nintendo chose it to make stupid puns. Puns aren't clever. They're cheesy and bad.
I make roughly 4 puns a day. No one thinks I'm funny.
Heh and to the guy above that said "Nintendo wouldn't create bad press just to get people talking about the console."
Think of this, if Nintendo "caves in" and changes their name because the "fans" complained. What would that do for the gaming industry?
Gamers will think they have more of an active voice. And it'll make Nintendo seem like that actually care. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if after E3 Nintendo changes the name and it was completely planned out. :)
Jim @ Apr 29th 2006 3:15PM
Plain and simple "Revolution" is a cool name.
"Wii" is a "WTF? LOL!" name.
IMHO.
Derek @ Apr 29th 2006 6:11PM
ALL of these jokes are getting real old, REAL FAST.
I cant believe every major gaming news site has used the jokes OVER AND OVER again, within less than a week, wow, you guys need to think different.
We hated the controller at first, then we learned to love it.
We hate(joke about)the name at first, well will soon learn to love (or like) it.
Now I am a X360 fanboy, but I am planning on getting the next nintendo system no matter what it is called.
The HavoX @ Apr 29th 2006 6:13PM
I'm still calling it "Revolution" because Wii is a pathetic and horrible name.
If I were to buy one today, I'd remove the 'Wii' from the console, and "rebrand" it to 'Revolution' via laser engraving.
mceedj11 @ Apr 30th 2006 7:51AM
This would be my first post ever on Joystiq. This name "wii" is so bad, it made me want to post. We all know the direction nintendo is going, starting a revolution, bringing gamers and family to together...so on. But seriously, let's think for a sec here: Nintendo has never failed to impress gamers and their fans, right? It's a revolution in gaming and i'll admit that 110% But Wii???????????? Out of all the words in the dictionary focusing on "togetherness", they choose wii?
I even saw the commercial for the logo and the explanation. "Revolution was our direction, and wii is our answer." (anyone think that sounds really "off")
Google and ipod are products that were pioneers and better then all the rest (they are household names). Nintendo has been there for quite some time, and the previous names have been fitting to their respective consoles, not to mention that their logos looked good. I'll admit that the "Wii" logo looks sharp and fitting, but i'd rather look it then say it.
I respect Nintendo, but i'm sure if they stick to this name, they'll be dealing with "toilet humor" and "my other console's name is better" for the name 6 or 7 years. I'd buy it, but truthfully, i'd still call it "rev".
Cheers!
Gazbin @ Apr 30th 2006 9:01AM
E3 is almost here so Nintendo are obviously playing a little game with us or should I say wee.
Wii is symbolic of something to be announced at the E3 show - maybe it is a reference to WiFi or Wiired. Maybe it is, as others have suggested, simply a picture word; with those two ii looking like that wonderful controller with the two separate bits to it.
The first bit of the “Wiimote” is a big 10-inch long smooth controller that you hold and move about with your hand. This part contains the batteries and does the vibrating rumble pack bit, the second part is permanently attached by a cable and is much smaller in size. It has a little flat rubber nob with a plug-like top to it. Now I don't know about you, but I'm still trying to figure out where these Japanese middle-aged gentlemen would have gotten the idea for their design from? Their source of inspiration. All those lonely nights working back late – labouring over the plans for Nintendo's great come back.
Anyway, for me, those two little ii in the Wii look like the two controllers standing proudly next to each other. I'm not sure how this ties in with their stated ambitions to open up new territories in entertainment for all persuasions – or attracting broader demographics including your Mum and your sister/s. Who could know the genius of Nintendo?
On the surface Wii certainly is a stupid, childish, embarrassing name. But I expect Nintendo is not as stupid as most think. So let's not pass judgement until Nintendo management bare their all and reveal their little wii to us at E3 in all its glory! Go hard Nintendo! Go proud! Viva la Wee wee!
Goober @ Apr 30th 2006 9:56PM
I agree with #27. Personally I've grown to like the name especially after seeing it next to names like Sony and Apple.
CHAoS_NiNJA @ May 1st 2006 2:00AM
WII GET IT LIKE WEE LIKE PEE PEE LOL OH HAY I'M 5 YEARS OLD
Fscking grow up. Is it a weird name? Hell yes it is. But all the piss/penis jokes are just weak.
airpolgas @ May 1st 2006 2:51PM
What's with the negative stars?
SetupWeasel made a valid point, albeit counter to VC on post #42, and he gets a negative star, then MasterInsan0 quips with a generic immature reply (#47) and he doesn't get a negative feedback? Seriously, what are the star ratings for? How can I, as a visitor, add a positive one for a good entry that I like?