CNET loathes Wii name change
by Joystiq Staff 
{ Jul 11th 2006 at 11:55AM }
While most of us have moved on and accepted the name Wii, CNET still holds a grudge at the sudden shift from Revolution. In their roundup of the worst of the worst for the past three months of 2006, CNET slaps Nintendo with the dubious title "Worst name change." They keep their disgust short and sweet:"Nintendo Revolution" sounds cool. "Nintendo Wii" sounds dumb. That's about all there is to say.
Other gaming-related worsts include And 1 Streetball for "Worst electronic referees" and X-Men: The Official Game for "Worst game based on a movie." It seems X-Men had to beat out some real stinkers, but it had what it took to get the job done. As CNET says, "Plugging your game controller into a ham sandwich while pushing buttons and making your own sound effects is more engaging."
What has been your worst gaming experience of the past few months?
[Thanks, White Rose Duelist]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jc @ Jul 11th 2006 12:04PM
My worst gaming experience of the past few months...
Being forced to buy the GRAW map2 download ($22cnd) so I could keep playing multiplayer.
Eli @ Jul 11th 2006 12:05PM
CNET loathes the Wii's name? I have 2 pieces of information for them.
1. CNET is months late.
2. I hate CNET.
ill trooper @ Jul 11th 2006 12:12PM
Erm, my 360 dying, and being told it's $120 to fix it. Other than that everything's been pretty good.
Loque @ Jul 11th 2006 12:12PM
PVP in EQ2..blech. Back to PVE for me
boots @ Jul 11th 2006 12:14PM
My 360 freezing every now and then.
Anyway, on the X-men game, at least it was better than the movie.
White Rose Duelist @ Jul 11th 2006 12:16PM
I left 6 handheld games on a bus on my way home from vacation, and Greyhound refuses to say whether or not they know where they are.
Jared @ Jul 11th 2006 12:17PM
My worst gaming experience has been trying to juggle a million different games I want to play, while still seeing my backlog grow even more (thanks a lot, Circuit City clearance sale) and knowing that the busy season isn't even upon us yet!
Oh, and Tokyo Xtreme Racer: DRIFT. Sad: http://ps2.vggen.com/reviews/tokyodrift/
msdarnell @ Jul 11th 2006 12:17PM
I rented X-3, thinking that it couldn't possibly be as bad as presented in reviews.
I was wrong. It was even worse. To everybody who is even thinking of grabbing this from the bargain bin...don't. Save the $10 and buy ten tacos.
Gewurztraminer @ Jul 11th 2006 12:18PM
Seeing a $60 price tag attached to Final Fantasy XII. Maybe I'm
A)frugal,
B)poor,
C)a cheapskate, or
D)All of the Above
But seeing that price tortures the soul. I know it is a collector's edition, I know next-gen means higher priced games anyway, and I know that with inflation $50 for a game today is technically less than $50 for a game 15 years ago. It still doesn't change the fact that I like the number 50 much more than 60.
vidGuy @ Jul 11th 2006 12:30PM
As was mentioned on gonintendo, it's kind of hard to rename a console when it hadn't been named. I guess the impact of the codename beat a ton of others, though. Anyone for Dolphin?
I don't see it being that bad... the name did garnish a lot of attention. I'm used to Wii now, and I like it.
Let's wait until the console launches to call it a good or bad move.
Worst name? Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game.
Gene @ Jul 11th 2006 12:31PM
I'm still pissed off about the name change too. Time heals a lot of wounds, but not this one.
Pal @ Jul 11th 2006 12:32PM
I felt that Wii was 'dumb' for a while, but like everyone else in the world, got over it. CNET is just being immature; get over it, CNET!
My worst recent gaming experience involves my PSP and an LCD screen protector. I waited a few days before putting the protector on, and don't you know it, something scratched the screen. If only I put it on right away...
Good news, however, is that the 2 inch long scratch magically "disappeared" when I put the screen protector on. I can't see it from any angle anymore, what a blessing.
Martin @ Jul 11th 2006 12:36PM
The worst move Nintendo could make is releasing Super Mario Brothers, the official game of the movie!
vidGuy @ Jul 11th 2006 12:39PM
@Martin,
or launching the Wii at $249 with only one remote+nunchuck and no pack-in.
NINTENDO: $199 basic, $249 great package. Anything different and it'll be a hard(er) sale.
TheHowler @ Jul 11th 2006 12:39PM
CNET may be "immature" but they are still entitled to an opinion just like everyone else...and expressing this opinion is far from immature. Just because some people may have "gotten over" the name, Wii IS STILL a horrible name for a console. I may have come to accept it, but I don't have to like it, and neither does CNET for that matter.
My worst recent gaming experience would have to be repeatedly being disconnected from my WoW server while trying to raid...so frustrating!
Gary @ Jul 11th 2006 12:44PM
My worst gaming experience as of late is realizing that Dead Rising is around the corner and I've already got too much to play!
This situation is, of course, mitigated by the fact that this is an excellent problem to have and also the fact that in Dead Rising you can make a zombie shower in their own blood from a shower head jammed in their head.
Lord knows, Zombie blood showers nestle in the cockles of gamer's hearts and makes them go pitter pat. Way too cool.
AJ @ Jul 11th 2006 12:46PM
Revolution's a dumber name than Wii. Everyone's just lost all sense of taste from all the unaesthetic shit that's presented in games and the surrounding culture.
You can question the name Wii as much as you want, it does have it's dubious aspects, just don't be so stupid as to think Revolution's any better.
georgedakota @ Jul 11th 2006 12:59PM
I agree with cnet as well. Wii for a console name is the worst one in history that i can remember. I see tons of adult men being so turned off by the name that they will not be purchasing because of that first impression. Me personally would buy it if the games were really good but i saw the graphics and was HORRIBLY! disappointed. I didnt spend $2000 on a samsung 50 inch hdtv for this analog crap.
bryan @ Jul 11th 2006 1:03PM
Accept it or not....The name sucks. Cnet is right. They deserve an award for that kind of stupidly. I just hope it doesn’t destroy the company in the process. I am a huge Nintendo fan, and will buy a Wii, just don’t ask me to say the name in a sentence without getting a giggle out of someone.
Worst gaming experience of the last few months... Beta Testing Windows Vista, and finding out I cant get Sid Myers Pirates! (2004) to run on it..
mr_joneses @ Jul 11th 2006 1:16PM
um, my Xbox 360 is working fine, and I suspect you Sony fanbosy writing your's are not probably don't even own one...
Ominatorx @ Jul 11th 2006 1:30PM
I'm still waiting on the box to ship my 360 to get fixed. I bet the ps3 won't break after 9 months.
KR @ Jul 11th 2006 1:53PM
CNET is right. I hate it when fans truly dislike something, but then convince themselves to like it "just because." If people still bitch about this enough, it will lessen the likelihood that we get a repeat of it the next time around.
The Wii name is still terrible, and I've yet to see any good argument why it's better than Revolution (or just about any other offering).
BrianP @ Jul 11th 2006 1:55PM
I may yet buy the W**, but I will always call it the Nintendo REV, and at least among my group of friends that is what it will always be referred to as.
William @ Jul 11th 2006 1:59PM
The name is horrible. There's no denying it. I agree that after the initial shock, people have accepted it, doesn't mean they like it. Wii won't be the next Google or iPod. People still say "Lets hook our systems together and play with our Wii Wiis!"
It took them a year to come up with it? Jeeze, if they were really striving for "togetherness" and "unity" they could have come up with a name that'd achieve that and not sound so stupid to the American fanbase.
Or maybe Nintendo is testing how loyal their fans are...
Kite @ Jul 11th 2006 2:02PM
Personally...I don't feel anything wrong with the wii. If that is the name that the people who created it want to give it, let it be so. The only persons who really could care about the name are the developers themselves. Sit back and think for a while what wrong that name did to you. There is no big deal to it, seriously :)
DG @ Jul 11th 2006 2:09PM
Back in 1994, I thought Sony had no chance. "PlayStation" sounded juvenile and too Fisher-Price for my tastes. I couldn't possibly imagine teenaged boys flocking to something that sounded so dumb.
Turns out I was wrong.
Eih'Beir @ Jul 11th 2006 2:10PM
The Rogue Review.
go fish @ Jul 11th 2006 2:12PM
Personally, I still think the name "Xbox" is stupid, but everyone got over that. Anyone else remember the Xbox backlash when that was first announced? Not quite as bad as Wii, but still pretty harsh.
Tush @ Jul 11th 2006 2:16PM
If people are going to NOT buy it because of the name, those people are completely lame.
"Playstation 2" isn't a terribly original or manly name, but the console itself was and is a damn sweet system, IMHO.
From the perspective of someone who doesn't have English as their native language (remember those people?), Wii is a name like any other name. Be it "cool" or not.
Does Xbox 360 make any sense? Not to me... doesnt' 360 mean that they turned around until they were facing the same direction? Oh wait... self-fulfilling prophecy I guess.
uchiha5 @ Jul 11th 2006 2:20PM
I don't think the name is going to be as effective as Nintendo wants it to be. When I told my mother about the Wii just to get her ready to pay $200-$250 plus a couple of games and a controller and told her the system's name was Wii. Her response was: Wii? I don't think thats a very good reaction for a woman being that there looking for all ages. And my freinds just laughed the first time I told them about it. I don't think the name is going to effect them in the long run but I think the name being Revolution would have made the consumer less confused.
Draco @ Jul 11th 2006 2:25PM
anyone remember the X-Box 360 name? Pretty dumb eh!
wii is pretty chidish name.
playstation when it first came out sounded dumb in my mind, but 200 million sales changes all that I guess.
if I talk to my aunt she tells me she bought her grandkids a nintendo playstation, even though its a gamecube. names don't matter much.
but lets face it they cant just call it
Microsoft Entertainment system 2
or Nintendo entertainment system 5
or Sony computer system 3
saboola @ Jul 11th 2006 2:29PM
ANNUAL NINTENDO OF AMERICA EMERGENCY MEETING (7/11/2006)
Reggie: Well, we have a situation everyone. A few people commenting on a blog hate the name Wii. This simply can not be tolerated. We have to scrap the whole idea and start fresh because clearly they know more than we do about marketing. To the Reggiemobile!
Levi @ Jul 11th 2006 2:49PM
My worst gaming experience this past month was when some fucking kids busted into my apartment and stole my PS2 and all my games.
Hepme @ Jul 11th 2006 2:52PM
Not to be insensitive, but the Japanese would have had a hard time saying "revolution." That could have been one of their reason's for a name change, aside from the fact that they always use codenames for their systems in their early stages.
DG @ Jul 11th 2006 2:57PM
"When I told my mother about the Wii just to get her ready to pay $200-$250 plus a couple of games and a controller and told her the system's name was Wii..."
Whatever...get a job, baby.
Jay @ Jul 11th 2006 2:58PM
Anyone commenting on this (besides myself because I'm making a point) is retarded. They announced the name 2 1/2 MONTHS AGO! I happen to be one of the (very) few people who accepted the name right away. But, if after 2 1/2 months you can't stop complaining, especially when most of the world has, you shouldn't be allowed to express your opinion.
jcmschwa @ Jul 11th 2006 2:58PM
is that kinda like the mystery machine?
molecule @ Jul 11th 2006 3:03PM
The people who are STILL simmering over the Wii name most likely would never have bought the console no matter the name. Secondly, excepting the original "Wii" trailer, do any of us have any idea how Nintendo's going to market this thing? I mean, with a few clever, well-placed commercials, Nintendo could instantly melt the perception of it as referring to pee or "my wee wee", and rather get their TRUE message out there, that it's all about the "We", as in gaming for everyone.
All in all, the name "Wii" has the potential to actually symbolize something fresh, new, attractive, and even cool, but it all depends on Nintendo's advertising. Hasn't Sony already shown us the absolute power that advertising can have?
All Your Lost Socks @ Jul 11th 2006 3:20PM
@ 32 - Actually, a lot of product names that you would think they have trouble pronouncing don't cause much of a big deal because everything ends up getting shortened to something trendier anyway. Revolution began to be called the Rev before the real name was ever introduced, and it would have just as quickly become "rebu" or "rebo" (the former more likely) in Japanese had the name stuck. Either way it would have worked.
I'm used to the name myself. I think that even if you say "I don't have to like it", sure, that's fine, don't like it - but that's it. Good for you, some of us don't care who likes it and who doesn't. It gets incredibly old to complain about it two and a half months after it was announced.
Ethan Thomas @ Jul 11th 2006 4:12PM
My worst gaming experience recently? Oh, that's easy. Over-G Fighters. The worst flight game ever created. This gen, last gen, 15 gen's from now...it was like playing a demo of a "How to totally screw up coding a game, take all the fun out of it, have stupid a.i., impossible missile avoidance, rip the heart and soul from the game and leave it for dead" demo disc. Seriously Taito and Ubi, for shame. Ubisoft is turning into Rockstar. They make a few well-received (I won't say good necessarily) games and suddenly they think they can just throw junk at people and we'll buy it because it has their logo. Well, it worked for Rockstar...maybe it will work for them, but I won't be suckered into another one of their lame games. They had Far Cry going for them, but the second part of that game wasn't so hot. And G.R.A.W. didn't really do much for me, except show me that even in the future, in suits that are designed to repel a 9 m.m. round, you can still be killed....in said suit...by said 9 m.m. round.....WTF!?!?!?! Call me the devil's advocate, but EA delivered a decent offering with LOTR:BFME2. But on topic, ya, Over G Fighters is the joke that nobody's laughing at.
GamerZero @ Jul 11th 2006 4:33PM
I thought the Xbox wasn't a bad name because it was basicaly DirectX in a box.The Microsoft Direct X api was developed for Windows and it became key part of the console.I think that Microsoft wanted to put their mark down in the gaming world with a big X.Every console is just a box.
Nintendo's GameCube looks like a cube and it plays games,neato!
Wii is strange and apart from having the hip "i" character twice to be fashionable, auraly it sounds embarrasing.
I've never understood why Sony said their's is a station.The only thing I can think of,and I'm reaching here, is if you played in a train,police or fire station when your a kid but that's naughty and you could get into serious trouble so not recommended Sony fanboys.
Bryan @ Jul 11th 2006 4:34PM
Question:
Why hasn't "Xbox360" gotten any criticism? I'm pretty sure that Xbox itself is a pretty lame name; the NEW Xbox doesn't even have an X on it anywhere -- at least the old one reflected its name. Even then, that system was huge, bulky, and overheated.
But honestly - let's throw a three-digit number onto the end of an already unoriginal name!!
Ex-BAHcks-three-six-tee: five syllables.
Play-stay-shun-three: four syllables, unless referred to as PS3... then three syllables.
Wii: one syllable.
Thank you!
Cottonball @ Jul 11th 2006 4:57PM
I'd have much less of a problem with 'Wii' if it wasn't for the double i's. Nintendo got a little to cute with that one. Nintendo should've come up with something less phoentically unclear. I think even 'We' would have been preferable, IMO.
Squeek @ Jul 11th 2006 5:08PM
Shows how in-the-loop they are. How many times now has Nintendo explained that it's not the "Nintendo Wii"? "Nintendo" isn't a part of the name at all. It's just a three-letter name. No company attachment to it, like iPod. It's "the iPod made by Apple" or similarly.
Not saying I like the name, but it's annoying when people still don't know what the name is. Including Joystiq, as it's still "filed under" the name "Nintendo Wii".
The name of the product is the "Wii". That's it.
Cottonball @ Jul 11th 2006 6:04PM
"Shows how in-the-loop they are. How many times now has Nintendo explained that it's not the "Nintendo Wii"? "Nintendo" isn't a part of the name at all. It's just a three-letter name. No company attachment to it, like iPod. It's "the iPod made by Apple" or similarly.
Not saying I like the name, but it's annoying when people still don't know what the name is. Including Joystiq, as it's still "filed under" the name "Nintendo Wii".
The name of the product is the "Wii". That's it."
So it's not being made by Nintendo?
Squeek @ Jul 11th 2006 6:21PM
I said nothing of the sort. You misread my entire statement.
Think right now about what you call the "iPod". You call it an "iPod". That's its name. Apple did not put its name before the product. It's just the "iPod".
You don't call the PS3 the "3". You have to call it the "Playstation 3" or the "PS3". You don't call the Xbox360 the "360". It's written right on the console "Xbox360". You might shorten it to "360", but the official name is "Xbox360". This is not like the Gamecube, where it is written right on the top of the console "NINTENDO GAMECUBE". The console and controller only say "Wii".
They're making sure you know this, and have been doing so since the name change. "Just Wii." was a part of the original blurb we got about the name change. It's important because they're trying to make it a mainstream name like "iPod" is.
T-Bag @ Jul 11th 2006 7:34PM
1. All my saves for my account on my 360 were deleted after I installed a patch.
2. Three red lights showed up on my 360 after lightning had struck something nearby my house and restarted all my electrical appliances. Luckily it wasn't fatal and a simple restart fixed the problem.
Cottonball @ Jul 11th 2006 8:47PM
"I said nothing of the sort. You misread my entire statement.
Think right now about what you call the "iPod". You call it an "iPod". That's its name. Apple did not put its name before the product. It's just the "iPod".
You don't call the PS3 the "3". You have to call it the "Playstation 3" or the "PS3". You don't call the Xbox360 the "360". It's written right on the console "Xbox360". You might shorten it to "360", but the official name is "Xbox360". This is not like the Gamecube, where it is written right on the top of the console "NINTENDO GAMECUBE". The console and controller only say "Wii".
They're making sure you know this, and have been doing so since the name change. "Just Wii." was a part of the original blurb we got about the name change. It's important because they're trying to make it a mainstream name like "iPod" is.
Nope, didn't misread you. It just makes complete sense that they put the product manufacturer name in front of the product name. A large number of their readers are likely unfamiliar with the Wii, its an unreleased product whose name was officially announced but a few months ago. The 'Nintendo' is necessary so the reader knows exactly what they're referring to. Maybe years from now the Wii will have achieved the level of notoriety as the 'Ipod' and will be referred to just as the 'Wii', but it's definitely too early for that, despite the marketing efforts of Nintendo.
vidGuy @ Jul 11th 2006 10:05PM
I agree with Cottonball's reasoning here.
I'm bet every reference to the iPod before it's release was either "the Apple iPod" or "Apple's new music player, the iPod". Now it's just iPod. I do try to reference the system only as Wii, however.
Here's another point, you never hear anyone say the Microsoft XBOX or the Sony PlayStation 3 unless they are specifically talking about the manufacturer. Why's "the Nintendo Wii" sound correct?
I'll go on record saying that I don't expect the Wii to reach such recognition. It'll either stay Nintendo Wii or will be refered to as just "the Nintendo", as in "Let's go play the Nintendo". Actually, I still like the designs with "Nintendo V" as the name...
Tom @ Jul 11th 2006 10:26PM
"You don't call the PS3 the "3". You have to call it the "Playstation 3" or the "PS3". You don't call the Xbox360 the "360". It's written right on the console "Xbox360". You might shorten it to "360", but the official name is "Xbox360". This is not like the Gamecube, where it is written right on the top of the console "NINTENDO GAMECUBE". The console and controller only say "Wii"." ~ Cottonball
I don't know what you call all this stuff but your analogy that "Playstation 3" is to "3" as "Nintendo Wii" is to "Wii" (and that "Xbox 360" is to "360" as "Nintendo Wii" is to "Wii") is flat wrong. If we're making direct comparisons you'd say "Sony Playstation 3" and "Microsoft Xbox 360". Given this, there's nothing wrong with simply calling it the "Wii", except that there is ambiguity in saying the word aloud as opposed to spelling it. However, everyone here types things to each other, so there should be no confusion. Basically, I agree with Cottonball, but the point he/she was trying to make needed clarification.