Codename: Revolution, thy name is Wii. Also, gonads and strife.

[Joe]

No, it's no joke. Nintendo's calling the Revolution the Wii.

Wii here at The Escapist want to start a grassroots campaign to just call the damn thing the Revolution. Why? Because it's ballsy, it's pretty factual, and it has the pretention people who would actually buy an underpowered next-gen system love. Wii can claim control of the language. All Wii have to do is organize.

Less work-safe Wii.

Oui.

 

[Joe]

Original Comment by: Ben Humberston

Well hey if they're going for the whole symbolism of the "ii" to get across the social aspect of THE REVOLUTION (yes that is its name), they could use any other consonant that fit nicely, like...

Nii... or wait... ok too many monty python memories come to mind...

Bii....Flii...trii.... you could have a regular ecosystem of names there....

Fii... or how about Frii? What better way to emphasize low cost than Freeeeeeeeeee?...
.
Hii.... SEXISM....
Shii... SAME.....

Tii... now there's something every stereotypically extreme Brit could go for....

Mii.... nuts to all this "play together" nonsense... You're not touching my new Revolution! It's just for Mii!


Ok ok so pretty much anything with "ii" comes out funny. Please oh please let them change it back to Revolution before Wii starts becoming accepted! Yes the name makes for clever Apple-style ads, but then again, iPod actually uses a word in its name, not something that sounds like... well, whatever dirty thing your mind can come up with.

I support the NEW REVOLUTION.... the one that will bring back the REVOLUTION!

 

[Joe]

Original Comment by: Brinstar
http://acidforblood.net/
Wii contend that "GameBoy" is a dumber name. And don't forget that no one really liked "PlayStation" or "Dreamcast" or any of the other half dozen "stupid" console names. I mean, "Xbox"? "Xbox 360"? What a joke those names are! Remember when all the Sony haters were calling the PlayStation, the "GayStation"?

at the end of the day, the console will be judged more on its software and its ability to deliver entertainment.

 

[Vandemar]

I curse them for it, because I've had to listen to comedy geniuses going "Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" all morning.

 

[Joe]

Original Comment by: rt

Wii jokes are already cliched. I'm over it.

 

[Joe]

Original Comment by: Patrick
http://www.kingludic.blogspot.com
It took me about fourty minute, but I'm over the name change. I think Brinstar makes a great point, cultural currency like product names aren't absolute things, they change in perception based on the performance of the product itself.

I did, however, sign a petition to change it, and you all should feel free to do so as well:

http://www.petitiononline.com/ninwii/

 

[Joe]

Original Comment by: Ian

Brinstar is right that vocal minority's opinions on the name of this console are overrated, but based on my first impressions, I don't see how this name serves the system. I mean, the-console-formerly-known-as-the-Revolution is supposed to be intuitive, but I sure as heck couldn't pronounce "Wii" until I was told how; it's supposed to outreach, but I can only imagine talking about it for the first time to someone who's hearing all of this for the first time; and it's supposed to be familiar, but when I saw that word for the first time it was more foreign than anything (it looked like nothing English).

But it doesn't really matter so much. Content is king, as they say, and I haven't heard of anyone shying away from the system because of its name (but, to be fair, my friends are mostly gamers). It still looks to be an amazing system.

I just hope Nintendo's marketing wizards can work wonders with the Wii.