I'm curious... why did Nintendo call it the Wii?

Riviet

Feel free to also offer your personal thoughts on the topic.

phimuajedi69

my speculation:
pretty sure it was mostly a marketing decision, making the name so simple and different generated a lot of talk about the system before e3, then when they hit the show floor everyone was watching and they delivered, magically everyone is now sold on their new system

it may also have something to do with nintendos multiplayer experience (which is really good 9 times out of 10) and now they want everyone to play it so giving it the name 'we' as in 'you and I' emphasizes that

Yoshi

i thought it was something to do with the wireless stuff, like wifi and all of that...my mind is fried, i cannot think of the right words, but you get what i mean?!

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The true Link

i think they where sittin in the confrence room debatin what it should be called, then sum 1 wrote on a big white bored 'What Is It' and if u use the first letter of each word u get WII

Veiron

Fixed.

Atomsk

This is how it went down:

Director: Alright, what are we going to call it?

Assistant: Why not just keep "Revolution"?

Director: .... *Gets out of his seat, walks over to the assistant, grabs a framed portrait from the wall and beats her in the head for 3 minutes. Anyone else?

Board Members: *Wide eyed* Oh my God, we need to get out of here..

Director: Excellent! Wii, good job.

Board Member: ... Uhm?

Director: Someone clean up this blood.

i0n 

^Taken straight from the nintendo.com website.

That should clear up all the confusion

Napalmbrain 

Perhaps some Japanese Nintendo exec misunderstood when their English-speaking colleague said, "We don't know what to call the new console"?

DRMARIO

Ahhhh come on, considering the fact nintendo is japanese, it probably makes perfect sense over there? were english, and we can expect funny sounding names...well to us they are

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phimuajedi69

Yeah, yeah, yeah, excuse my southern coming out a bit....

ps its now fixed in the original too

The true Link

well u know how weirn names are thought up the guys who decide go and get pissed and start throwiing out names until one of them say, and i quote ' *hic* wii good *hic* lets call it *colapses on2 floor and one of the others pokes with stick* i think * hic* he dead * also colapses*

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RuneKai

Introducing ... Wii. As in "we." 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. 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. And together, Wii will change everything
(taken from nintendo advertisement)

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yami_riku

Assuming that they speak english over in japan...

I think it was for a number of reasons that they chose Wii. They ii s look like the controlers.
The word Wii can be said in any language across the world, furthur emphasising the fact that the console is supposed to bring people like the word 'we' suggests. Imaginge if it was left revolution. It would have a different name in every language due to translation.
The word Wii is far more considerate of the new audience that nintendo wants to appeal to with the Wii, who don't quite appriciate strange numbers and acronyms like ps3 and 360.
And in my opinion, the word Wii just looks cool.

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ebittner

I liked the "Revolution" but I think they went with wii because it is a more fun name and when they say it is like "Wiiii" like you are having fun.

Riviet

Wow, so many replies in a day! Thanks for your contributions to this discussion, I feel greatly enlightened for the Wii now.

Magami Kamui

i dont know why they named it the Wii. they did need to change it from the Revolution but Nintendo already has a kind of reputation of being childish, and naming it that just makes it seem more for children

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ComfortablyMad

It's called Wii 'cause it's suppose to appeal to EVERYONE; young and old. People who have played video games for years and ones who have never picked up a game controller.

Sleepy-uk

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

and I liked revolution better too.

Riviet

I agree with that, the whole suitability for all age groups is evident in the official video clips of the Wii.

MetroidZ

i prenounce it "WHY", sounds better

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