Nintendo’s Wii
Nintendo has created a new game console that will go head to head to head with XBox and Playstation .
The official name of the playstation is Wii….pronounced Wee…as in Wee Wee Wee all the way home. Can you believe it took 6 months to come up with the name.
The Brits are saying the name is offensive because it is how they call their wee little jr. members.
But, then the Brits didn’t like Winnie the Poo, either.
It reminds me of when Bob Dole was running for president and the Arab community didn’t know how to translate his name for similar reasons.
What I want to know is how the Japanese plan to write it in katakana. That’s a problem, too.
Six months, to come up with the name Wii?
I guess it’s better than the story of how they came up with the name Datsun. The boss told the naming department the Friday before "We have this new car and we need a name for it?"
"When do you need the name by?
"Monday!"
To which they replied, "Dat soon?!"
Tags: 4226, 4237POSTED IN: Doing Business in Japan
7 opinions for Nintendo’s Wii
Christopher Cerezo
May 1, 2006 at 9:14 am
I’ve heard much about this new system that nintendo is coming out with. The name “Wii” actually symbolizes something. The “W” is, well, something. And the two “ii”’s represent two people holding the console controlers. As for the whole british part, they need to get over themselves.
mark cerezo
May 1, 2006 at 9:17 am
haha! great joke! well i guess thats the name for the new playstation that we are all waiting for.. Wii!
panasianbiz
May 1, 2006 at 10:05 am
I have never touched an Xbox, Playstation or Nintendo console.
Maybe its a generation gap, but the whole idea of gaming just doesn’t appeal to me.
What games do you play?
panasianbiz
May 1, 2006 at 10:13 am
That’s interesting about the meaning…I will try to find out.
It seems the W has no special meaning…but the ii does.
Wii.
UberShaman
May 1, 2006 at 12:36 pm
Brits do not call their ‘wee little jr members’ Wees! Don’t know where you got that from, unless I’v missed it in my life of living here. Wee still means urine, I don’t personally find it offensive (don’t think anyone does) just very stupid!
panasianbiz
May 1, 2006 at 3:02 pm
Thanks for the clarification. I either read it wrong or got bum information.
james roper
May 2, 2006 at 8:51 am
it’s always funny to see how words and names are translated into different languages. it is a little disappointing that after six months all they came up with was wii, but then again, it wasn’t named for my native market. it will be interesting to see if it gets changed if/when it comes to the US.
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