Nintendo today announced the new name of their next-generation console,
previously codenamed "Revolution."
The new name is "Wii,"
pronounced like the word "wee" Nintendo will find out soon enough that Wii, to
most people, simply means "why?" as in "Why the stupid name?". If you are a
Nintendo fan, you have every right to be mad.
According to its
official Wii website, the new name for the console "represents the answer",
and "will break down that wall that separates video game players from everybody
else." The site explains: "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. Wii has a distinctive "ii"
spelling that symbolizes both the unique controllers and the image of people
gathering to play."
In addition,
Nintendo has re-iterated the main features of what was formally called the
Nintendo Revolution, noting "a smart, compact design, approximately the size of
three standard DVD cases stacked together." The company also revealed: "A
variety of prototype colors are being showcased during E3. It will come with a
silver stand that makes the system a welcome, artistic component of any
multimedia setup, whether it's displayed vertically or horizontally." Details on
the disc format have also been confirmed: "Instead of a tray, a single,
innovative, self-loading media bay will play both 12-centimeter optical discs
used for the new system as well as Nintendo GameCube discs. Owners will have the
option of equipping a small, self-contained attachment to play movies and other
DVD content."
In addition, it's revealed that a bay for an SD memory card will let players
expand the internal flash memory. The system boasts 512 megabytes of internal
flash memory, wireless controllers, two USB 2.0 ports and built-in Wi-Fi access.
A worldwide network of Nintendo players "can gather to compete in a comfortable,
inviting environment."