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The era of Wii is - and should be - over.
Nintendo's fiscal year for 2012 ends in just a few days, but more important than that milestone is one simple fact - E3 2012 is a mere six weeks away. More and more, all eyes are focusing on that show for one reason – Nintendo will be fully unveiling its next home console. After dominating the industry for several years with bold, mainstream-oriented tactics, Nintendo's innovative, motion-controlled Wii ran out of steam, limping badly for the past year as its release schedule screeched to a halt and gamers of all ages and passions turned elsewhere for entertainment.
Last year, the company finally indicated it was ready to switch gears, moving into an HD era that would appeal to an even wider audience than before. However, one problem has haunted Nintendo since it gave gamers a glimpse of its new hardware– the name of the system. Too clever for its own good, the name "Wii U" sends far too many mixed messages at a time when none can be afforded.
The fact that Nintendo's fiscal year ends later this week is important for a few reasons, the biggest of which is that the company routinely makes broad announcements about its future. Last year, the company confirmed it planned to showcase its next-generation console at E3 2011. This year, the timing would be perfect to discard the 'Wii U' name, rebranding its new hardware as something that will actually make sense to both casual and more hardcore gamers. That's the problem with the 'Wii U' branding right now – it doesn't fit any priority of the company.
Do not like. (Still.)
When Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime revealed the system's name at E3 2011, the rationale he gave was that this new platform was inclusive. According to Fils-Aime, Nintendo was now going to make sure its system appealed to 'we' and 'you'. The reality is the name made little sense to anyone. Casual audiences confused the device for a peripheral, thinking Wii had suddenly been given a tablet, much like the Wii Fit balance board years prior. The fact that Nintendo didn't prominently display the actual console next to the controller didn't help, but the similarities between Wii and Wii U designs made that almost irrelevant. Many people simply didn't understand Nintendo was shifting generations, and retaining the Wii naming only reinforced that perception.
As for the more hardcore, dedicated gamers, the name 'Wii U' didn't suggest Nintendo was seriously pursuing a new strategy. To those not completely up to date on the company's admittedly extensive rhetoric, the console's name, its logo and its general design scream something that follows in the footsteps of Wii – a system that prioritizes more casual, family-friendly fare far over matching (or exceeding) the industry standard.
The innovation will be there, but will the hardcore gamers?
There's no doubt Nintendo's current system has produced some incredible content. Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, to name two games, are some of the finest ever made. Yet years from now, Wii won't be remembered for those games by the vast majority of the world. People will think back to Wii Sports, Wii Fit and Wii Play. And while Nintendo will always pursue innovation – just look at the Wii U tablet – nothing about the publisher's current branding remotely suggests this platform will stand alongside the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 – or their successors. Its predecessor ultimately didn't.
Because Wii forged its own path, its brand identity is uniquely its own. In fact in many ways that odd, three-letter word overshadows Nintendo's own name, conjuring up a very distinct and particular representation and meaning to gamers of all ages. For some that association is overwhelmingly positive. For some it's decidedly the opposite. Although it is admirable and logical that Nintendo would attempt to keep the brand it has worked so hard to establish, it would likely have far more success moving away from it. A clean slate would do wonders, particularly if Nintendo hopes to expand back into the core video game market it more or less left. 'Wii' was Nintendo's biggest branding risk ever, and it paid off. There's no reason it can't do the same thing again.
Many casual consumers will assume this is a Wii expansion.
The current generation of consoles is nearly six years old at this point, and while Wii U is undoubtedly an innovative "next-generation" product, it will still need to court gamers that are likely satisfied to wait for a new Xbox or PlayStation. For half a decade, Nintendo made it clear that while it would publish incredible games, it would march to its own beat, more concerned about Wii Fit Plus than Call of Duty: Black Ops. For the company to change that impression, for it to want to host cutting edge versions of all games for all audiences – and for gamers to believe the publisher is serious about making that happen – it needs to send a clear signal. And that starts with a brand. That starts with a name, which then echoes across hardware design, user interfaces, marketing, messaging and more.
If Nintendo is really serious about finding a new image in this new generation, the name 'Wii U' must go. And it needs to go now.
E3 2012 is just six weeks away...
Nintendo's fiscal year for 2012 ends in just a few days, but more important than that milestone is one simple fact - E3 2012 is a mere six weeks away. More and more, all eyes are focusing on that show for one reason – Nintendo will be fully unveiling its next home console. After dominating the industry for several years with bold, mainstream-oriented tactics, Nintendo's innovative, motion-controlled Wii ran out of steam, limping badly for the past year as its release schedule screeched to a halt and gamers of all ages and passions turned elsewhere for entertainment.
Last year, the company finally indicated it was ready to switch gears, moving into an HD era that would appeal to an even wider audience than before. However, one problem has haunted Nintendo since it gave gamers a glimpse of its new hardware– the name of the system. Too clever for its own good, the name "Wii U" sends far too many mixed messages at a time when none can be afforded.
The fact that Nintendo's fiscal year ends later this week is important for a few reasons, the biggest of which is that the company routinely makes broad announcements about its future. Last year, the company confirmed it planned to showcase its next-generation console at E3 2011. This year, the timing would be perfect to discard the 'Wii U' name, rebranding its new hardware as something that will actually make sense to both casual and more hardcore gamers. That's the problem with the 'Wii U' branding right now – it doesn't fit any priority of the company.
Do not like. (Still.)
When Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime revealed the system's name at E3 2011, the rationale he gave was that this new platform was inclusive. According to Fils-Aime, Nintendo was now going to make sure its system appealed to 'we' and 'you'. The reality is the name made little sense to anyone. Casual audiences confused the device for a peripheral, thinking Wii had suddenly been given a tablet, much like the Wii Fit balance board years prior. The fact that Nintendo didn't prominently display the actual console next to the controller didn't help, but the similarities between Wii and Wii U designs made that almost irrelevant. Many people simply didn't understand Nintendo was shifting generations, and retaining the Wii naming only reinforced that perception.
As for the more hardcore, dedicated gamers, the name 'Wii U' didn't suggest Nintendo was seriously pursuing a new strategy. To those not completely up to date on the company's admittedly extensive rhetoric, the console's name, its logo and its general design scream something that follows in the footsteps of Wii – a system that prioritizes more casual, family-friendly fare far over matching (or exceeding) the industry standard.
The innovation will be there, but will the hardcore gamers?
There's no doubt Nintendo's current system has produced some incredible content. Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, to name two games, are some of the finest ever made. Yet years from now, Wii won't be remembered for those games by the vast majority of the world. People will think back to Wii Sports, Wii Fit and Wii Play. And while Nintendo will always pursue innovation – just look at the Wii U tablet – nothing about the publisher's current branding remotely suggests this platform will stand alongside the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 – or their successors. Its predecessor ultimately didn't.
Because Wii forged its own path, its brand identity is uniquely its own. In fact in many ways that odd, three-letter word overshadows Nintendo's own name, conjuring up a very distinct and particular representation and meaning to gamers of all ages. For some that association is overwhelmingly positive. For some it's decidedly the opposite. Although it is admirable and logical that Nintendo would attempt to keep the brand it has worked so hard to establish, it would likely have far more success moving away from it. A clean slate would do wonders, particularly if Nintendo hopes to expand back into the core video game market it more or less left. 'Wii' was Nintendo's biggest branding risk ever, and it paid off. There's no reason it can't do the same thing again.
Many casual consumers will assume this is a Wii expansion.
The current generation of consoles is nearly six years old at this point, and while Wii U is undoubtedly an innovative "next-generation" product, it will still need to court gamers that are likely satisfied to wait for a new Xbox or PlayStation. For half a decade, Nintendo made it clear that while it would publish incredible games, it would march to its own beat, more concerned about Wii Fit Plus than Call of Duty: Black Ops. For the company to change that impression, for it to want to host cutting edge versions of all games for all audiences – and for gamers to believe the publisher is serious about making that happen – it needs to send a clear signal. And that starts with a brand. That starts with a name, which then echoes across hardware design, user interfaces, marketing, messaging and more.
If Nintendo is really serious about finding a new image in this new generation, the name 'Wii U' must go. And it needs to go now.
E3 2012 is just six weeks away...