PC & Video Games

what if Nintendo changed Wii U name to just U and remarketed it? Playstation 3 to PS3

  • Last Updated:
  • Aug 24th, 2014 8:54 pm
Deal Addict
User avatar
May 25, 2009
4453 posts
260 upvotes

what if Nintendo changed Wii U name to just U and remarketed it? Playstation 3 to PS3

wonder if there's a large enough difference with Wii sound and U sound though

edit: summary

[QUOTE]Playstation 3 sort of re-branded to PS3, the console and game cases changed to PS3 instead of Playstation 3

Just rename the Wii U to U, Super Mario Bros U is already doing it

[IMG]https://i.ytimg.com/sh/mhuJonek5Js/show ... v=50592fe1[/IMG]

i made this

[IMG]http://abload.de/img/playstation3-deadkvurr.png[/IMG][/QUOTE]
31 replies
Deal Guru
Feb 11, 2007
11822 posts
5908 upvotes
It is far too late for a name change now. Nintendo should have named it the Wii 2 or something else.

The wii was Nintendo's most successful console so I see why the company would want to keep the "wii" name in there.
Deal Addict
Nov 29, 2011
2310 posts
1068 upvotes
Toronto
Too late in the cycle for radical changes like a name change or ditching the gamepad. I do feel the Wii U is on a slight uptick post Mario Kart 8 and E3.

Even if they were going to do a name change it wouldn't be wise or makes sense to ditch the "Wii" name. Many Wii U games rely heavily on the classic Wii Remote and Nunchuck. Furthermore, the Wii brand is widely known and actually helps more than hinders.

I think they did not do a good job of distinguishing the Wii U from the Wii back in 2012. A name like "Wii 2", "Super Wii" or any other words or digits rather than a "U" after the Wii.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Jul 27, 2006
10963 posts
791 upvotes
Scarborough
Even if they had a new name BEFORE the console launched it wouldn't have helped.

The Wii sold well because the Wii motion was something particularly new in the console landscape and made games accessible to pretty much all consumers. The problem is that those are the same consumers that have also moved towards mobile gaming and also not likely to purchase a new console unless deemed necessary. The market clamoring for new consoles were the 'hardcore' gamer.

These people knew the specs and understood that for about the same value or a little more now is you could get something much more powerful and probably last longer (6-7 year lifespan). Thats why the PS4 and X1 have been selling much better.

The name played a role but they couldn't rely on the people who bought the wii and weren't 'gamers'.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Apr 16, 2001
16514 posts
3319 upvotes
Stupid name, stupid controller, only as powerful as previous-gen competitors, game delays...I just wish Nintendo would give up on the TV hardware and start developing for the other consoles. Imagine how well MK8 would have sold then.
Blacklisted companies: Roku, Lenovo, Motorola, TP-Link, D-Link, Samsung, HP, LG, Public Mobile, EVGA, Blizzard
Deal Expert
User avatar
Oct 9, 2003
18046 posts
980 upvotes
voodoo22 wrote: People are morons with this name thing. People had no issues figuring out DS, DS lite, 3DS, 3DSxl. It's not the name causing all the problems, people are weak and bought into the negative hype. I've owned game systems since pong and the Wii U is one of my favorite consoles. I've never played more games and had more fun since my SNES and PSONE. In Japan, where people are more intelligent imo. The Wii U is doing well. I guess they can figure out names without having their hands held.
actually there are lots of cases detailing the name confusion, the 2ds is even worse...
Moderator
User avatar
Aug 20, 2009
9827 posts
5935 upvotes
voodoo22 wrote: People are morons with this name thing. People had no issues figuring out DS, DS lite, 3DS, 3DSxl. It's not the name causing all the problems, people are weak and bought into the negative hype. In Japan, where people are more intelligent imo. The Wii U is doing well. I guess they can figure out names without having their hands held.
I don't agree, you need to ask around with the general public to understand the problem. A lot of people really do not understand what it actually is, they did a very poor job of marketing it and the name is a big part of that. This goes beyond the public, sales staff often aren't well trained and do a poor job of explaining to the customer what it is and isn't. Nintendo has literally started making floor charts and whole campaigns revolved around trying to address the issue at retail. It didn't have any "negative hype" either, at launch it actually garnered quite a bit of praise and had a pretty well rounded third party offering to boot. Third parties left it to die after arduous porting processes combined with high costs and low sales volumes. Then on top of that Nintendo made the same mistake as it did with the 3DS and didn't really bring any big first party franchises to bridge the gap.

The Wii U doing well in Japan has nothing to do with the intellect of the audience either. Hotseat type social games are more popular in Japan and Nintendo has plenty of them along with a stable of well liked mascots.

I think at this point changing the name is silly, for better or worse they're married to it so make the best of it. A relaunch could have happened awhile back but its too late now.
Deal Addict
User avatar
May 25, 2009
4453 posts
260 upvotes
basically, when or If Nintendo releases a new Wii U console design, they should label it U and from now on the Wii U is called the U

done!

So when those older people who bought the Wii start hearing about the U, they'll go oh that sounds different, U like you, like me and lets see what it does, oh wow another TV in my hands...amazing...

[IMG]http://abload.de/img/vvm7dlayte0x.gif[/IMG]
Deal Addict
User avatar
May 25, 2009
4453 posts
260 upvotes
Super strokey wrote: wii u is so badly named... great system though.
I've owned the console for about a month now, its not bad, good size console, mine is a bit loud, the sign up process at the start could be quicker and I know the handheld tv/control is neat but you should be able to control everything with the tv as well as that controller design.

Would have liked MK8 two player to be full screen tv while the handheld shows the other screen.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 12, 2008
2943 posts
614 upvotes
Newmarket
I got the Wii U for my kids for christmas and we've been having fun on it as a family. It's a great, simple system. The motion controller is not complicated at all - anyone can easily pick it up and play.

The system came with Mario Bros U and so far we've got Rayman, Nintendoland and Mario World 3d. Really great titles, easy to play and lots of fun.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 15, 2003
3310 posts
744 upvotes
Ottawa
DiploDocus wrote: basically, when or If Nintendo releases a new Wii U console design, they should label it U and from now on the Wii U is called the U

done!

So when those older people who bought the Wii start hearing about the U, they'll go oh that sounds different, U like you, like me and lets see what it does, oh wow another TV in my hands...amazing...
Or maybe it will just confuse people further and they will start thinking that Nintendo has already dropped support for the Wii U. This is ridiculous.

People were calling the Playstation 2 a "PS2" and calling the Playstation Portable a "PSP" long before Sony started putting "PS3" on any of their packaging. This was not some kind of brilliant game-changing marketing strategy worthy of gigantic images that could somehow work miracles with the Wii U.
Deal Fanatic
Dec 12, 2006
6673 posts
2688 upvotes
calgary
voodoo22 wrote: People are morons with this name thing. People had no issues figuring out DS, DS lite, 3DS, 3DSxl. It's not the name causing all the problems, people are weak and bought into the negative hype. I've owned game systems since pong and the Wii U is one of my favorite consoles. I've never played more games and had more fun since my SNES and PSONE. In Japan, where people are more intelligent imo. The Wii U is doing well. I guess they can figure out names without having their hands held.
This is not true lol, The 3DS is even worse for naming... My son wanted a 3DS for his birthday and my wife said "We already have a DS, and I don't care about 3D"

My aunt bought my neice Just dance WiiU for xmas last year thinking she could play it on her Wii. The branding and name are far to similar.

A lot of people don't follow this as closely as the people here and
Deal Fanatic
Dec 12, 2006
6673 posts
2688 upvotes
calgary
I think Nintendo also shot itself in the foot by making the Wiiu Look identical to the Wii and the 3DS to look near identical to the DS.

They also need to implement a change in the game cases to make them stand out. Nobody is going to pick up an XB1/PS4 game and try to play it on a XB360/PS3... but I've heard of a few people buying 3DS games for a DS and Wiiu games for a Wii.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 15, 2003
3310 posts
744 upvotes
Ottawa
SpicYMchaggis wrote: Nobody is going to pick up an XB1/PS4 game and try to play it on a XB360/PS3...
Why not? The discs are the same shape and size.

If you're referring to the cases, the 3DS cases are at least as distinct from the DS cases as, say, the XBox360 cases are distinct from the XBox cases. Same with Wii U.
Deal Fanatic
Feb 21, 2013
5897 posts
2950 upvotes
Toronto
Jorpho wrote: If you're referring to the cases, the 3DS cases are at least as distinct from the DS cases as, say, the XBox360 cases are distinct from the XBox cases. Same with Wii U.
Read his whole post:
SpicYMchaggis wrote: They also need to implement a change in the game cases to make them stand out. Nobody is going to pick up an XB1/PS4 game and try to play it on a XB360/PS3...
Gear: Fujifilm X-Pro2 | Canon A-1
Deal Addict
Aug 15, 2010
2550 posts
1011 upvotes
I think they should have called it the Super Wii or something. I understand the desire to keep the name Wii in there, but Wii U is confussing for a lot of people as the U simply gets dropped.
How can an ant carry twenty times its body weight, but root beer floats are still delicious?
Newbie
Jul 16, 2014
95 posts
3 upvotes
, ON
I guess the naming is less than ideal, but confused parents do have the option of asking store staff for clarification. Rebranding as just "Nintendo U" could probably work though.
Deal Addict
User avatar
May 25, 2009
4453 posts
260 upvotes
Start now people, from now just call it the U and then Nintendo will follow

Hey guys i'm gonna go play some MK8 on the U, okay?

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)