Nintendo Wii

What is the Nintendo Wii,
and does anyone know why it was thus named?

Nintendo, unlike Microsoft or Sony is a company dedicated only to games and game consoles. 

In fact once it was a word synonymous with playing console games at all. 

Already in 2004 they have announced that they will start the development of a new console. 

This development first received the code name “Revolution”. 

In the Pre E3 show press release in May 2005 Nintendo executives revealed it’s casing for the first time.

Satoru Iwata, the company’s president, proudly introduced it as the smallest console ever made 

by the company. The casing was about the size of 3 DVD cases. 

Not a lot more was revealed at the time and the aura of secrecy 

helped create the buzz around the revolutionary console. 

The biggest speculation among Nintendo fans was the shape of the controller and it’s functions. 

Some pictures were leaked into the Internet, but they turned out to be fakes.  

The controller itself was first introduced in the Tokyo Game show, which took place in September 2005. 

It’s shape was that of a TV remote control. But it’s unique attributes according to the demos 

presented in the show was it’s movements ability. One could swing it like a bat or shoot it like a gun. 

There was some criticism that these enhanced movement degrees were presented on demos only.

With the E3 of 2006 approaching, Nintendo take a bold and curious move by naming their new console Wii.

Journalists and Internet forums have all declared the name to be awful.  Nintendo of America 

VP of Marketing (now President) Reggie Fils-Aime said in the pre-E3 press conference that 

he wanted to thank the people who wrote that they actually liked the name: "All two of you."

Well, sense of humor never hurt anyone… and the Wii promises to be an enhanced gaming experience 

for Nintendo fans everywhere.