Thursday, April 27, 2006

Nintendo hopes Wii is ready for new console

Nintendo's next generation video game console has an official name: Wii.

Formerly known as code-name "Revolution," the company dubbed its new game Wii (pronounced "we") because it plans to "break down the walls" that separate hard core gamers from everyone else.

Nintendo wants to create a system that everyone can use. It also wants a system where you don't need a nickname. PlayStation is PS2 or PS1, XBox is X or the box.

Wii, Nintendo hopes, will be just Wii. And they probably hope "we" buy a lot of them.

-- I know you gamers have been waiting on this, so.... A company called Exent Technologies has launched a suite of in-game advertising solutions, so if the middle of your Doom quest online, you could be feted with ad to buy Diapers.

The solution allows for the enablement of in-game ads without the need to access the video game's source code. Until now, implementation was limited to new releases which would have had such progamming designed into it.

Now, the company claims publishers can "easily flip the switch on in-game advertising campaigns for games that were never originally designed to support it."

-- Casual game provider
Game Trust released updated software which includes universal chat, free instant messenger, buddy lists, and social networking links for 65 integrated games distributed across prominent online brands, including MiniClip.com and Shockwave.com. The new enhancements, as part of the Game Frame Version 4.8 release, create a Community Gaming experience for players worldwide.

Every player can extend their Game Frame profile with a link to their personal site, allowing players to learn more about members of the community.

-- Former Southern Cal QB and Heisman award winner Matt Leinart is writing a blog for EA Sports detailing the days leading up to the NFL draft this weekend. Is he going to talk about the wild photos of him partying that are all over the net?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Wii" is a HORRIBLE name. People are going to mispronounce it ("wise", "why", "w-2", etc.), make jokes about it ("hey, stop playing with your Wii", etc.), and it's just plain silly.

Besides, there's also this... when the Wii arrives in France, this conversation could happen:

"Monsieur, vendez-vous le Wii?"
"Wii?"
"Oui, Wii."
"Oui quoi?"
"Quoi?"
"Pourquoi dites-vous 'oui' deux fois?"
"Non, j'ai dit 'oui' seulement une fois. J'ai dit 'Wii' une fois, aussi."
"Je ne comprends."
"Merde. [pause] Vendez-vous le Xbox 360?"

Anonymous said...

So was iPod, Xbox360, and many others. Think about the n-gage device. Cool name, crappy product. So it may no be the best name, but it has accomplished one major goal. Nintendo is all over the internet boards and technology sites with this.

And remember, everyone thought the DS would fail... Hmmm, how'd that work out?

I am looking forward to playing the console.