Wii 2? PS4? What’s in a Console’s Name?

Naming a commercial product–a video game system, for example–is a big undertaking, almost as solemn as naming a newborn child. Game companies like Nintendo and Microsoft pour hundreds of hours into researching appropriate names for their new systems, to say nothing of millions of dollars. And when everything comes together and the final moniker is unveiled, the Internet usually points and laughs.

It can be hard to resist. Surely Nintendo suspected that everybody would surrender to their inner nine-year-old and make obvious jokes about the “Wii.” Thankfully, the jokes ran dry(!) within a few weeks, and now the Wii is a highly marketable name that brings to mind families enjoying games together. Who’s laughing now?

It’s worth thinking about what the next generation will bring in terms of console names. Will the companies go with names that are detached from old brands–like Nintendo did with the Wii–or will the companies cling to familiarity, like Sony and Microsoft have done with the PlayStation and Xbox respectively?

Nintendo could get away with selling the “Wii 2,” and it might not be the worst idea. Families are already familiar with good times on the Wii, and the “2″ indicates hey, more good times. Nintendo’s not a company to go with the easy answer, though. We’ll know that the Wii’s successor is exactly that, but the question is how Nintendo will get it across to us. Anybody up for a game on the Super Wii?

It’s a bit more difficult to predict which direction the PlayStation and Xbox 360 will take when it’s time to upgrade. Can Sony get away with the “PlayStation 4?” It might try, but that’s stretching things a bit. The original PlayStation revolutionized the gaming industry while everybody was looking over at Sega and Nintendo. The PlayStation 2 improved on everything the PSX offered, and added DVD playback. But by the time the PlayStation 3′s name was unveiled, it felt like Sony was pushing the numeric gimmick a little hard. Game consoles and movies obviously aren’t the same breed of entertainment, but how many movies with a “3″ on its end receive an Oscar? If Sony goes ahead with the “PlayStation 4,” it’s going to simply come off as a slightly tired repeat performance to the consumer, no matter how advanced the system actually is.

The Xbox faces the same problem. What comes next? The Xbox 720?

It might be wise for console companies to start relying more on their parent names instead of adding to an overused console name. The Microsoft Whathaveyou. The Sony Thingamajig. Even Nintendo might choose to start fresh with the Nintendo Whatever instead of relying on the Wii brand. The Wii brand is attractive to families, but not so much to veteran gamers who may associate Nintendo’s console with waggle-heavy party games.

Obviously, these names are merely suggestions and might not market well. But they illustrate how console developers might strengthen their brands by restoring them instead of rehashing well-chewed system names one more time.

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About Nadia Oxford
Nadia is a freelance writer living in Toronto. She played her first game at four, decided games were awesome, and has maintained her position since. She writes for 1UP.com, Slide to Play, GamePro and other publications, and is About.com’s Guide to the Nintendo DS.

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