So what is up with the names this Generation?

[S.Peelman]

What the name 'Wii' stood for is pretty simple actually. At least, this is what I got out of Nintendo's explanations:

It emphasizes the local multiplayer aspect the system aims for and the fact that it's supposed to be for people of all ages, by calling it 'We'. The two 'i's represent two individual people standing side-by-side as they would do in real life when they're standing around playing together with the motion controllers.

When you think about it, that was actually a pretty clever name.

'WiiU' by extension emphasizes the fact that it's also about a third person, with the GamePad, that's controlling the game in another way. It's about the asymmetric gameplay and the fact the person with the GamePad ('you') can continue playing when others stop using the GamePad. They also said they would focus more on the individual gamer with the 'U' more rather than families only, for what good came from it until now...

I agree that the WiiU name sounds silly and doesn't roll off the tongue easily though, and that it's explanation is shaky when we all know it was solely about trying to ride a successful name for a second time.

The Xbox One's name, as I understood it, is simply saying that it's the 'only' box you're going to need in your living room. That it's all-encompassing. Pretty weak as well I agree because it's obviously not going to be the only box we'll ever need. It's also weird chronologically.

So yeah, I agree naming this gen's been poor with Microsoft's and Nintendo's consoles .