The Wii was almost called the Nintendo Revolution

From Revolution to Wii

“Revolution” was the project’s codename, not the name Nintendo intended to keep on the finished console. A codename can identify a product while it is being developed without having to work as its public identity. When Nintendo settled on Wii, it replaced a word that suggested sweeping change with a short name designed to be easy to say in different languages.

That choice made the console’s name part of its introduction. “Revolution” sounded like a promise about what the machine would do; “Wii” was brief and distinctive, and its pronunciation was meant to travel across language barriers. The change also gave Nintendo a clean break between the system’s development label and the name players would see on the box and hear in conversation.

A name that invited a reaction

The move was conspicuous precisely because “Wii” did not sound like a conventional model number or an established gaming brand. Its unfamiliarity helped it stand out, but also made it easy to parody. Nintendo accepted that tradeoff: a name could be memorable and simple to pronounce without being immediately familiar—or universally liked.

The contrast captures the rebranding in miniature. The console went from a codename built around the idea of revolution to a public name built around accessibility, even as the new name became a talking point in its own right.