PixlBit

Like it or not, it's going to carry the Wii name.

With all of the rumors swirling about Nintendo's next home console, gamers have started discussing what we can expect as a name for the next system. Many speculate a name change that, like the system, will cater to the hardcore market. Unfortunately for them, the system will undoubtedly continue to carry the Wii moniker. "Why is that?" you might ask. Simple.

Over the past four and a half years since the Wii has released, it has built some amazing brand equity. Casual and core gamers alike know the name and can easily identify it. Think of it like the iPod. Out of context, no one in their right mind would know what it was by the name, but the term has become synonymous with playing digital music on the go.

As of right now, the Wii has that same strength in branding with home gaming. Given that, it would be absolutely crazy for Nintendo to drop the name in favor of something else, regardless of what hardware comes with it. While Nintendo will be trying to transition blue ocean customers into core gamers this coming generation, they will still want to appear open and accessible, which can be done by maintaining their established branding. Realize it or not, Nintendo has quite a precedent for this.

The most recent and obvious example comes in the form of the recently released 3DS, which still carries the DS branding in its name. However, if we look even further back, the Game Boy name was carried through three handheld generations before that. In the home console space, the NES (Nintendo) which arguably had the strongest of brandings had its name carried into the SNES (Super Nintendo).

Given how well the Wii has performed at market it's extremely unlikely that Nintendo will be willing to settle on some other naming convention. My best guess is that the system will simply be called "Wii HD," because both terms are familiar to consumers and both have strong equity. Together, Nintendo will show not only the progression of the system's tech, but the reference to its origins.

I suggest that we all settle in, because we're definitely looking at another five years of Wii. I predict the technology won't be significantly changing either - but you can hear all about that in Episode 28 of PixlTalk.