Nintendo's next-generation console has already provided months of intrigue and speculation, with the company's mindset that it isn't in direct competition with Sony and Microsoft and the admittedly off-kilter controller the company unveiled in Japan several months back. While the former can be argued nearly ad nauseam, time--and the success of the DS handheld--has softened the blow caused by the one-handed wonder (insert masturbation joke here; you know you want to).

But Nintendo once again has this intrepid blogger scratching his head, announcing recently that the console's name has changed from Revolution to Wii.

Pronounced "We," but spelled "Wii."

I can just hear it now: kids running home from school, screaming, "Let's all go play Wii!"

I realize the company is known for marketing to a younger demographic when compared to its corporate rivals, but Nintendo's decision to change the Revolution's name smacks of demographical exclusion (pretty sure I just made up a phrase there). The Revolution brand had an edge to it, and it was kind of fitting, giving what Nintendo was hoping to accomplish with the console. The controller would almost certainly change the way you and I played games, and if Nintendo could pull off its strategy of staying as far away from Xbox 360 and PlayStation3 as possible, the console would've likely been a revolution, if not an evolution.

But the name change disregards all of that. I liked the Revolution name; it was different, not some sequel-like crap similar to what Sony and Microsoft were doing (c'mon, PlayStation3? I understand brand recognition and all, but try to be a little more original). But Wii could potentially undercut the console's possible imapct on the industry, as well as the way we play games. In fact, it could alienate some of the audience Nintendo's hoping to cultivate.

The very sound of the console's new moniker--"We"--makes the machine sound like a child's toy. It almost exclusively markets the machine for the under-12 crowd, a crowd Nintendo has never had trouble getting on its side. The problem with this is that most gamers today are older than that--the average age of gamers today is 28 years. Also, many of today's older gamers grew up on Nintendo's 8- and 16-bit offerings. I remember the year I got an NES for Christmas, and when I first cracked open the box to my Super Nintendo.

Those were great consoles, with great games, but Nintendo needs to realize the gamers--and the industry as a whole--has grown up. The videogame industry doesn't pull in more money annually than Hollywood by catering to the tee-ball and training wheels crowd; it does so by growing up, expanding its horizons. And while the console itself might very well do that, the name could just as easily give gamers the opposite impression.

It's not just about the games; it's about appearances too.

The games themselves might be great; if the DS' success is any indication, Nintendo could very well revolutionize the way we play games. Also, Red Steel looks like it's going to be the game that will make you go out and pick up a Wii when it launches, much the way Halo was Xbox's killer app and Madden NFL 2001 moved PS2s off store shelves. Wii will also likely be cheaper than both the 360 and the PS3; Nintendo's M.O. the past two generations was to be cheaper than its competitors at launch.

But the name could damage some of the momentum the company's trying to build as we plow through this year's E3 and await the holiday rush. I sincerely hope people are intelligent enough to look past the stupid name and give the games a try, because Nintendo could very well have the next big thing in gaming on its hands. I'm just trying to figure out why the company would forgo such a classic and appropriate name like Revolution in favor of the strange and extremely befuddling Wii.

In the meantime, I think I should go pay Lara Croft a visit. It's been years, and I hear she's gotten herself back together...

Happy gaming, everyone.