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Nintendo Re-files 'Zii' Trademark

by Andy Goergen - December 15, 2009, 11:15 am EST
Total comments: 34 Source: Siliconera

A mysterious trademark is filed in Japan.

Nintendo has filed a trademark for the term "Zii" in Japan. The trademark is related to video games or electronic devices. It was revealed yesterday, but was originally filed back in October.

No other information is available, but this is not the first time Nintendo has filed a trademark or patent on a strange or unique term in Japan. In 2006, along with Zii, Nintendo trademarked other three-letter words ending in "ii" such as Bii and Oii, reaching across the entire alphabet.

Interestingly, Zii is the only trademark that has been renewed in 2009. It is possible that Nintendo is merely trying to block copy-cat names, such as Creative's recent Zii line of handheld computing devices. Creative filed for the Zii trademark in the U.S. last year.

Talkback

NWR_pap64Pedro Hernandez, Contributing WriterDecember 15, 2009

Zii= HD Wii with hard drive.

Pachter will be overflowed with joy :D .

AVDecember 15, 2009

Quote from: NWR_pap64

Zii= HD Wii with hard drive.

Pachter will be overflowed with joy :D .

HDii would be more clever.


Zii does sound cool

Ian SaneDecember 15, 2009

It's funny how you change one letter and it goes from a wimpy sounding word associated with something small, urine, a penis or what kids yell when they go down a slide, to something that sounds pretty cool.  "Zii" has all the positive things that Nintendo raved about "Wii" (which I actually forget, something about being short or something) but it isn't something an English speaker would make jokes about.

If they spelled it just "Z" then all us Canucks would call it "Zed".

NinGurl69 *hugglesDecember 15, 2009

Z is for :zoid:

King of TwitchDecember 15, 2009

You know what's mind-blowing? If they used Xii, it would still be pronounced the same.

StogiDecember 15, 2009

But then Bill Gates would shit his pants.

yoshi1001December 15, 2009

Quote from: Zap

You know what's mind-blowing? If they used Xii, it would still be pronounced the same.

You mean "Zii" is prononunced "twelve"? (Sorry, couldn't resist)

NinGurl69 *hugglesDecember 15, 2009

or snooze

StratosDecember 15, 2009

I knew a girl I called Zii. She was obsessed with anime.

The trademark application actually includes Zii and Zed-aye-aye in Japanese.

NinGurl69 *hugglesDecember 15, 2009

ei-ei-puu

Mop it upDecember 15, 2009

This is probably just to help prevent knock-off products like the article suggests. Did anyone hear about the Vii that was released in China?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vii

StratosDecember 15, 2009

I saw videos of the Vii. All I every saw people playing was a fishing game.

ShyGuyDecember 15, 2009

I was hoping for the name "Super Wii" followed by "Wii 64" then "WiiCube" Finally in in 2025, we get the "Wii Wii" and the circle is complete.

NinGurl69 *hugglesDecember 15, 2009

Browser games are the wave of the future, says Squaresoft.

Quote from: Mop_it_up

This is probably just to help prevent knock-off products like the article suggests. Did anyone hear about the Vii that was released in China?

There was also a knock-off Vii that was actually just a Famiclone with infrared controllers.

StratosDecember 15, 2009

Quote from: NinGurl69

Browser games are the wave of the future, says Squaresoft.

Like FaceBook games. I play like 6 different ones in between work shifts and neglect my Wii and DS. :(

Mop it upDecember 15, 2009

Quote from: Stratos

Quote from: NinGurl69

Browser games are the wave of the future, says Squaresoft.

Like FaceBook games. I play like 6 different ones in between work shifts and neglect my Wii and DS. :(

I've missed you.  :(

NinGurl69 *hugglesDecember 15, 2009

Keep your Romeo on a leash.  He might crash an SUV.

EasyCureDecember 15, 2009

Quote from: Zap

You know what's mind-blowing? If they used Xii, it would still be pronounced the same.

even more confusion between Xbox and nintendo products...

BlackNMild2k1December 15, 2009

Quote from: EasyCure

Quote from: Zap

You know what's mind-blowing? If they used Xii, it would still be pronounced the same.

even more confusion between Xbox and nintendo products...

I'm sure MS wouldn't care as long as Sony didn't benefit.

Chozo GhostDecember 15, 2009

It might just be to block copycats, but it might also be the name of the Wii's successor.

EasyCureDecember 15, 2009

Has sony patented a Sii yet? Will they release slightly racist ads that will be banned in Central & South America/Spain?

Quote from: Chozo

It might just be to block copycats, but it might also be the name of the Wii's successor.

WRONG!

It'll be the title for the new Zelda game. "ZiiAdventure"

ThePermDecember 15, 2009

now would pronounce it Zee, and who would pronounce it Zhi as in gene se qua or genre?

or Tsee?

King of TwitchDecember 16, 2009

It's to stop the KGB from using it as black market revenue

ZII VOULD LIKE TO PLAY!

GKDecember 16, 2009

Quote from: Stratos

Quote from: NinGurl69

Browser games are the wave of the future, says Squaresoft.

Like FaceBook games. I play like 6 different ones in between work shifts and neglect my Wii and DS. :(

Really? Just the other day I removed every game application except Tetris & Uno on there. Unless you play all the time & get a bunch of people to accept invites to enhance yourself, it seems like you never get anywhere in most of them.

Hmm wouldn't mind seeing a WiiZii myself. Though I'd find myself humming the theme from The Jefferson's every time I turned it on.

broodwarsDecember 16, 2009

Obviously this is just the forerunner to the announcement of the Nintendo Zwii (pronounced "Z-vee").

StogiDecember 16, 2009

Quote from: GK

WiiZii

HOLY SHIT THAT"S AN AWESOME WAY TO SPELL MY NICKNAME!

BlackNMild2k1December 16, 2009

Quote from: Kashogi

Quote from: GK

WiiZii

HOLY SHIT THAT"S AN AWESOME WAY TO SPELL MY NICKNAME!

Better hope Lil Wayne don't already have you beat.

Yung WiiZii Baybee

KDR_11kDecember 16, 2009

Kill Zii Amerikaner!

PlugabugzDecember 16, 2009

Quote from: BlackNMild2k1

Quote from: Kashogi

Quote from: GK

WiiZii

HOLY SHIT THAT"S AN AWESOME WAY TO SPELL MY NICKNAME!

Better hope Lil Wayne don't already have you beat.

Yung WiiZii Baybee

LOL.

StogiDecember 16, 2009

Quote from: KDR_11k

Kill Zii Amerikaner!

lol, that's honestly the first think I thought of.

http://i31.tinypic.com/10diptv.jpg

Protection? Protection from what?....Ze Germans?

Quote from: NinGurl69

ei-ei-puu

Yeah yeah woo!

ThePermDecember 18, 2009

seems like a way to throw us off on the actual name for the next system

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