Michelle Obama Had No Idea What a Wii U Was (But It’s OK, Some Kid Told Her)

You'd think being the First Lady of the United States would mean you're on top of things, but not even the most powerful household on Earth isn't up to speed on everything.

[Godchild1020]

Why the would the president's wife know what a gaming console is. That is like saying my mother should know what my PS3/360/Vita/3DS/Wii/U is. Just because she has kids that doesn't mean she knows everything they like or want. We don't even know if her kids even want one.

And better yet, I'm sure she has better things to worry about when what the a Wii U is or any other console out there.

[Muffins1223]

Most people dont know what a wii u is in my high school...

[Rainstorm81]

Most people I know thinks the Wii U is a tablet controller that hooks up to the Wii......

[MAJ0R]

Honestly who would know anything about a last generation console?

Joking lol...

[Blaze929]

Lol a good majority of the earth's population STILL doesn't know what the Wii U is...as well as the 3DS. Can blame Reggie for that.

[Wolfbiker]

yes, lets blame the president of Nintendo of America because the majority of the earths 4-5 billion people don't know what a Wii U is.... -_-

[ATi_Elite]

I like that look on her face "WTF is a WiiU"

Ask ten random non Gamers on the street what a WiiU is and 9 outta 10 will have no clue!

Nintendo's Ad campaign and silly WiiU name has NOT been good!

Most Non Gamers know what a Xbox/ps3/wii are but regular consumers have no clue about a Wiiu

People who are computer illiterate know about Windows 8 cause of all the advertisement but ask them about a Wiiu "WTF is that"!

[Godchild1020]

I have seen a good deal of WiiU Ads on TV, here in US. More than I have seen from Sony. I did see a Wonderbook Ad though.

[rainslacker]

A lot of the people at my work wouldn't know what a Wii U except for the fact that I've been talking about it for the past several weeks. I'm pretty sure most of them would have never played it either if I hadn't invited them over on release day to play some games. Luckily most of them showed up after the update was done.:)

[ATi_Elite]

I can't imagine asking my co-workers

"Hey you wanna come to my house and play with my WiiU"

I would be in the Human Resources office holding a box and a pink slip that read Sexual Harassment LMAO!

My co-workers know nothing about gaming except for two!

[rainslacker]

LOL. I guess I'm lucky that most of the people I work with also play games in some fashion. They aren't as into gaming as I am, with one exception.

[Technical World]

Why is everybody acting like Nintendo isn't distinguishing it enough? The main advertised console is black, NOT white. It's horizontal, NOT verticle. The game cases are blue with a new logo. The controller is completely different. Advertisments show a system with the controller. There is a U after the Wii part. Not too complicated. If you've seen an ad about the system before anywhere (which maybe thats why she didnt know, it is a new system after all) you would have to be an idiot to not catch on to the fact that it's a new console.

[Pozzle]

Those things might seem obvious to gamers like us who visit N4G and other game sites all the time, but the average person who walks into a game store isn't going to know that different colored game cases = a brand new console, or that a "U" at the end of "Wii" = a brand new console.

It doesn't help that a lot of game stores have the Wii U section right next to the Wii section, which further confuses people who aren't that familiar with games or what the consoles are supposed to look like. Hell, I had to explain to my housemate why it's impossible to play online multiplayer between a Wii and a PS3 game...and she's been a gamer for years!

[Baka-akaB]

You do realize that with a name as stupid (quite frankly) as Wii U , most people that dont care about games , are confusing the hell of the wii and wii u ?

They already sometimes had troubles with other consoles , except they at least had a sequel implied in the name , with their numbering system .

[LOOK_AT_THIS_I]

Yep. They should have went with another name for this. Nintendo Revolution/extreme/etc....I know it is a hot seller but most of my friends think its just the tablet controller add on. Most people think it is gonna go the same route as the wii and cater a bunch of shovelware. Which is why i am kind of on he fence. I will never understand some of these big companies when it comes to how they come to terms on some of these decisions with names and advertising directions.

If it plays the games flawless on the tablet this could have been marketed towards married guys/dads etc...where they could have then went after more of the older/hardcore type gamers with wife/kids in the room and want the tv, no problem carry out your assassin mission on the tablet. Earn your killstreaks in call of duty while she watches Glee or the kids watch whatever the hot cartoon is now.
^ this is my reason for thinking about picking this up is for the remote play like feature.

[SandwichHammock]

Concur completely about the name and its importance. I still have a bad taste in my mouth from Sony going with "Vita".

~~~a story by a bro~~~ :p
Even my partner who is not a gamer (and is actually a prime example of a regular consumer) has been like "oh you gonna play you PSP while I read?" me:"its not a PSP, its a Vita" her:"but isn't it the next version of the PSP?" me:"yup" her:"well that doesn't make sense".

For gamers its as clear as night and day, we're on top of this shit. But for your average person...

I really think this kind of thing hurts sales.

[Baka-akaB]

Everyone i know , even gamers , gt their tongue slipping and calling it "psp vita" , instead of "ps vita" .

And i've seen people request in stores the tablet for "wii" or going back to cancel a purchase , once they realise they bought a wii instead of a wii u (since that's what they requested)

[Waddy101]

Wii Plus, Wii Fit, Wii Sports.
All are Wii (something), by calling the Wii U the Wii U Nintendo have done little to differentiate their new console from their existing one, which is confusing a lot of people who aren't gamers.

[rainslacker]

Most people don't even notice the color of the case unless they're side by side on the shelves, which they're not...at least at my gamestop.

The adds show the tablet, and people playing with Wii-Motes. The system itself looks a lot like the Wii in shape, and the Wii does have a black version.

The U has no context so it's meaningless.

There was a Fit after Wii Fit and it was not a new console, but an add on.

The point is Nintendo isn't differentiating it enough from the Wii to the AVERAGE consumer, likely on purpose. On here it's common knowledge. But I would challenge you to go out and ask 10 people what the Wii U is and see the responses you get before assuming everyone is as tuned in to it as we are.

[That-Guy]

This isn't news. It's just Kotaku rambling again.

[DragonKnight]

Vote them down.

[Omnislash]

Oh look its Kotaku.

WTF

No.

Voted down.

[InklingGirl]

News?

[LightofDarkness]

I would imagine she has more important things to worry about than Nintendo's new video game console. In fact, I would hope so.

[RmanX1000]

Well her husband doesnt have much goin on. Maybe he could pick one up for her. /sarcasm

[BananaEatingSquid]

My mom doesn't know what a Wii U is either.

In fact I heard her calling the Xbox 360 "The gameboy." I find that pretty funny cause it's my mom... but no big deal lol :P

[rainslacker]

lol. A lot of people still call any gaming system a Nintendo, and some call them PlayStation's, regardless of make or model.

[FreshRevenge]

Me personally I don't like the name. What was wrong with Nintendo, just plane out nintendo. If the kid say I wanted a nintendo than maybe she would of understand. Yet I Wii U. it sounds so weak as a console name?

I mean if the kid said I want a playstation or xbox than she would of said oh that would be nice but a WiiU? She might of thought he was speaking something other than english?

[BananaEatingSquid]

If I heard someone asking for a Nintendo, I would assume they meant the Nintendo 64 lol ("A nintendo 64? Wow, really, that's kinda old!"), but that's just me ... then again, I know what a Wii U is.

[ALLWRONG]

Probably because she is too busy.

[KrimsonKody]

I think the Wii U is an spruced up Wii.
Wii U is what the Wii was supposed to be in the 1st place.
Similar to how the 32X was pretty much what the Genesis was supposed to be.

But yeah, not so surprised that the 1st lady is unfamiliar with a Wii. She has the whole world of things on her mind. She has no time to be learning "oh, so a Wii is different from WiiU...", I mean, maybe for her daughters sake, but not by her own merits (unless our 1st lady is a undercover gamergirl, lol).

I also agree on the point that bot everyone is going to be familiar with the traits that symbolize the differences in consoles.
Hell, I know some people who still think blurays should work in their DVDs, because "it's a disc, just like others", Lol. Only avid gamers would be familiar with these differences.

[DragonKnight]

I see a lot of people saying "oh she has more important things on her mind." Like frickin' what? Her husband is the President, not her. What really does she have to do besides look like Obama's arm candy? Anything she does, she does of her own accord without anyone expecting or asking her to do it. It's all about image. That being said, I'm not surprised she doesn't know what a Wii U is, Nintendo went in the wrong direction with the name and advertising of their newest console and a lot of people have no idea what the Wii U is.

[ALLWRONG]

Let me guess... Republican?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

[DragonKnight]

Canadian, so I don't really care. She isn't a leader or anything, she's the wife of one.

[KrimsonKody]

I agree,
She is ONLY a 1st lady, but whatever it is on her mind, it's definitely not a WiiU.
I do think she has @ least the slightest of interest in politics, in which she WOULD be familiar with things political (worldly issues, economics, bedtime talks with her husband, etc.). Even if she doesn't do one thing political, she's the PRESIDENTs' wife. She could be checking out dresses from Mulan, exotic plants from Asia, collecting dolls...whatever it is women do. But again, unless she's a gamer, or her kids are, there's no valid reason that she should be all up to date on a Nintendo console that only just released a mere month ago.

BUT, if someone was to randomly ask her about something political, of course, she should be able to give an valid respectable answer, because that's what she's familiar with.

[KrimsonKody]

Sorry,
This post was meant for Quantae06
Below

I think the WiiU has a decent level of advertisement. To be honest, I think, thus far, I've seen more WiiU commercials than PS Move commercials overall.

But you know, it also depends on the programs/channels you watch on TV. I noticed that they show the most video game commercials on kid friendly channels, as oppose to a channel that broadcasts more adult shows. I guess it comes down to paying for marketing & reaching a certain base of viewers.

[DivineAssault]

i dont think any casuals know what it is..

[quantae06]

Yeah, for some reason Nintendo hasn't advertised the Wii U as much as they did the Wii. But I think the name will get out as more & more days go by.

[KrimsonKody]

I think the WiiU has a decent level of advertisement. To be honest, I think, thus far, I've seen more WiiU commercials than PS Move commercials overall.

But you know, it also depends on the programs/channels you watch on TV. I noticed that they show the most video game commercials on kid friendly channels, as oppose to a channel that broadcasts more adult shows. I guess it comes down to paying for marketing & reaching a certain base of viewers.

[jakmckratos]

THIS JUST IN!!!
No one really cares

[gumgum99]

Never mind the first lady knowing anything about it, I'm personally impressed that the kids know enough to explain it to her.

[AWBrawler]

Agreed. That was unexpected. I guess kids aren't as clueless as I thought. I guess I just live near clueless kids