02.19.2007 HOW GAME COMPANIES GOT THEIR NAMES
Most people were shocked by the Nintendo's next gen console name "Wii" - people said that it couldn't be the real name, but Nintendo insisted that they wanted to keep it short. People in Japan often shorten long game company names down, and Nintendo didn't want to let them butcher whatever console name they created, so instead they left the fans with nothing else to possibly call it. Like it or hate it, it caught more attention than they could have hoped for, and the people at Japanmanship have taken a look at where many of our favorite game companies' names came from, and even how they were shortened in translation.
- Nintendo: Here's what it looks like in kanji:
And here's what it means: “nin” (charge, responsibility), “ten” (Heaven, sky) and “do-“ (temple, shrine or magnificent). Often translated as “leave luck to the heavens”
- Capcom: Shortened down from 'Capsule Computers' - katakana: “kappu-conn”
- SEGA: Shortened down from “Service Games” - originally “Standard Games”
- Overworks: Originally team AM7, renamed “Overworks” after their new boss whose name "Mr. Oba" sounds like “over” to Japanese.
- SNK: Shortened down from Shin Nihon Kikaku - “New Japan Project” or “New Japan Design”
- Taito: Big East
- Genki: “happy” or “healthy” or “fine”
- Koei: Combination of names Kou Shibusawa and Eiji Fukuzawa
- Namco: Combination from Nakamura Manufacturing, who created coin-operated machines to Namco. Dunno if I believe this one...
