Panasonic scraps Jungle handheld gaming machine

Panasonic's curious handheld gaming device the Jungle is no longer in development, the company has confirmed.

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In October 2010, electronics company Panasonic unveiled the Jungle, "a new mobile device concept designed specifically for online gamers." More details were promised soon but instead, via Reuters, we have word that Panasonic has now scrapped it.

"Panasonic decided to suspend further development due to changes in the market and in our own strategic direction," the company said. There you go, then.

It wasn't clear exactly what function the Jungle, which seemed to sit somewhere between a smartphone and a netbook, would serve. On a mission to "Create an ecosystem around online gaming," the device would pack a touchpad, keyboard and unrevealed "other gaming controls." The only parts of this ecosystem that were confirmed, though, were browser-based MMOs Battlestar Galactica Online, RuneScape and Stellar Dawn, along with and a web series about gaming.

Hardware specs were also unknown. Perhaps we'll never know what exactly the Jungle was intended to run, along with other incidental details such as who would buy one and why.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    March 1, 2011 7:00 AM

    Comment on Panasonic scraps Jungle handheld gaming machine, by Alice O'Connor.

    • DM7 legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
      reply
      March 1, 2011 7:08 AM

      Panasonic came to it's senses I see.

    • reply
      March 1, 2011 7:26 AM

      Damn, and I was hoping it would be backward compatible with 3DO games.

    • reply
      March 1, 2011 7:47 AM

      "...due to changes in the market" ? At what point in your fantasy marketplace was this ever a viable project to begin with?

      • reply
        March 1, 2011 8:38 AM

        I bet they just ride online trends. The next panasonic gaming device proposal will be a dedicated minecraft playing device

    • reply
      March 1, 2011 8:31 AM

      They saw the new PSP NGP that's why it's canceled.... :P

      • reply
        March 1, 2011 8:58 AM

        But a "PSP2" had been rumored for a while, since back before E3 2010 when a developer spilled the beans. Why announce it in October with both the 3DS reveal at E3 and the believable rumors of a PSP2 in early summer?

      • reply
        March 1, 2011 2:32 PM

        I think they saw the Razer netbook thing and found out they have no idea what they were doing.

    • reply
      March 1, 2011 8:34 AM

      It's one of those things, like the Ngage that I simply cannot understand. How did they think for a single split second that this product could work?

      • reply
        March 1, 2011 9:03 AM

        Well, at least they had the sense to stop.

      • reply
        March 1, 2011 8:46 PM

        someone is not good at GameDevStory

      • reply
        March 1, 2011 9:17 PM

        Well the idea of a phone that could play games was a good one. It's just that they made it wrong.

        • reply
          March 2, 2011 2:33 PM

          and they even realised that before launch, unlike others

    • reply
      March 1, 2011 3:03 PM

      Not really a surprise.

    • reply
      March 1, 2011 3:07 PM

      Rich Guy Wearing Monocle #1 - "So...whats on the agenda today?"

      Rich Guy Wearing Monocle #2 - "You guys want to start developing a gaming system?"

      Rich Guy Wearing Top Hat - "GOOD GOD, you sir deserve a pat on the back."

    • reply
      March 1, 2011 8:29 PM

      This is the first I ever heard of this device.

    • reply
      March 1, 2011 9:05 PM

      I suspect they watched the ascendancy of iOS devices into gaming and decided they just were ill equipped to win a battle that even Sony and Nintendo will struggle with in the long run.

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