Panasonic Cancels the Jungle – It’s About Time!

They’re canceling the Jungle, it ain’t got fun and games. It’s got nothing that you want and a really stupid name.

Forgive the Guns N’ Roses parody, but I restrained from doing it in my first post about Panasonic’s joke of a gaming device, so I feel like I’ve earned it.

If the name doesn’t jog your memory, maybe the idea of a cloud-based handheld gaming system specifically made for flash based MMORPGs will. Seriously, that’s what this thing was, or almost was. Imagine a netbook but without all the functionality, a smaller screen and keyboard and no internal storage, and you’ve got the Jungle.

It was a ridiculous idea in the first place, but once Panasonic got a good look at the new handhelds from Nintendo and Sony, the company knew it was time to throw in the towel. Compare the already sad MMO player to the 3D capabilities of Nintendo’s system or the amazing graphics of the new handheld from Sony, and it’s obvious that Panasonic just can’t compete in this marketplace.

Panasonic’s official statement on the matter is that they’re suspending development due to “changes in the market and in our own strategic direction.”

That’s PR talk for, “We don’t want everyone to laugh at us when this thing bombs super hard.”

On the one hand, I think it’s a great move for Panasonic to can this thing. The Jungle was a bad idea from the beginning. It absolutely can’t compete in the same ring as the 3DS and NGP. On the other hand, I like going to shows and buying those weird systems no one wants.

* Also in consideration for the opening song parody gag: “Jungle Boogie” – Kool and the Gang, “Jungle” – ELO, “Jungle Love” – Steve Miller, “Jungle Love” – The Time, and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”

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