Panasonic enters portable games sector

Electronics giant Panasonic has announced a surprise return to the games sector with a brand new handheld called Jungle.

The clamshell device sports a full QWERTY keyboard and touchpad as well as an HD screen, d-pad and shoulder buttons. It’s being pitched very much as an online-centric device, and includes wi-fi – and possibly 3G mobile – support.

It will also allow users to play some PC titles on the go, opening up the prospect of ‘proper’ MMO gaming on the move.

However, Gizmodo reckons the machine is based on a Linux OS, meaning titles such as World of Warcraft will need specific ports if they are to feature in the machine’s line-up.

Panasonic’s most famous foray into the games scene came in the early ‘90s when it was one of the main backers of the 3DO movement – an open platform for both software and hardware developers that hopes to use the then emerging CD format to progress games to a new level.

It was a short-lived revolution, however, not least because of the shockingly high prices being charged for the first 3DO machines.