Can Panasonic compete with Nintendo? You might be surprised
In 1994, Panasonic’s 3DO Interactive Multiplayer system was Time Magazine’s Product of the Year. The system featured popular franchises like Alone in the Dark, Gex, and Samurai Shodown, and was one of the first to use CD-ROMs instead of cartridges. If the darn thing hadn’t been 700, the video game industry might be a very different beast today. Panasonic is hoping to recapture some of that lost potential, recently announcing their first handheld console, the Jungle.The new system will have both a touchpad and keyboard, and will cater to online gamers. Imagine being able to play a game like World of Warcraft whenever and wherever you want (note: no titles or franchises have been announced so far). However, Panasonic has to be careful how they roll this hardware out. Nintendo is releasing its 3DS in Februarythe first handheld system that can display 3D imagesand smartphones are also offering new capabilities for play on the go. Chances are Panasonic will play it both smarter (and safer) this time around. Keep an eye out for more announcements as they develop.