Overview
Tiger Electronics was an American toy company that dominated the budget LCD handheld market through the 1980s and 1990s. Producing hundreds of licensed games at impulse-buy prices, Tiger also pioneered touch-screen handhelds with the 1997 Game.com, years before Nintendo’s DS.
Fast Facts
- Founded: 1978
- Acquired: Hasbro (1998)
- Known for: Budget LCD games
- Innovation: Game.com touch screen
- Market: Young children, impulse purchases
The LCD Game Empire
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|
| Price point | $20 vs $89 Game Boy |
| Quality | Often poor but functional |
| Licenses | Every major property |
| Market | Impulse purchases, gifts |
Notable Products
| Product | Year | Notes |
|---|
| LCD games | 1980s-90s | Hundreds of titles |
| Game.com | 1997 | Touch-screen handheld |
| Furby | 1998 | Major toy success |
| R-Zone | 1995 | Head-mounted display |
The Game.com
| Feature | Significance |
|---|
| Touch screen | Years before DS |
| Internet | Modem accessory |
| PDA features | Calendar, contacts |
| Failure | Poor games, marketing |
Business Model
| Strategy | Result |
|---|
| License everything | Recognisable characters |
| Low price | Impulse purchases |
| Wide distribution | Everywhere |
| Volume over quality | Quantity profits |
Legacy
Tiger’s LCD games were often derided but introduced millions of children to gaming. The Game.com’s touch screen concept proved prescient, even if the execution failed.
See Also