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