The Learning Company
The company logo used from 2007 to 2012 | |
Subsidiary | |
Founded | 1980 |
Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
Key people | Warren Robinett (co-founder) |
Parent | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |
Website |
www |
The Learning Company (TLC) is an American educational software company, currently owned by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It produced a grade-based system of learning software and tools to improve productivity. Products for preschoolers through second graders include Reader Rabbit, and software for more advanced students include The ClueFinders. The company is also known for publishing licensed educational titles featuring characters such as Arthur Read, Scooby-Doo, Caillou, and SpongeBob SquarePants.
Founding and ownership
The original TLC was founded in 1980 by Ann McCormick, Leslie Grimm and Teri Perl, three PhD educators who, along with Warren Robinett, a former Atari employee who had programmed the popular game Adventure, saw the Apple II as an opportunity to enhance the ability to teach young children concepts of math, reading, science, problem solving and thinking skills. Part of the original funding for the company came from a National Science Foundation grant. Additional funding was provided by Jack Melchor and Melchor Venture Partners, among others.
TLC was among the four companies IBM contacted to produce launch titles for the PCjr, announced in late 1983.[1] From 1980 through 1984 it created a line of 15 widely acclaimed children's educational software products, which were sold through the newly evolving U.S. retail and school computer software channels.
Early struggles and successful transition period
During the first four years, the founding board of directors hired and replaced four CEOs as the company incurred significant losses attempting to develop a sustainable business. In the second half of 1985, the product line was consolidated from 15 products down to 5 products. Additionally, an improved and focused new product development process was instituted to identify subjects that parents and teachers named as highest priority for children ages 3–14.
The leading families of products were the Reader Rabbit series for ages 2–8, the Treasure Mountain Reading-Math-Science series for ages 5–9, the Super Solver series for ages 7–12, the Student Writing & Publishing Center for ages 7–adult and the Foreign Language Learning series for ages 15–adult.
TLC went public on April 28, 1992 in an IPO led by Morgan Stanley and Robertson, Stephens & Co. From 1992 to 1995, TLC achieved 16 consecutive quarters of revenues and profits growth, never experiencing a down quarter or year. TLC’s early struggles, followed by 10 consecutive years of outstanding performance, were the subject of case studies at both Harvard and Stanford universities.
Softkey acquisition
In 1995, TLC was acquired in an unsolicited transaction by Softkey for $606M, all cash.
Subsequent to the acquisition, TLC was reformed from the merger of WordStar, Spinnaker and SoftKey Software and was relocated from San Francisco and Toronto to Cambridge, MA. Prior to that, SoftKey was a Canadian company that was founded by Kevin O'Leary and traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange. During the years following the three-way merger, the combined company was led by Michael J. Perik as CEO, Kevin O'Leary as President and R. Scott Murray as CFO. The trio led the combination of many leading brands through acquisitions of such companies as Broderbund, MECC, Mindscape, and Creative Wonders. The company held some of the best-known educational and office productive brands in the market. These included Reader Rabbit, Carmen Sandiego, The Oregon Trail, Myst, Riven, The Print Shop and PrintMaster.
The team led the sale of software in well-known retail chains such as Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples and Wal-Mart, in direct mail channels across Europe, and in the OEM channels as well as creating one of the first online imaging models in the market. In 1996, SoftKey changed its name to "The Learning Company".
Mattel acquisition and rapid devaluation
In the fall of 1998, Mattel agreed to acquire The Learning Company in a stock-for-stock merger valuing the company at approximately $4.2 billion. In 1999, the company name was changed to Mattel Interactive, which published not only educational games, but licensed titles from brands like Barbie.[2]
Mattel sold The Learning Company in 2000 at a loss to Gores Technology group. The total financial losses to Mattel have been estimated to be as high as $3.6 billion.[3]
Mattel's acquisition of The Learning Company has been referred to as "one of the worst acquisitions of all time" by several prominent business journals.[3][4]
Software
Reader Rabbit / The ClueFinders series
- Grade-based titles
- Reader Rabbit Baby
- Reader Rabbit Toddler
- Reader Rabbit Preschool
- Reader Rabbit Preschool: Sparkle Star Rescue
- Reader Rabbit Kindergarten
- Reader Rabbit 1st Grade
- Reader Rabbit 2nd Grade (now sold as Reader Rabbit 2nd Grade: Classic)
- Reader Rabbit 2nd Grade: Mis-cheese-ious Dreamship Adventures
- The ClueFinders 3rd Grade Adventures (1998)
- The ClueFinders 4th Grade Adventures (1998)
- The ClueFinders 5th Grade Adventures (1999)
- The ClueFinders 6th Grade Adventures (1999)
- Other titles
- Reader Rabbit 1 (1989)
- Reader Rabbit 2 (1990)
- Reader Rabbit 3 (1991)
- Reader Rabbit's Reading Journey (1993)
- Math Rabbit (Later changed to Reader Rabbit Math)
- The ClueFinders Math Adventures (1999)
- The ClueFinders Reading Adventures (1999)
- The ClueFinders Search and Solve Adventures (2000)
- The ClueFinders: The Incredible Toy Store Adventure! (2001)
- The ClueFinders: Mystery Mansion Arcade
- Caillou Magic Playhouse
- SpongeBob SquarePants Typing
- Some PBS Kids games
Zoombinis
- Zoombinis Logical Journey (1996)
- Note: This game was remade in 2015.
- Zoombinis Mountain Rescue (2001)
- Zoombinis Island Odyssey (2002)
Super Solvers series
- Midnight Rescue! (Later re-released as Super Solvers Reading and then Leap Ahead! 3rd Grade)
- OutNumbered! (Later re-released as Leap Ahead! 3rd Grade)
- Challenge of the Ancient Empires! (Ancient Empires)
- Spellbound! (Later re-released as Leap Ahead! Spelling)
- Gizmos & Gadgets!
- Mission: T.H.I.N.K.
Super Seekers games
- Treasure Mountain! (1990)
- Note: This game was originally released as a regular Super Solvers title.
- Treasure MathStorm! (1992)
- Treasure Cove! (1994)
- Treasure Galaxy! (1994)
Carmen Sandiego series
- Carmen Sandiego's ThinkQuick Challenge (1999)
- Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Treasures of Knowledge (2001)
- Note: When The Learning Company purchased Brøderbund Software, they gained the rights to the Carmen Sandiego series. Only the Carmen Sandiego games created by The Learning Company are included here. Note that some original Brøderbund games are now sold under The Learning Company name.
Other games
- Prince of Persia 3D (1999)
- Real World series
- Operation Neptune (1991)
- Note: This game was eventually added to the Super Solvers series.
- Time Riders in American History
- Math For The Real World
- Operation Neptune (1991)
- Adventure/puzzle games
- Rocky's Boots (1982)
- Gertrude's Secrets (1984)
- Gertrude's Puzzles
- Robot Odyssey (1984)
- Think Quick!
- Logic Quest 3D (1996)
- Road Adventures USA
- Trail games
- Oregon Trail
- Amazon Trail
- Yukon Trail
- Africa Trail
- Mayaquest
- Tools and other programs
- All-Star Typing
- Read, Write, and Type
- MetroGnomes' Music
- The Children's Writing & Publishing Center
- The Writing Center
- Student Writing Center
- Other early educational programs
- Magic Spells
- Bumble Games
- Bumble Plot
- Moptown Hotel
- Moptown Parade
- Wordspinner
- Juggles' Rainbow
- Juggles' House
- Starflyers series
- Starflyers: Royal Jewel Rescue
- Starflyers: Alien Space Chase
References
- ↑ Wiswell, Phil (January 24, 1984). "Coming Soon: Games For The PCjr". PC. pp. 142–145. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
- ↑ "Profile: Mattel Interactive". IGN Games Newsletter. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- 1 2 Cave, Andrew (September 30, 2000). "Mattel sale ends $3.6bn fiasco". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved October 11, 2015.
- ↑ Rosenbush, Steve (October 4, 2007). "When Big Deals Go Bad—and Why". Bloomberg. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
External links
|
|