• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion,but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion,but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
FeaturesLeapFrog

LeapFrog’s new game console is like the Wii, but for younger kids

By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 18, 2014, 10:31 AM ET
Bill Schwob
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

John Barbour, CEO of interactive toy maker LeapFrog, was in a videogame store recently and asked the employees behind the counter if customers ever ask for games for younger children.

Their response: “Only every day.”

That’s a problem the education-focused toy company is hoping to solve. After years of development, LeapFrog is entering the multi-billion-dollar console gaming business with the launch of its newest gaming system, the LeapTV console that will hit retail shelves in time for the upcoming holiday season. The $150-system is designed for younger kids, generally between 3 and 8 years old, and has a transforming gaming controller and a motion-sensing camera.

“For many parents who buy their kids videogame systems, [LeapTV] is less than half the price than most videogame systems out there,” Barbour told Fortune. “We are bringing the benefits of videogame play to younger kids, at a lower costs, and with totally appropriate content.”

The LeapTV console will remind gamers of Nintendo’s Wii, which has sold more than 100 million units since it was launched in 2006 and was a wildly popular system in its heyday.

Console sales have slipped in recent years, totaling slightly over 40 billion units globally in 2013 according to data complied by Statista. While console sales have dropped for several years, part of that decline is due to the cyclical nature of the business. The industry’s sales should rebound this year due to the launch of the new PlayStation and xBox systems late last year. And the number of Web-connected video game consoles is projected to exceed 200 million worldwide by 2017, industry watcher International Data Corp. has projected.

While the console business is highly competitive, Barbour said LeapFrog (LF) is targeting a portion of the market no competitors are addressing. Gaming systems target older kids, Barbour said, and LeapFrog’s device and games are better suited for younger kids that can get frustrated when playing the Wii and other systems.

“The videogame market is a very big consumer market place,” Barbour said. He said the launch would be a success if LeapFrog can capture “just a small slice of it.”

LeapFrog is also planning to sell a slate of around 100 video games and videos that will also be on shelves by the end of the year. That content is specifically designed for young kids.

“Less than one percent of the tens of thousands of video game titles are rated appropriate for children under the age of six years,” said Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos, who director of LeapFrog’s team of educational and design experts.

The timing of LeapTV’s launch does raise some questions. While Nintendo’s Wii was a huge hit, the successor Wii U has suffered from poor sales.

But the launch follows a well-established trend at LeapFrog, which keeps a close eye on popular technology trends and repurposes them for young kids. For example, the company’s popular children’s tablets hit the market well after Apple’s blockbuster iPad. Next month, LeapFrog will begin selling an activity tracker for kids—again following the footsteps of Nike, Fitbit and Jawbone, among others.

The LeapTV system has 16GB of memory and built-in Wi-Fi to download games, though the company is also planning to sell physical game cartridges. The controller has the classic A and B buttons but can also transform as a pointer.

The launch of a videogame system comes after LeapFrog suffered from a tough holiday season in 2013. Though the company entered the fourth quarter of 2013 with net sales rising 9%, deep retailer price discounts and tough competition from other children’s tablets resulted in full-year net sales falling 5% to $553.6 million.

The LeapTV and LeapBand activity tracker are new opportunities for the company, which has mostly relied on children’s tablets in recent years to fuel results. Wall Street analysts expect LeapFrog’s sales for 2014 will be roughly flat from last year’s level, though sales are expected to rise 5% in 2015 and climb a more impressive 16% the following year, according to Bloomberg.

About the Author
By John KellContributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence

John Kell is a contributing writer for Fortune and author of Fortune’s CIO Intelligence newsletter.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Features

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Features

Photo of young woman with a photo of a pizza
SuccessThe Interview Playbook
Gen Z grad landed an internship by wearing her university baseball cap to her pizza joint job. Now she works at Cisco
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 14, 2026
10 days ago
Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf
MagazineDefense
Inside Anduril: Meet the quiet engineer-CEO building America’s $31 billion weapons startup
By Allie GarfinkleMay 6, 2026
2 months ago
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
MagazineData centers
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
By Sharon GoldmanMay 6, 2026
2 months ago
The American Express CEO defied haters who said he’d never have the top job—winning with millennials and Gen Z and trouncing the competition
MagazineAmerican Express
The American Express CEO defied haters who said he’d never have the top job—winning with millennials and Gen Z and trouncing the competition
By Shawn TullyMay 6, 2026
2 months ago
Photo of Marc Benioff
Magazinecommunication
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff turned his earnings call into a vodcast. Why other Fortune 500 CEOs might follow
By Rachel VentrescaMay 6, 2026
2 months ago
Intel Chief Exec, Lip-Bu Tan, on stage
EuropeIntel
Intel’s share price just blew the doors off. One man thinks he knows the reason why
By Kamal AhmedApril 27, 2026
2 months ago

Most Popular

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion,but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
Economy
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion,but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
By Jacqueline MunisJune 24, 2026
7 hours ago
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
Banking
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
By Jim EdwardsJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Texas and Charlotte used to build huge McMansions—now they're copying the California design tricks they once mocked
Real Estate
Texas and Charlotte used to build huge McMansions—now they're copying the California design tricks they once mocked
By Sydney LakeJune 22, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 23, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.