Knowledge Adventure

About Knowledge Adventure

Knowledge Adventure was a notable American company in the edutainment software market, founded in 1991 by brothers Bill and Larry Gross, along with Rick Gibson. The company initially focused on creating educational games for DOS-based systems, with its product line including titles like "Dinosaur Adventure" and "Space Adventure". The business model centered on the development and sale of multimedia educational software for both home and school use.

A significant milestone in the company's history was the acquisition of Fanfare Software in 1995, the original developer of "JumpStart Kindergarten". This acquisition allowed Knowledge Adventure to expand the JumpStart series, which became one of its flagship brands. The company's trajectory involved a series of acquisitions and mergers. In 1997, CUC International acquired Knowledge Adventure for a sum between $50 million and $100 million. Subsequently, Knowledge Adventure merged with Davidson & Associates, another major educational software firm known for the "Math Blaster" series. This merger consolidated two of the most popular educational game franchises under one roof. The company then went through several ownership changes, becoming part of Cendant Corporation, Havas Interactive, and later Vivendi Universal Games.

In 2004, a group of private investors purchased Knowledge Adventure from Vivendi, aiming to develop new educational software under the well-established JumpStart and Math Blaster brands. A strategic shift occurred around 2009 when the company began concentrating on the internet, developing online virtual worlds for children, such as "JumpStart 3D Virtual World," which operated on a subscription model. Reflecting this new focus, Knowledge Adventure officially rebranded as JumpStart Games in 2012. The company continued to operate and expand, acquiring Neopets from Viacom in 2014 and was itself acquired by Chinese online game publisher NetDragon Websoft in 2017. However, JumpStart Games announced its closure in June 2023, ceasing support for all its games, and officially shut down on July 1, 2023.