<PAGE>

                                                                   Exhibit 10.10

December 13th, 1995

J. Moore, Esq.
3329 Michigan Boulevard
Racine, Wisconsin 53402
U.S.A.

Dear John:

I am writing to outline the terms on which we are offering you employment by
Mindscape as Chief Executive Officer with effect from January 1st, 1996, or at a
later date to be mutually agreed between us. In this capacity you will report to
me as Managing Director of Pearson plc or such other person as I may designate,
and you will be subject to the delegation of authority procedures of Pearson and
Mindscape.

1.     Your salary will be $450,000 per annum, payable semi-monthly. This
       salary will be reviewed with effect from January 1997 and annually
       thereafter. You will devote your full time and effort to the affairs of
       Mindscape.
2.     Your employment by the company will be deemed "at will" and may be
       terminated by wither party at any time, for any reason, subject to the
       severance obligation in paragraph 10 below. However, your employment
       shall terminate no later than five years after the employment date,
       that is December 31st, 2000 and shall not be extended beyond that date.
3.     You will be eligible for participation in the regular annual incentive
       program of Mindscape. Your maximum bonus opportunity will be 70% of
       base salary. Awards will be based on criteria established in accordance
       with Pearson procedures which may include both individual performance
       as well as overall company results and will require that you are an
       employee in good standing at the time of payment of such incentive
       awards.
4.     Provided that you continue to be employed by the company on December 31,
       2000, you will be entitled to receive a completion bonus equal to
       the sum total of bonuses paid to you under the annual incentive plan
       for each of the calendar years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. If your
       employment is terminated by the company without cause before 
       December 31, 2000, a completion bonus will be paid equal to the total 
       amount of annual bonuses paid and earned up to the termination date. 
       Payment of any such completion bonus shall be subject to your execution
       of any waivers and releases required of you by the company.
5.     In consideration of loss of guaranteed bonus incurred in resigning from
       your present company, a one-time payment of $150,000 will be paid to
       you upon the commencement of your employment with us. This payment
       would be refunded by you to the company if you voluntarily leave your
       employment with us within 12 months of your commencing employment with
       us. In addition, upon submission of receipts you will be reimbursed for
       any relocation costs already incurred and reimbursed to you and which
       you are obligated to return to your present company, relating to your
       move from New York to Wisconsin.

<PAGE>

6.     The company will reimburse you for reasonable and agree expenses
       incurred in connection with your relocation from Wisconsin to
       California. Details will be provided separately. You will be required
       to return such sums to the company should you give notice to
       voluntarily leave your employment with us within 12 months of
       commencing employment with us.
7.     You will be eligible to participate in the Mindscape Long-Term
       Incentive Plan, at the level of grant applicable to the previous Chief
       Executive Officer.
8.     You will be eligible to participate in the Pearson Incentive Share
       Plan, with a first award under this plan to be made in January 1996.
9.     You will be entitled to four weeks vacation per annum. Additional
       holidays will be in accordance with company policy which may vary from
       year to year.
10.    If your employment is terminated by Mindscape without cause before
       December 31, 2000, you will be paid twelve months' salary, payable in
       accordance with the company's customary payroll practices, provided
       that you execute appropriate waivers and releases required of you by
       Mindscape at that time. If you are terminated for cause, defined as
       willful refusal to perform your duties, gross misconduct, negligence,
       or commission of any illegal act, no severance will be payable. If you
       voluntarily leave your employment with us, in which case no severance
       will be payable, the notice you would be required to give the company
       will be three months.
11.    You will be eligible to participate in the company sponsored health,
       life and disability plans and the 401(k) plan in accordance with the
       plan rules, which will be provided separately. In addition, the company
       will establish a non-qualified arrangement designed to provide (a)
       company matching contributions of 50% of the portion of your Before Tax
       Contributions (as defined in the qualified plan) which are not in
       excess of 6% of Compensation (as defined in the qualified plan) and (b)
       3% Compensation (as defined in the qualified plan) less any Employer
       Matching Contributions and Employer Contributions (as defined in the
       qualified plan) actually provided by the qualified 401(k) plan. Your
       account in the non-qualified arrangement shall be credited with
       interest quarterly as of the end of each calendar quarter, with the
       first such credit to be made from the date of your employment with
       Mindscape through March 31st, 1996. Interest to be credited for any
       period shall be at a rate equal to the prime rate as published in the
       WALL STREET JOURNAL as of the beginning of each period. The
       non-qualified arrangement will be unfunded and the benefits payable
       thereunder will be subject to your executing any waivers and releases
       required of you by the company at the termination date. No benefits
       under the non-qualified arrangement will be paid in the event of your
       termination by the company for cause or if you voluntarily leave your
       employment with us.
12.    Mindscape will reimburse you for all reasonable expenses incurred by
       you in the performance of your duties, including travel expenses and
       business entertainment expenses provided you give a satisfactory
       accounting of all such expenses to the company.
13.    You will be provided with an automobile at the company's expense during
       your employment, the type of such automobile being in accordance with
       the company's 
<PAGE>

       policy from time to time. All operating expenses will be paid by the
       company, but you will be required to keep such records as the company
       may require.
14.    If it is possible, the golf club membership of the current Chief
       Executive Officer in Marin County will be transferred to you. If
       subsequently sold, the net proceeds of the sale may be used towards the
       purchase of a membership of another club/.
15.    You agree that, except for your duties on behalf of the company, during
       the period of your employment by the company and, in the event your
       employment with us is terminated by the company for good cause or you
       voluntarily leave your employment with us, for one year following such
       termination, you will not directly or indirectly:
       a.       Own, manage, operate, join, control or participate in the
                ownership, management, operation or control of, or be employed
                by or connected with any business which sells products or
                provides services in competition with those sole or provided
                by the company.
       b.       Solicit any party which is a customer or supplier of the
                company for the purchase or sale of any products sold or
                services provided by the company.
       c.       Solicit for employment any person who is an employee of the
                company at the time of such solicitation.
16.    You acknowledge that in the course of employment by the company, you
       will be acquainted with confidential information of the company and
       other members of the Pearson group of companies, relating to products,
       methods and style of operations, and to persons, firms and corporations
       which are customers of such companies (including confidential
       information that you will have personally developed). You agree that
       you will not, without the written consent of the company, during the
       term of this agreement or thereafter, disclosure or make use of any
       such confidential information except as may be required in the course
       of your employment hereunder. It is agreed that this confidentiality
       commitment is an important part of this agreement, and that the company
       is entitled in injunctive protection in the event of its breach or
       threatened breach, since damages for such breach are extremely
       difficult to measure. Upon termination of you employment for any reason
       whatsoever, you shall immediately surrender to the company all
       confidential information and property of the company in your
       possession.

We are very pleased that you are considering taking on this exciting assignment.
Personally I am looking forward to working with you, and I would be grateful if
you would indicate your agreement to these arrangement by signing below.

Yours sincerely,


/s/ Frank Barlow
----------------
Frank Barlow,
Managing Director, Pearson Plc

<PAGE>


Agreed: /s/ John Moore
        --------------
            John Moore

Date: Jan. 2/96



<PAGE>


January 2, 1997

Mr. John Moore
Mindscape, Inc.
88 Rowland Way
Novato, CA 94945

Dear John:

This letter will amend your letter of employment dated December 8, 1995 by
adding the following paragraphs to items - 10.

If a "change of control" occurs and (i) within six months of that event you
elect to terminate your employment for "good reason" or (ii) within eighteen
months of that event Mindscape Inc. or any successor thereto terminates your
employment without cause, you will receive 24 months of your base salary in
effect at the time of such termination. For this purpose, "change of control"
means (i) a sale, merger or consolidation involving Mindscape Inc. which results
in the then common stockholders of Mindscape Inc. owning less than 50% of the
common equity of the resulting company, or (ii) a sale of substantially all of
the assets of Mindscape Inc.

"Good reason" means (i) a change in location of employment outside a 75 mile
radius from Novato, California, (ii) a material diminution in the nature and
scope of authority and duties from those exercised or performed just prior o the
change of control, or (iii) a reduction in base compensation from what was in
effect just prior to the change of control or in your entitlement to earn any
additional compensation.

If you are in agreement with the above modifications to your employment letter
dated December 8, 1995, please signify by signing below and returning a copy to
me.

                                Sincerely yours,


                                /s/ David M. Veit
                                -----------------
                                    David M. Veit


AGREED:


/s/ John Moore
--------------
John Moore