The Tumultuous Tale of Tetris: More Than Just Falling Blocks

What happened in Tetris? The story of Tetris is far more than just a tale of a wildly popular puzzle game. It’s a complex narrative interwoven with Cold War politics, corporate maneuvering, and the personal journey of its creator, Alexey Pajitnov. Initially conceived in 1984 by Pajitnov, a programmer at the Soviet Academy of Sciences, Tetris quickly became a global phenomenon. However, its journey from a Soviet computer lab to handheld consoles and arcades worldwide involved a tangled web of licensing agreements, legal battles, and a desperate race to secure the game’s rights. The real story involves a lot of business deals, a lot of lies, and a lot of corporate malfeasance. In addition, the creator of Tetris didn’t receive a single royalty check for nearly 10 years.

The popular Apple TV+ movie, simply titled “Tetris,” dramatizes this saga, focusing primarily on the efforts of Henk Rogers, a Dutch-born video game entrepreneur, to secure the rights for Nintendo’s Game Boy. While the movie takes creative liberties, it captures the essence of the real-life struggle: a high-stakes scramble for a highly coveted piece of intellectual property against the backdrop of a crumbling Soviet Union. The movie shows Rogers going to Moscow to secure the rights to the game. Rogers had to meet with government officials and navigate the bureaucratic complexities of the Soviet system. Rogers eventually secured the rights to Tetris for the Game Boy.

Ultimately, Alexey Pajitnov did not earn a dollar for his own game for the first decade after its release. Ideas like Tetris were owned by the state at the time, and it wasn’t until Pajitnov came to the United States in the 1990s that he started earning royalties for the ultra-popular game. Today, the Tetris Company manages the worldwide licensing of the property.

Key Players and Their Roles

• Alexey Pajitnov: The creator of Tetris. He worked for the Soviet government and initially didn’t profit from his creation.
• Henk Rogers: A Dutch-born video game entrepreneur who played a crucial role in securing the rights to Tetris for the Game Boy.
• Robert Stein: The man who licensed the rights to Tetris from ELORG.
• Nintendo: The Japanese video game giant that recognized the potential of Tetris and bundled it with the Game Boy, leading to massive success.
• The Tetris Company: Established in 1996 by Pajitnov and Rogers to manage the worldwide licensing of the Tetris property.

The Legal Labyrinth

The journey of Tetris from its humble origins to global dominance was fraught with legal complexities. Because Tetris was made by a government employee, it was initially owned by the Soviet Union. A company called ELORG was responsible for licensing Soviet-made software to companies in the West. The problem was that Elorg didn’t even know what rights they had when they started licensing the game. This is why Rogers was able to go to the Soviet Union and essentially bully the Soviet Leaders into giving him the rights to the game.

Several companies claimed to have the rights to Tetris, leading to numerous legal battles. Ultimately, Henk Rogers was able to secure the handheld rights to Tetris, which he then licensed to Nintendo. This decision proved to be incredibly lucrative for both Rogers and Nintendo.

Behind the Game: Tragedy Strikes

The story of Tetris also includes a tragic chapter. Vladimir Pokhilko, one of the early developers of Tetris, was found dead alongside his wife and son in their Palo Alto, California, home in 1998. The circumstances surrounding their deaths were initially mysterious and led to speculation about the “Tetris curse.” The truth behind that is the subject of the documentary “The Tetris Murders.”

Tetris Today

Today, Tetris remains one of the most popular video games of all time. It has been ported to countless platforms, from arcade machines to smartphones. The Tetris Company continues to manage the licensing of the Tetris brand, ensuring that the game remains relevant and profitable. Tetris’s story, despite its many twists and turns, stands as a testament to the enduring power of a simple yet brilliant idea. The story of Tetris proves that business is messy, and that there are people who will stop at nothing to make a buck. You can also learn more about the educational applications of games like Tetris through organizations like the Games Learning Society. You can visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Tetris

1. Did the car chase in the “Tetris” movie really happen?

No. The car chase and escape from the airport depicted in the movie are largely fictionalized for dramatic effect. In reality, there was no need for a high-speed chase or a daring escape.

2. Did Alexey Pajitnov get paid for Tetris initially?

No. As a government employee in the Soviet Union, Pajitnov did not receive any royalties for Tetris for the first decade after its release. The rights to the game were owned by the state.

3. How much of the “Tetris” movie is actually true?

The “Tetris” movie is based on the account of Henk Rogers, and while it captures the essence of the events, it takes creative liberties for dramatic purposes. Not everything depicted in the film is entirely accurate.

4. Did Henk Rogers get the rights to Tetris?

Yes, Henk Rogers secured the handheld rights to Tetris, which he then licensed to Nintendo, leading to the game’s massive success on the Game Boy.

5. What happened to Alexey Pajitnov after Tetris became popular?

Pajitnov moved to the United States in 1991 and eventually began receiving royalties for Tetris after co-founding The Tetris Company with Henk Rogers in 1996.

6. Who owns the patent to Tetris?

The Tetris Company owns the rights to the Tetris brand.

7. How much is the Tetris Company worth?

As of 2023, The Tetris Company is estimated to be worth around $500 million.

8. How did Nintendo get the rights to Tetris?

Henk Rogers secured the handheld rights to Tetris and then licensed those rights to Nintendo, who bundled the game with the Game Boy.

9. Was the KGB involved in the Tetris licensing process?

While the movie suggests a strong KGB presence, the extent of their direct involvement is debated. The overall atmosphere was charged with political tension from the Soviet Union.

10. What was the legal battle over Tetris about?

The legal battle centered on which companies had the rights to distribute Tetris on different platforms, leading to disputes and lawsuits.

11. When was Tetris created?

Tetris was created in 1984 by Alexey Pajitnov.

12. Where did the “Tetris Murders” happen?

The “Tetris Murders,” involving Vladimir Pokhilko and his family, occurred in Palo Alto, California, in 1998.

13. Who is the current CEO of Tetris?

Maya Rogers is the current CEO of Tetris.

14. How much is Alexey Pajitnov worth?

As of 2023, Alexey Pajitnov’s net worth is estimated to be $75 million.

15. Was Tetris made by communists?

Tetris was created by Alexey Pajitnov, who was a programmer for the Soviet government at the time. Since the Soviet government was communist, you can say it was made by a communist.