What Happened to the People in Tetris?
The story behind Tetris is as captivating as the game itself, filled with twists, turns, and a cast of remarkable individuals. So, what exactly happened to the key players after the blocks started falling? The narrative is complex, involving not just the game’s creation, but also its journey from the Soviet Union to global dominance, and the lives of the people who were instrumental to that journey. In short, Alexey Pajitnov, the game’s creator, finally achieved financial recognition for his creation and now lives in Washington State after moving to the US, where he continues to receive royalties. Henk Rogers, who secured the global rights and was vital to its mass-market success, continues to act as President of the Tetris Company. There were also other key individuals involved, and it’s a story worth exploring.
The Creator: Alexey Pajitnov
From Soviet Engineer to Global Icon
Alexey Pajitnov, a Soviet software engineer working at the Soviet Academy of Sciences in Moscow, invented Tetris in 1984. He created the game on an Elektronika 60 computer, initially as a personal project. While the game became incredibly popular within the Soviet Union, Pajitnov didn’t receive any financial compensation for it in those early years. He did not own any rights to it, as all intellectual property in the Soviet Union was owned by the state.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Pajitnov moved to the United States with Vladimir Pokhilko (more about him shortly). In 1996, he finally secured his financial future when he co-founded The Tetris Company with Henk Rogers. This allowed him to collect royalties from his game for the first time and to take some control over the game’s future. He is now a naturalized U.S. citizen and currently lives in Clyde Hill, Washington, with his family. Fans frequently send him original Tetris cartridges to sign. It was this event, along with some key others, that secured him as a major player in the gaming landscape.
The Rights Negotiator: Henk Rogers
Securing Global Domination
Henk Rogers is the key individual responsible for Tetris’ global success. In 1988, while attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, he stumbled upon the game and immediately recognized its massive potential. Rogers, at the time a video game publisher, made it his mission to secure the rights to Tetris for home and handheld gaming systems.
His journey involved navigating the complex and often fraught process of negotiating with ELORG, the Soviet state organization that held the rights to the game. Rogers’s persistent efforts paid off, and he eventually secured the international rights to Tetris for consoles and handheld devices. A crucial deal that he made was with Nintendo, convincing them to bundle Tetris with the Game Boy at launch, which helped make it a global phenomenon. Rogers remains the President of the Tetris Company, while his daughter, Maya Rogers, serves as the CEO.
The Tragedy: Vladimir Pokhilko
A Devastating Loss
Another important person in the story was Vladimir Pokhilko, a close friend of Pajitnov and a co-developer. He was integral to developing different versions of the game, and he moved to the US with Alexey in 1991. He was also involved in the creation of The Tetris Company. In September 1998, Pokhilko, along with his wife and son, were found brutally murdered in their home in Palo Alto, California. The circumstances surrounding the crime continue to be investigated and the crime has led to speculation and a true crime documentary series. Pokhilko’s tragic death highlights the darker side of the complex story surrounding Tetris.
Other Key Players
Many other people contributed to the global success of Tetris. For example, Nikolai Belikov, as director of Elorg, sold his company to The Tetris Company for $15 million when it was privatized. The impact of this is important as it allowed for Pajitnov’s rights and control over Tetris to truly come into effect. Additionally, the countless game designers, programmers, and marketers who worked on the numerous versions of Tetris across various platforms are important too, although not as closely tied to the initial creation and its path to global success. Their work ensured that Tetris reached virtually every corner of the gaming world, solidifying its place as the best-selling game of all time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Did Alexey Pajitnov get paid for Tetris originally?
No, initially Alexey Pajitnov did not receive any royalties for Tetris when the game became popular during the Soviet era. All intellectual property in the Soviet Union was owned by the state. He only began receiving royalties after co-founding The Tetris Company in 1996.
2. Who owns the rights to Tetris now?
Tetris Holding, LLC, owns the worldwide rights to Tetris, while The Tetris Company, Inc. is its exclusive licensee. Pajitnov placed his Tetris rights in this holding company, securing his ownership in the game.
3. When was The Tetris Company founded?
The Tetris Company was founded in 1996 by Alexey Pajitnov and Henk Rogers to manage the worldwide licensing of the Tetris property.
4. What happened to Tetris Friends?
Tetris Friends permanently shut down on May 31, 2019, alongside Tetris Online, Inc., which ceased all operations. An unofficial recreation of Tetris Friends known as Notris Foes is currently in development.
5. Where does Alexey Pajitnov live now?
Alexey Pajitnov currently lives in Clyde Hill, Washington, with his wife and family. He is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
6. Was there a real car chase in the Tetris story?
No, there was no real car chase or fleeing the airport as depicted in the recent movie. Henk Rogers has confirmed that while there was pressure from the Soviet government, the events were greatly exaggerated for dramatic effect.
7. How did Alexey Pajitnov get out of Russia?
Alexey Pajitnov moved to the United States with Vladimir Pokhilko in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and he became a US citizen.
8. How much of the recent ‘Tetris’ film is true?
While certain events in the film, like Rogers convincing Nintendo to bundle Tetris with the Game Boy, are true, many aspects of the film are fictionalized for dramatic effect. The movie is not entirely historically accurate.
9. Who is the CEO of Tetris?
Maya Rogers, the daughter of Henk Rogers, is currently the President and CEO of Tetris.
10. Did Henk Rogers get the rights to Tetris?
Yes, Henk Rogers secured the international rights to Tetris for home and handheld gaming systems. His deal with Elorg was key to Tetris’s global success.
11. How much did Elorg make from Tetris?
Elorg was sold to The Tetris Company in January 2005 for $15 million. This occurred after it was turned into a private business following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
12. What happened to the co-creator of Tetris, Vladimir Pokhilko?
Vladimir Pokhilko, along with his wife and son, were tragically murdered in their Palo Alto home in 1998. The circumstances of their deaths are still under investigation, and this event has been the subject of a documentary series.
13. Did Russia initially own the rights to Tetris?
Yes, initially, the Soviet state, through ELORG, owned all the rights to Tetris. This was how all intellectual property was treated during the Soviet Union era.
14. Who secured the handheld rights for Tetris?
Henk Rogers secured the handheld rights to Tetris, and he then licensed these rights to Nintendo, leading to the game’s massive success on the Game Boy.
15. What is the highest selling game of all time?
Tetris is the best-selling video game of all time, with over 520 million copies sold worldwide.