The Tetris Company issued a formal statement on Friday clarifying that it had no role in developing “Build the Wall,” a browser game launched by the Trump White House that mirrors the mechanics of the iconic block-dropping puzzle.
Hosted on whitehouse.gov/arcade alongside five other titles, “Build the Wall” tasks players with stopping waves of zombie-like figures from crossing the “southern border” into the United States. The game, subtitled “Zombie Border Siege,” draws direct visual and gameplay parallels to Tetris, which was originally created in 1984 by Soviet programmer Alexey Pajitnov.
In a post shared via social media, the Tetris Company reaffirmed its commitment to unity. “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community,” the statement read.
The company added a pointed legal caveat: “P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall’. P.P.S. We take copyright infringement very seriously.”
Tetris Holding LLC retains worldwide ownership of the Tetris brand, with the Tetris Company serving as its exclusive licensee. The franchise continues to enjoy global popularity, with billions of online plays annually and over 520 million units sold worldwide, supported by partnerships with major publishers such as Nintendo and Sega.
It remains unclear whether the Tetris Company has formally requested the removal of the White House game. Variety has contacted both parties for additional comment.
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