The Tetris Company has officially distanced itself from "Build the Wall," a game featured on the White House website that is a clear clone of the iconic puzzle game Tetris. The company issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to connection and community, and explicitly stated its non-involvement in the creation or distribution of the "Build the Wall" game.
In a statement posted on Instagram, The Tetris Company, jointly owned by creator Alexey Pajitnov and businessman Henk Rogers, declared, "To our fans everywhere, we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community." The company added a follow-up comment clarifying its position: "P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S. We take copyright infringement very seriously."
The "Build the Wall" game appeared on the White House website as part of an "arcade" that included other politically themed game rip-offs. The game's mechanics are a direct imitation of Tetris, leading to accusations of copyright infringement.
While some users have urged The Tetris Company to pursue legal action against the administration, it would mark a significant step, as no video game company has yet taken action against the White House for unauthorized use of gaming intellectual property in its online content. Previously, the White House has featured content such as AI-edited images reminiscent of Persona 5 and advertisements styled after Halo. The Pokémon Company also addressed similar unauthorized use of its brand in March, stating they were not involved and no permission was granted. However, no further action has been reported, despite alleged efforts by Japanese officials to discourage the use of video game and anime imagery in US social media posts.