The White House has unveiled an online arcade on its official website, featuring several custom-made games that remix popular titles with politically charged themes. These games, which include variations on Tetris, Flappy Bird, and Snake, have drawn criticism for their perceived political messaging and simplistic design.
One of the featured titles is "Build the Wall: Zombie Border Siege," a game described as a Tetris knock-off where players must "protect the border from the coming horde." The game's backdrop depicts a desert sunset over a sign labeled "Southern Border." Unlike traditional Tetris, completed lines do not disappear but stack up, leading to a game over when they reach the top. A slow-moving line of "zombies" at the bottom of the screen attempts to breach the player's wall.
"Rio Run" is presented as a recreation of "border patrol along the Rio Grande," based on the classic game Snake. In this version, the player controls a character who collects brown-skinned individuals, who then join a train behind them wearing shackles and orange jumpsuits. The game concludes when the player collides with an obstacle or their prisoner train, after which the characters are deported.
Another game, "Supply Line," challenges players to sort food items on a conveyor belt. 'Good' food is directed into a lunchbox, while 'bad' food, characterized by coloring, additives, or sealed packaging, is sent to a "reject" box. The game's concept, as envisioned by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is further complicated by a background character, a muscular Black man in boxing gloves, who punches the monitor when 'bad' food is missed. A sign with a red strike through it also appears to discourage reading labels.
"Trump Savings Tycoon" is a game focused on filling children's "Trump Accounts," described as retirement savings accounts for children backed by wealthy individuals. Mechanically, it involves clicking on money-like objects flying across the screen. The game is over if too many objects are missed due to imprecise clicking. The background features the Reflecting Pool and a construction crane.
"Flappy Bill" is a Flappy Bird clone where players navigate a bald eagle down the National Mall.
Critics have described the games as "racist, repugnant, and creatively bankrupt," noting the simplistic execution and the derivative nature of the gameplay. The Tetris Company has issued a statement noting that "The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of Build the Wall" and that they "take copyright infringement very seriously."
While the White House has not officially commented on the arcade, posts from its social media channels have promoted the games. One post on X featured animations using the Xbox, Nintendo, and Sega logos, with Sega's logo morphing into "MAGA." The administration has been increasingly active in leveraging gaming-related content and memes to promote its agenda and engage with a younger demographic, a strategy that has roots in the Gamergate movement, according to analysis from industry experts.
A sixth game window on the White House Arcade page indicates that "a new adventure awaits," suggesting further content may be released.