The company behind Tetris has distanced itself from a video game published by the Trump administration, saying it never authorised the use of its brand or copyrighted material. The Tetris Company issued the statement on Friday after «Build the Wall», a game visually inspired by the classic puzzle title, appeared on the White House website the previous day.
A spokesperson for The Tetris Company said the firm «has not authorised the use of the Tetris trademark or any intellectual property-protected content for this game». The company added that it was reviewing the matter. In a post on X, it said: «We take intellectual property infringement very seriously.»
«Build the Wall» asks players to construct a wall to push back «zombies», with the stated objective: «Protect the border from the incoming horde.» No location is named, but the title echoes a slogan repeatedly used by Donald Trump about the border between the United States and Mexico.
The game was one of two productions posted on the executive branch website on Thursday. The other features a character tasked with catching and deporting undocumented immigrants near the Rio Grande. Both have drawn criticism over how the administration handles immigration policy.
The White House defended the releases as part of «the culture of fun and winning». Asked by AFP about The Tetris Company's remarks, it did not respond immediately.
The administration's use of gaming imagery went beyond Tetris. It also adapted the logo of Japanese publisher Sega, replacing the company's name with MAGA, the acronym for Trump's slogan «Make America Great Again».
The games have prompted wider commentary about the White House embracing gamer culture. Technology journalists and gaming outlets noted the unusual step of an executive branch publishing playable content on its official site, particularly material tied to a contentious policy area.
The Tetris Company has a history of protecting its intellectual property. The brand, originally created by Soviet engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984, has been involved in numerous licensing disputes over the decades as the game spread across platforms from the Game Boy to modern smartphones.
Neither the White House nor the developers of the games have commented on whether permission was sought for the visual style used in «Build the Wall». The Tetris Company's statement suggests no licence was granted for the project.