The White House pulls its racist Tetris clone
The White House removed a controversial Tetris-like game called "Build the Wall" from a newly launched online "arcade" a few days after the site went live. The game, which tasked players with stacking blocks to stop a "zombie border siege," was flagged by Kotaku and reported by The Verge; the Tetris Company said it is investigating.
Why It Matters
The episode drew attention because an official government website hosted a game with a border-themed premise that critics called racist, prompting scrutiny and a response from the Tetris Company. The removal and the company's review underscore tensions over how political messaging appears in interactive content on government platforms.
Key Facts
- Who: The White House (site owner) and the Tetris Company (respondent); story reported by The Verge and earlier spotted by Kotaku.
- Game name: "Build the Wall"
- Game content: A Tetris-like game where players stack differently sized blocks to prevent a "zombie border siege."
- Action taken: The White House took the game down days after launching its "arcade" website.
- Tetris Company response: Spokesperson Kerri Brusca said Tetris is looking into the matter and emphasized the brand's history of bringing people together through play.
The White House has removed a Tetris-style game from a recently launched online "arcade" section after the title drew criticism. The game, called "Build the Wall," was pulled a few days after the site went live and after the title was flagged in reporting first noted by Kotaku and later covered by The Verge.
In the game, players stack variously sized blocks in a manner similar to Tetris to try to stop what the game described as a "zombie border siege," a premise that prompted objections from critics who viewed the theme as racially charged. The content led to public attention and questions about why such a game appeared on an official White House web page.
The Tetris Company said it is examining the situation. Spokesperson Kerri Brusca told The Verge that Tetris has long been positioned as a unifying pastime and that the company is reviewing the issue. The Verge also reached out to the Tetris Company for further comment but did not immediately receive an additional response.
Other games that remain on the White House arcade include titles reportedly modeled on popular mobile and arcade formats, such as "Flappy Bill," a Tapper-like "Supply Line," "Trump Savings Tycoon," and "Rio Run." It is not clear from available reporting why the White House removed "Build the Wall," or whether further changes to the arcade will follow.
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