White House axes border wall game after Tetris pushback
The White House removed a game titled "Build the Wall" from a MAGA-themed online arcade after the company behind Tetris raised concerns about possible copyright infringement. The game featured block-stacking mechanics similar to Tetris and had players assemble a barrier along the southern border to stop zombies and alien-like creatures.
Why It Matters
The removal highlights legal risks for politically themed digital content when its mechanics or presentation resemble protected intellectual property. It also shows how outside rights holders can prompt changes to government-produced online materials.
Key Facts
- Entity that removed the game: White House
- Game title: Build the Wall
- Platform: MAGA-themed online arcade
- Reason for removal: Warning from the company behind Tetris about possible copyright infringement
- Gameplay described: Players stack blocks to build a barrier along the southern border to prevent zombies and alien-like creatures from entering
The White House has taken down a browser game called "Build the Wall" from its MAGA-themed online arcade following a warning of potential copyright violation from the company that owns Tetris. Officials removed the title after the Tetris company signaled that the game's block-stacking mechanics closely resembled those used in Tetris.
The removed game invited players to drop and arrange falling blocks to assemble a border barrier along the southern U.S. frontier. The game framed the objective as preventing zombies and alien-like creatures from crossing the border, using gameplay built around fitting shapes together.
According to reports, the developer behind Tetris flagged the resemblance to its own gameplay, prompting the White House to pull the game from the arcade. No further details about any legal correspondence or subsequent steps were provided in the reports.
The arcade had been presented with a MAGA theme and included the now-removed "Build the Wall" title among its offerings. The change was implemented after the copyright concern was raised, resulting in the game's absence from the online collection.
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Original source: The Hill