TECHNOLOGY · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
White House Removes Anti-Immigration Tetris Clone After Copyright Complaint
WHY IT MATTERS
The removal of the game highlights the White House's sensitivity to copyright infringement and public backlash against divisive content, potentially influencing future official communications and online presence.
What happened
The White House removed an anti-immigration-themed adaptation of Tetris from its website over the weekend, following a statement from The Tetris Company disavowing any involvement and citing copyright infringement. The game, titled 'Build the Wall,' asked players to stop a 'Zombie Border siege' by stacking Tetris-style bricks, but with a twist: the blocks do not disappear when a line is completed, resulting in an impassable barrier.
This change made the gameplay uninteresting and led to a 'Border Breached' message when the blocks filled the well.
The move comes after criticism from Amerika Garcia Grewal, co-director of Texas migrant rights group Frontera Federation, who stated that the game's makers have lost touch with what it means to be human and care for others.
PRIMARY SOURCES
The White House made a "Tetris" clone. The Tetris Company was not amused.
Ars Technica · Kyle Orland · Discovery only; Condé Nast copyright terms apply
CORRECTIONS & UPDATES
- Revision 1 · Initial ingestion · Sep 8, 2026, 6:15 PM
- Revision 2 · Source update detected · Sep 8, 2026, 6:15 PM
- Revision 3 · Source update detected · Sep 8, 2026, 6:15 PM