Tetris says it didn’t give White House permission for ‘Build the Wall’ game

The White House has launched an online arcade featuring five retro-style games that promote President Trump's MAGA agenda. The games include "Build the Wall," which is essentially a version of Tetris where players build a wall to protect the border from zombies; "Rio Run," a variation on Snake where players deport migrants along the Rio Grande; and "Trump Savings Tycoon," where players collect cash and gold bars to fill their kids' Trump Accounts. The games were released on September 3, and have been met with criticism, including from Tetris, whose owner has stated that the company did not give permission for its iconic imagery to be used in the game.

Tetris has emphasized that it takes copyright infringement "very seriously" and is currently reviewing the matter. Other companies, such as Sega, Microsoft, and Flappy Bird, have also been referenced in promotional materials for the arcade games, leading some to accuse the White House of using their intellectual property without permission.

The games are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to use pop culture and technology to promote its agenda. Critics have accused the White House of attempting to rewrite America's historical narrative through these games, and have expressed concern about the implications of promoting policies that are unpopular with many Americans.