Tetris: A Journey from Obscurity to Fame

Game designer and entrepreneur Henk Rogers first encountered Tetris at the 1988 Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show. From that moment, he sensed something extraordinary. “It was just the perfect game,” he reflects. “It seemed simple and basic, yet I found myself wanting to play it repeatedly. There was no demo for a game I had never experienced before.”

Currently, Rogers co-owns the Tetris Company, responsible for managing and licensing the Tetris brand. Over the past three decades, he’s become as iconic as the game itself. The intriguing story of how he acquired distribution rights from the Russian agency Elektronorgtechnica (Elorg) has even inspired a dramatic film on Apple TV+ featuring Taron Egerton. “I jokingly suggested that maybe Johnny Depp or Keanu Reeves could portray me, but, well, they seem a bit too old,” he admits.

Reading the film script raised concerns for him beyond just casting. “It was terrifying. I had no idea how the script would translate to screen. I thought, ‘This is going to be a terrible movie… a car chase?’”

Rogers’ journey in 1988 took him to Russia, and while he found the KGB’s interest daunting, Tetris has since grown into a global phenomenon, selling over 520 million copies, created originally by Alexei Pajitnov. These captivating tetrominos almost remained the secret of the Soviet regime.

“Alexei had never met a game designer before… the Soviet Union lacked a gaming industry.”

Through a convoluted web of international agreements involving companies like Robert Maxwell’s Mirrorsoft, Rogers, now living in Japan, sought to secure rights for handheld devices. His tourist visa allowed him to enter Elorg, the monopolizing entity for all Soviet software. However, he quickly realized he was misled regarding Tetris’ rights, which had been sold without proper authorization from Russia.

“I found myself in a room full of KGB agents, undergoing intense questioning for hours,” recalls Rogers, as he met Pajitnov. “Initially, Alexei was skeptical of me, likely because others had previously approached him with ulterior motives. He figured they were just money-hungry capitalists.” The film’s portrayal of this encounter remains quite true to reality, with moments of intense interrogation matching Rogers’ experience.

“When Alexei learned I was a game designer, his whole demeanor changed,” Rogers reminisces. “He had never met someone like me; he worked in isolation. In the Soviet Union, gaming was more like a hobby than a business.”

Intrigued by their unexpected connection, Pajitnov discreetly asked Rogers to meet him after the formalities. Aware of the risks they both faced, Rogers had to be discreet. “I waited by the door, took him to my room at midnight, and quietly showed him my version of Tetris.”

The bond they forged led to the establishment of the Tetris Company in 1996, after the Soviet Union collapsed and Elorg’s shares were sold. Up until that point, Pajitnov received no financial reward from his creation.

The 2023 film, while taking creative liberties, resonated with many. “I shouted at some parts that weren’t accurate. There’s a scene where my daughter sings after missing a recital. The premiere received mixed reactions, but the audience cheered when they first saw the game. It was a heartwarming moment for all of us, and the applause was overwhelming.”

Rogers has since penned a book titled Perfect Game: Tetris, Love from Russia, sharing insights on the experiences that propelled Pajitnov’s creation into the world while highlighting the inaccuracies revealed in the film.

While the film showcases Rogers’ charisma and sharp business acumen, it somewhat downplays his contributions as a developer. Back in 1983, while living in Japan, he founded Bulletproof Software and created the landmark role-playing game The Black Onyx. This introduced significant innovations to the genre and is credited with influencing notable figures such as Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto. “He mentioned that it inspired him to create Zelda,” Rogers shares.

Nonetheless, one might wonder if his narrative overshadows Pajitnov’s. “Alexei and I have distinct roles in this story,” Rogers responds. “He’s more introspective. If he had the option, he’d likely focus on analytical aspects.”

New iterations of Tetris are rolled out every few years, with highlights like the 2019 psychedelic Tetris effect designed by Mizuguchi Titsuya, a close friend of Rogers. “We went to Burning Man once; we had a wild time there discussing the essence of Tetris in VR and even developed a product together.”

Although Rogers retains his passion for gaming—”Minecraft certainly pushed boundaries”—his focus has shifted, especially after a serious heart condition in 2005. “I’ve done my part in gaming. I understand the effort and finances involved, and now, I’m dedicated to combatting climate change.”

Currently residing in Hawaii, he leads the Blue Planet Foundation, advocating for the island’s transition to clean energy by 2030. If anyone has the capacity to make a substantial impact, it’s someone who overcame the KGB, navigated complex legalities, and kept falling back into place as those iconic blocks.