Tetris is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025, and the next generation is leading the charge in shaping the franchise’s future. Since its 1985 debut, the game, created by Alexey Pajitnov, is regarded as one of the best titles of all time, thanks to its simple concept of dropping blocks into rows in order to rack up points for as long as possible.

On December 13, the Red Bull Tetris Finals were held in Dubai, where entrants were whittled down to just two, with Fehmi Atalar of Turkey winning a three-day all-inclusive trip in Dubai. Maya Rogers, CEO of the Tetris Company, was also present, as was Escapist Magazine. We sat down with her to discuss the future of Tetris going forward.

The Escapist recaps

• Tetris was first released in 1985 on the Russian-made Elektronika 60 computer, created by Alexey Pajitnov.
• Maya Rogers, the daughter of Henk Rogers, has been leading the Tetris Company since 2014.
• The Tetris World Finals were held in Dubai on December 13, where two players competed in the game via 2,800 drones that displayed the matches on a massive screen.
• The winner was Fehmi Atalar of Turkey, who won a three-day, all-inclusive trip to Dubai.

Maya’s Tetris beginnings

As Maya’s Dad, Henk, is the one who convinced Nintendo to release Tetris on its Game Boy handheld, she has plenty of early memories involving this time. “My biggest memory of Tetris is definitely Tetris on the Game Boy.

At the time, we were still living in Japan but preparing to move to the States. Games would come out faster in Japan than in the US, so Game Boy Tetris for me was, and still is, the one closest to my heart.”

Considering it’s been 40 years since Alexey Pajitnov created and released Tetris on an Elektronika 60 computer, Rogers isn’t surprised that the game is still growing. “It really doesn’t surprise me, because I often say that Alexey created the perfect game. It was the first game that really brought non-gamers to the table.

It’s a simple game, but almost impossible to master. There’s something magical about it. It speaks to the human desire to create order out of chaos, and because of that, it fulfills a fundamental human need.

I’m not surprised that the game is still around more than 40 years later. And now, running the business, my day-to-day is about making sure Tetris stays relevant, top of mind, and available to all players.”

A significant factor in Tetris’ continued dominance is that its simple concept remains effective, despite the advancements in more powerful consoles and PCs. However, we still put it to Rogers whether maintaining the game’s simplicity could or has been a challenge.

“Yes and no. That feeling of keeping it simple is achieved by not really adding anything. That’s very important,” Rogers explains. “We’ve done many different variations of the game. Tetris Effect, for example, is a perfect example of how you can take a classic Tetris game and bring it to a new generation. Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s world of music and flow married beautifully with the simple Tetris gameplay.

The challenge is keeping the game futuristic while making sure it still feels familiar and timeless.”

A great example is Tetris 99, a title that’s almost like a battle royale take on the game, with many players competing against each other. “Tetris 99 has been around for many years now and still has a strong following. It speaks to different communities and players.

Now we have Red Bull Tetris, which is another great example of pairing a strong game with a great brand and turning it into a worldwide competition. The opportunities are endless, thanks to Alexey for creating the perfect game.”

From the Elektronika 60 to drones

As the final match of the Tetris World Finals had two players looking at a 100-foot screen that displayed 2,800 drones showing all the Tetromino objects, Rogers was quick to mention how the game transcends language. “Tetris is a game anyone can play. It requires no language, so anyone in the world can understand it.

It’s easy to grasp, but when you watch high-level play, you realize how complex it becomes. I was watching some of the matches and thinking, “Oh my gosh, these players are on another level.” That makes it perfect for esports, because everyone already knows Tetris.”

Rogers was also a big influence in helping to create the 2023 Tetris movie, which transformed the early story of how her Dad and Pajintov got the rights to the game. It’s something that Rogers has noted that has helped to bring Tetris into the public consciousness.

“We always knew that one of the reasons Tetris became what it is today was because of the friendship between Henk and Alexey. It was a chance meeting, and the Russians took a huge chance on my father by giving him the handheld rights.

That decision came from a programmer-to-programmer connection. When you consider the political and social implications of that time, the friendship between Henk and Alexey is really what made Tetris successful.

Telling that story showed audiences that Tetris isn’t just a Russian game from the Cold War era. It’s about humanity, connection, and existence. That’s what Tetris represents.”

The future of Tetris

Tetris has been proven to help with mental health issues, such as depression and PTSD. It’s something that Rogers wants to look into going forward. “Most players don’t even realize that something is happening when they play Tetris, but now we know for a fact that it can be therapeutic. People tell us they played Tetris after losing a loved one, or before exams. The game does something to your mind and psyche.

There’s something magical about it that we didn’t fully understand before, but now we know it can help people. That’s a whole other world we’re excited to explore.”

Innovations like VR have been part of Tetris before, with the PlayStation VR version of Tetris Effect: Connected featuring a mode letting players be completely immersed as they match up Tetromino blocks. However, with the advent of AI, Rogers is enthusiastic about how some of its applications can benefit Tetris in the future.

“AI has always been part of game development, even before the current AI boom. It’s helped create in-game players and experiences.

Now, especially with mobile games, AI can help ensure you’re playing the best version of Tetris for you. It can customize the experience to fit your needs at just the right level. We’re really only scratching the surface, and the opportunities are endless.”

As we were speaking just before the Tetris World Finals, we wondered if events like these were also a way of inspiring the next generation of Tetris players. “Absolutely. Having 60 players from 60 different countries here in Dubai is confirmation that Tetris is a truly global game. There’s a universal language of Tetris and community that’s timeless.

For the next generation, I think about my own five and six-year-olds. How do we bring them into the Tetris world? For them, it’s not just video games; they know Tetris through board games and physical play. That sense of community and play extends beyond screens.”

Finally, with the Olympics looming and Pajitnov having already mentioned to us the prospect of Tetris becoming an Olympic sport, we asked Rogers if this was something the company was actively working towards.

“We’ve been talking about that for some time, and it makes sense. As a licensing business, we don’t develop games ourselves, which makes it a challenge to own that community directly.

Many esports games didn’t start out as esports; they evolved that way through their communities. For us, the conversation is about how Tetris can become an Olympic sport, because it’s the perfect game. Everyone knows it. It’s universal, timeless, and instantly recognizable. So yes, absolutely, we need to be there.”

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References

1. Tetris 99® for Nintendo Switch (Nintendo)

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