The Tetris Company, which manages licensing for the classic video game Tetris, said on Friday it had no involvement in a controversial video game called "Build the Wall" that the White House posted on its website earlier in the week.
A spokesperson for the company told Agence France-Presse that no license had been granted for use of the Tetris trademark or content protected by copyright, adding that the company's legal department was reviewing the case.
"P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of 'Build the Wall'. P.P.S. We take copyright infringement very seriously," the company wrote in a post on X.
Tetris and Its Licensing Company
Tetris, one of the best-selling video games ever made, is a falling-block puzzle game that has been adapted for consoles, computers and phones since the 1980s. The Tetris Company controls licensing of the game's name and branding and has a history of enforcing those rights against unauthorized use.
The 'Build the Wall' Game
The game on the White House website asks players to construct a wall to protect the border from approaching "zombies." A message inside the game reads: "Protect the border from the approaching horde."
The White House had promoted the game on its official X account on September 3, 2026, writing: "CAN'T STOP WINNING. Build the wall. Deport. Fill a Trump Account. LIVE - PLAY NOW," alongside a link and an image.
Echo of a Campaign Slogan
The game does not name a specific location, but its title echoes a slogan from Donald Trump's presidential campaigns, which referred explicitly to the border between the United States and Mexico. Trump has made building a wall along that border, and tightening immigration enforcement more broadly, a central pledge of his political career.
A Second Immigration-Themed Game
The wall-building game was presented alongside a second video game, also unveiled on Thursday, in which the player must capture and deport irregular migrants near the Rio Grande, the river that forms part of the US-Mexico border. Both games have drawn strong criticism.
Telegraph Report and TTC's Next Steps
The British newspaper The Telegraph wrote on X that the White House had launched a retro arcade games website in which players can capture migrants and build a border wall, pointing readers toward further details on the initiative.
The Tetris Company said its legal team continued to examine the matter, without giving further detail on what action, if any, it might take against the White House.
