How this game reached us.

More and more Western and Japanese developers started investing in adapting and distributing more versions of Tetris. Even during the era of Gorbachev's perestroika, commercializing Soviet products internationally was an endeavor as bureaucratic as any other imaginable ask in the USSR. Elorg, the former Soviet Union's central organism for import and exports of computer software, seized control of the property. It tightly supervised every business deal and retained a large part of all versions' revenue. Atari would acquire the rights of Tetris for

How it reached your pocket, in more than one way

Nintendo cleverly acquired the rights for all console versions. Atari, its bitter rival, started development for its own console version. After a legal dispute between both companies, Nintendo legally retained the exclusivity of the Tetris license. Atari withdrew its version (developed by its subsidiary Tengen) from the market. A Sega Genesis version was cancelled. A colateral victim of this industry changing legal clash.

The war is over

1989 would represent the year Tetris reached millions of households around the world. Dominating the console market, Nintendo published versions for its NES and Gameboy consoles, which became a huge commercial success: both versions combined sold more than 43 million units worldwide. After the disolution of the Soviet Union, Pajitnov and Henk Rogers founded The Tetris Company, which supervises and licenses all modern Tetris versions. Pajitnov finally saw huge revenue benefits for his creation.

The game is available on over 65 platforms, setting a Guinness world record for the most ported video game title.