Trump administration releases controversial games inspired by Tetris and Sega, provoking backlash from their publishers

A game published by the Trump administration and visually inspired by Tetris provoked a strong reaction from its publisher. On Friday, The Tetris Company distanced itself from “Build the Wall,” posted Thursday on the American executive’s website, claiming to have given no authorization for the use of its brand or protected content.

The company “has not authorized the use of the Tetris brand or any intellectual property rights content for this game,” a spokeswoman said. “We are studying the file. » On X, The Tetris Company also stated: “We take intellectual property infringement very seriously. »

Migrant-like zombies

Posted on Thursday on the White House website, “Build the Wall” asks the player to build a wall in order to repel “zombies”. The stated objective is: “Protect the border from the arriving horde. » No location is mentioned, but the title directly takes up a slogan used by Donald Trump about the border between the United States and Mexico.

A second game published the same day features a character responsible for catching and deporting illegal immigrants near the Rio Grande. Both productions have sparked criticism of the way the US executive handles the issue of immigration.

The Sega logo diverted into MAGA

Faced with these reactions, the White House defended “the culture of ‘fun’ and winning.” Asked by AFP about The Tetris Company's statements, she did not immediately respond.

Our file on the United States

The Trump administration has not limited itself to references to Tetris. It also took over the logo of the Japanese publisher Sega by replacing its name with MAGA, an acronym for Donald Trump's “Make America Great Again” slogan.