Editing Tetris (section)

==History==
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| direction         = vertical
| width             = 250
| image1            = Tetris-VeryFirstVersion.png
| caption1          = The first version of ''Tetris'', completed in 1985, run on an emulator of the [[Elektronika 60]]
| image2            = Tetris DOS 1986.png
| caption2          = A screenshot of the 1986 IBM PC version developed by Dmitry Pavlovsky and [[Vadim Gerasimov]]
| image3            = Tetris screenshot (Amiga, Infogrames).png
| caption3          = The version designed by Spectrum Holobyte contained Soviet-related images (Amiga version screenshot, 1988)
}}

===Creation (1984–1985)===
[[File:Alexey Pajitnov GDC 2024 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|left|Alexey Pajitnov (pictured in 2024), the creator of ''Tetris'']]
[[Alexey Pajitnov]] was a [[speech recognition]] and [[artificial intelligence]] researcher for the [[Dorodnitsyn Computing Center of the Academy of Sciences]].{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|pp=30–31}} Pajitnov developed several puzzle games on the institute's [[Elektronika 60]],{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|p=298}} an archaic Russian clone of the [[PDP-11]] computer.{{sfn|Kent|2001|p=377}} In June 1984, he became inspired to convert [[pentomino]] tiling puzzles to the computer<ref name="guardian2014"/><ref>{{Cite interview |url=https://archive.org/details/oh-x-1989-08-hires-scans/Oh%21X%201989%208/page/90/mode/1up |magazine=Oh!X |last=Pajitnov |first=Alexey |author-link=Alexey Pajitnov |title=The Softouch: Software Information |volume=8 |issue=8 |date=August 1989 |page=90 |language=Japanese |access-date=February 1, 2025 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> after he bought a pentomino puzzle set from a store and played with it in his office.{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|p=32}}

Pajitnov wrote ''Tetris'' using [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]] for the [[RT-11]] operating system on the Elektronika 60{{sfn|Pajitnov|Rogers|2023|loc=1:50}} and experimented with different versions.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|p=299}} Because the Elektronika 60 had no [[Graphical user interface|graphical interface]], Pajitnov modeled the field and pieces using spaces and brackets.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=299}} He felt that the game would be needlessly complicated with the twelve different shape variations of pentominoes, so he scaled the concept down to [[tetromino]]es, of which there are seven variants.<ref name="guardian2014">{{cite news |last=Hoad |first=Phil |date=June 2, 2014 |title=''Tetris'': How We Made the Addictive Computer Game |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/jun/02/how-we-made-tetris |access-date=July 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170621140034/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/jun/02/how-we-made-tetris |archive-date=June 21, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Afterward, he programmed the basic mechanics, including the ability to flip tetrominoes as they fell in a vertical screen and the clearing of lines.<ref name="guardian2014" />{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|pp=33–34}} The name ''Tetris'' was a combination of "tetra" (meaning "four") and Pajitnov's favorite sport, [[tennis]].{{sfn|Loguidice|2009|p=293}}{{sfn|Pajitnov|Rogers|2023|loc=1:20}} Pajitnov completed the first version of ''Tetris'' {{Circa}} 1985.{{efn|[[The Tetris Company]] celebrates ''Tetris''{{'s}} anniversary based on its apparent creation date on June 6, 1984, though various sources, including copyright records, indicate that the original version was completed in 1985.<ref name="timeextension">{{cite web|url=https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024/06/anniversary-is-tetris-really-40-this-year|work=[[Time Extension]]|title=Anniversary: Is ''Tetris'' Really 40 This Year?|last1=McFerran|first1=Damien|last2=Yarwood|first2=Jack|date=June 24, 2024|accessdate=November 18, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717140506/https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024/06/anniversary-is-tetris-really-40-this-year|archivedate=July 17, 2024}}</ref>}} This version had no scoring system and no levels<ref name="guardian020609">{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Bobbie |website=[[The Guardian]] |date=June 1, 2009 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2009/jun/02/tetris-25anniversary-alexey-pajitnov |title=How ''Tetris'' Conquered the World, Block by Block |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329135242/http://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2009/jun/02/tetris-25anniversary-alexey-pajitnov |archive-date=March 29, 2015 |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2025}}</ref> but Pajitnov's peers were captivated.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=6:32–7:02}}{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|pp=35–36}}

Pajitnov sought to [[Porting|port]] ''Tetris'' to the [[IBM Personal Computer]] (IBM PC), which had a higher-quality display than the Elektronika 60. He recruited his colleague Dmitry Pavlovsky and the 16-year-old computer prodigy [[Vadim Gerasimov]].{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=300}}{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|pp=54–56}} Using [[Turbo Pascal]],{{sfn|Pajitnov|Rogers|2023|loc=1:50}} the three adapted ''Tetris'' to the IBM PC over two months, with Gerasimov incorporating color and Pavlovsky incorporating a scoreboard.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=300}}{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|pp=63–65}} Floppy disk copies of this version were distributed freely throughout the Dorodnitsyn Computing Center, before spreading quickly among Moscow computer circles.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=300–301}} Pajitnov kept note of second-hand accounts of ''Tetris''{{'s}} spread during this time.{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|p=70}} ''Tetris'' reportedly won second place in a [[Zelenodolsk, Republic of Tatarstan|Zelenodolsk]] computer game competition in November 1985,{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=300}} and by 1986, nearly everyone with an IBM computer in Moscow and similar cities had played ''Tetris''.{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|p=89}}

===Spread beyond the Soviet Union (1985–1988)===
Under Soviet law, intellectual rights were not protected, and the state-run organization [[Elektronorgtechnica]] (Elorg) had a monopoly on the import and export of software.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/11471 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304100515/https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/11471 |title=Интеллектуальная собственность / Тетрис |trans-title=Intellectual Property / ''Tetris'' |website=[[Kommersant]] |language=Russian |date=September 12, 1995 |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref> Pajitnov lacked knowledge of the business world so he asked his supervisor, Victor Brjabrin, who had knowledge of the world outside the Soviet Union, to help him publish ''Tetris''. Pajitnov offered to transfer the rights to the Academy and was delighted to receive a non-compulsory remuneration from Brjabrin through this deal.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=87–88}} In 1986, Brjabrin sent a copy of ''Tetris'' to the Hungarian game publisher [[Appaloosa Interactive|Novotrade]],{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=88}} and copies began circulating via [[floppy disk]]s throughout Hungary.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=89}} Robert Stein, an international software salesman for the London-based firm Andromeda Software, saw the commercial potential during a visit to Hungary in June 1986.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=302}}{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=11 min}} After an indifferent response from the Academy,{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=12 min}} Stein contacted Pajitnov and Brjabrin by fax to obtain the license rights.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=11 min}} The Soviet researchers expressed interest in forming an agreement with Stein via fax, but were unaware that this fax communication could be considered a legal contract in the Western world;{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=12 min.}} Stein began to approach other companies to produce the game.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|pages=89–90}}

Stein approached publishers at the 1987 [[Consumer Electronics Show]] in Las Vegas, and signed two agreements: he sold the European rights to the publisher [[Mirrorsoft]]{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=90}}{{sfn|Kent|2001|p=479}} and the American rights to its sister company, [[Spectrum HoloByte]].{{sfn|Kent|2001|p=294,479}} Spectrum HoloByte obtained the rights after a visit to Mirrorsoft by the Spectrum HoloByte president, Phil Adam, when he played ''Tetris'' for two hours.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=90}}{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=15 min}} At that time, Stein had not yet signed a contract with the Soviet Union.{{sfn|Kent|2001|p=479}} Nevertheless, he sold the rights to the two companies for £3,000 and royalties of 7.5–15% of sales.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=304}} Before releasing ''Tetris'' in the United States, the Spectrum HoloByte CEO, [[Gilman Louie]], asked for an overhaul of the graphics and music.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=90}} The Soviet spirit was preserved, with fields illustrating Russian parks and buildings as well as melodies anchored in Russian folklore of the time. The company's goal was to make people want to buy a Russian product. The game came complete with a red package and Cyrillic text, an unusual approach on the other side of the [[Berlin Wall]].{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=16 min}} 

''Tetris'' was [[Tetris (Mirrorsoft and Spectrum HoloByte)|first commercially released]] in the West on the IBM PC, with other computer systems planned for release in the following weeks. The Mirrorsoft version was released in Europe on January 27, 1988,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-28-fi-39274-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217174932/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-28-fi-39274-story.html |title=Soviets Play Capitalist Game With New Computer Puzzle |work=[[The Los Angeles Times]] |agency=[[Reuters]] |date=January 28, 1988 |archive-date=December 17, 2024 |access-date=November 17, 2024 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}</ref> and the Spectrum HoloByte version on January 29, 1988.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/29/business/new-software-game-it-comes-from-soviet.html |last=Lewis |first=Peter H. |title=New Software Game: It Comes From Soviet |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 29, 1988 |access-date=November 17, 2024 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=October 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023171204/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/29/business/new-software-game-it-comes-from-soviet.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Mirrorsoft versions for systems such as the [[Amiga]], [[Atari ST]], and [[Commodore 64]] rewrote the code of the original IBM version.{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|p=126}} Boosted by [[word of mouth]] and positive reviews,{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|p=124}}{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=307–308}} Mirrorsoft sold tens of thousands of copies in two months,{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=91}} and Spectrum HoloByte sold over 100,000 units in the space of a year.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=18 min}} According to Spectrum HoloByte, the average ''Tetris'' player was between 25 and 45 years old and was a manager or engineer. At the [[Software and Information Industry Association|Software Publishers Association]]'s Excellence in Software Awards ceremony in March 1988, ''Tetris'' won Best Entertainment Software, Best Original Game, Best Strategy Program, and Best Consumer Software.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=91}}

The only document certifying a license fee was the fax from Pajitnov and Brjabrin, meaning that Stein had sold the license for a game he did not yet own. He contacted Pajitnov and asked for a contract for the rights. Stein began negotiations via fax, offering 75% of the revenue generated by Stein from the license.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=304}} Elorg was unconvinced and requested 80%. Stein made several trips to Moscow and held long discussions with Elorg representatives.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=305}} He came to an agreement with Elorg on February 24, 1988.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=308}} On May 10,{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=22 min}} he signed a contract for a ten-year worldwide ''Tetris'' license for all current and future computer systems.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=92}} Pajitnov and Brjabrin were unaware that the game was already on sale and that Stein had claimed to own the rights prior to the agreement.{{sfn|Kent|2001|p=479}} Although Pajitnov did not receive a percentage of these sales,{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=92}} he said that "the fact that so many people enjoy my game is enough for me".{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=96}}

===Legal battles (1988–1989)===
[[File:Henk Rogers face crop.png|thumb|upright|Henk Rogers (pictured in 2010), representing Nintendo, negotiated with Elorg for the rights to ''Tetris''.]]
Following the commercial release of ''Tetris'', Spectrum HoloByte and Mirrorsoft started licensing it to other companies. In 1988, Spectrum HoloByte sold the Japanese rights to its computer games to [[Bullet-Proof Software]]'s [[Henk Rogers]], who was searching for games for the Japanese market.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=22 min}} Mirrorsoft sold arcade rights to the [[Atari Games]] subsidiary [[Tengen (company)|Tengen]], which sold the Japanese arcade rights to [[Sega]] and the console rights to BPS. BPS published versions for Japanese computers, including the [[MSX2]], [[PC-88]] and [[X68000]], along with a console port for the Nintendo [[Family Computer]] (Famicom).{{sfn|Loguidice|Barton|2009|page=480}} ''Tetris'' was commercially successful worldwide;{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=22 min}} the Famicon version sold two million copies in Japan.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|p=312}} Elorg was unaware of the deals Stein had negotiated and received no royalties.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=22 min}} 

Nintendo was attracted to ''Tetris'' for its simplicity and its established success on the Famicom, and considered porting it to their first handheld console, the [[Game Boy]].{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=92}}{{sfn|Loguidice|Barton|2009|page=480}} Rogers, who was close to the Nintendo president, [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]], sought the handheld rights.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=92}} After a failed negotiation with Atari,{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=93}} Rogers contacted Stein in November 1988. Stein agreed to sign a contract, but explained that he had to consult Elorg before returning to negotiations with Rogers.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=24 min}}{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=313}} After contacting Stein several times, Rogers began to suspect a breach of contract on Stein's part.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=93}}{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=313}}  

In February 1989, Rogers traveled to the Soviet Union and arrived at the Elorg offices uninvited to negotiate the rights. Discussions resulted the next day, when Stein and the Mirrorsoft manager [[Kevin Maxwell]] made an appointment with Elorg without consulting each other.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=29 min}} Rogers befriended Pajitnov over a game of [[Go (game)|Go]], and Pajitnov in turn supported Rogers throughout the discussions.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=93}} Rogers explained that he wanted to obtain the rights to ''Tetris'' for the Game Boy.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=95}} After quickly obtaining an agreement with the Elorg president, Nikolai Belikov,{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=316}} Rogers showed Belikov a Famicom ''Tetris'' [[Game cartridge|cartridge]].{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=94}} Belikov believed that the rights to ''Tetris'' had only been signed for computer systems{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=31 min}} so the Soviets accused Rogers of illegal publication. He explained that he had obtained the rights via Atari Games, which had itself signed an agreement with Stein.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=94}} 

Sympathetic to Rogers' plight, Belikov constructed a strategy to regain possession of the rights and obtain better commercial agreements. At that point, Elorg was faced with three different companies seeking to buy the rights.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=35 min}} Belikov proposed canceling Stein's rights and granting them instead to Nintendo for both home and handheld consoles.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=94}} Rogers flew to the US to convince Nintendo's American branch to sign up for the rights. The contract with Elorg was signed by [[Minoru Arakawa]] of Nintendo for $500,000, plus 50 cents per cartridge sold.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=95}}{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=42 min}} Elorg then sent an updated contract to Stein which he signed without carefully reading it.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=95}} One of the clauses defined a computer as a machine with a screen and keyboard, and thus Stein's rights to console versions were withdrawn.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=37 min}} Stein later realized that all the contract's other clauses, notably on payments, were a "smokescreen" to deceive him.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=37 min}}{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=319}}

In March 1989, Nintendo sent a [[cease and desist]] to Atari Games concerning their production of ''Tetris'' for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), the North American version of the Famicom.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=47 min}} In response, the Mirrorsoft owner, [[Robert Maxwell]], pressured the Soviet Union leader, [[Mikhail Gorbachev]], to cancel the contract between Elorg and Nintendo.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|pp=332–334}} Despite the threats to Belikov, Elorg refused to concede, highlighting the financial advantages of their contract compared to those signed with Stein and Mirrorsoft.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=95}}{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=45 min}} On June 15, 1989, Nintendo and Atari Games began a legal battle in the courts of San Francisco. Atari Games sought to prove that the NES was a computer, which would make Atari Games's port authorized by their license. They argued that the NES's Japanese counterpart, the Famicom, could be converted into a computer with a [[Family BASIC]] peripheral.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=96}} Judge [[Fern M. Smith]] rejected this argument and declared that Mirrorsoft and Spectrum HoloByte had never received explicit authorization for marketing on consoles. On June 21, 1989, he ruled in Nintendo's favor, granting them a preliminary injunction against Atari Games.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=96}} The next day, Atari Games withdrew its NES version from sale, and thousands of cartridges remained unsold in its warehouses. Preference for this version over Nintendo's led to Atari Games cartridges selling for up to $300 on the [[video game collecting|secondary market]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-26/page/n43/mode/2up |title=From Russia with Litigation |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=26 |date=February 1997 |page=42 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

===Game Boy and NES (1989–1996)===
[[File:Tetris on Game Boy.jpg|thumb|upright|Tetris on a Nintendo [[Game&nbsp;Boy]]]]
[[Tetris (Game Boy video game)|The Game Boy version of ''Tetris'']] was released in Japan on June 14, 1989<ref name="GameBoyJP">{{cite web|script-title=ja:ゲームボーイ |trans-title=Game Boy |language=ja |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/dmg/index.html |website=[[Nintendo]] |access-date=March 29, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317065341/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/dmg/index.html |archive-date=March 17, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> and as a [[pack-in game]] in the United States on July 31, 1989.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/07/27/ign-presents-the-history-of-game-boy |last=Fahs |first=Travis |title=''IGN'' Presents the History of Game Boy |website=[[IGN]] |date=July 27, 2009 |access-date=November 19, 2024 |archive-date=May 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528083411/http://retro.ign.com/articles/100/1007864p3.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|p=226}} [[Tetris (NES video game)|The NES version]] was released the same year. Both versions achieved commercial success.{{sfn|Kent|2001|p=379–380}} The Game Boy version was the primary game promoted for the Game Boy, becoming its [[killer app]],<ref name=polygon_gameboy/> generating $80 million in revenue,{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|p=343}} and popularizing both the Game Boy and ''Tetris''.{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|p=226}}{{sfn|Linneman|2018|loc=10:58–11:06}} The Game Boy version is the most commercially successful and considered by many to be the best version of ''Tetris''.<ref name=cnn-history>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/tetris-video-game-history/index.html |last=Prisco |first=Jacopo |title=''Tetris'': The Soviet 'Mind Game' that Took Over the World |work=[[CNN]] |date=October 31, 2019 |access-date=February 6, 2025 |archive-date=November 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101023959/https://www.cnn.com/style/article/tetris-video-game-history/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The NES version appeared on Nintendo's most popular games list for over a year.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|p=339}} To date, the Game Boy version has sold 35 million copies,<ref name=tetris-numbers/> and the NES version has sold 8 million copies.{{sfn|Temple|2004|loc=51:23}}

Through the legal history of the license, Pajitnov gained a reputation in the West. He was regularly invited by journalists and publishers, through which he discovered that ''Tetris'' had sold millions of copies, from which he had not made any money. He took pride in the game, which he considered "an electronic ambassador of benevolence".{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=96}} In January 1990, Pajitnov was invited by Spectrum HoloByte to the Consumer Electronics Show, and he was immersed in American life for the first time.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=97}} After a period of adaptation, he explored American culture in several cities, including Las Vegas, San Francisco, New York City and Boston. He engaged in interviews with several hosts, including the directors of Nintendo of America.{{sfn|Sheff|Eddy|1999|page=347}} He marveled at the freedom and the advantages of Western society, and, upon returning to the Soviet Union, he spoke often of his travels to his colleagues. He realized that there was no market in Russia for their programs.{{sfn|Ichibian|2009|page=97}} 

In 1991, with Rogers' help, Pajitnov and his family emigrated to Seattle, United States, where he worked as a freelance game designer.{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|p=241}}<ref name=entertainmentweekly>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_entertainment-weekly_1991-05-03_64/page/12/mode/2up |last=Givens |first=Ron |title=Soviet Blocks Invade America |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=May 3, 1991 |issue=64 |via=[[Internet Archive]] |url-access=registration}}</ref> During this time, Pajitnov worked on several sequels to ''Tetris''. ''[[Welltris]]'' (1990) involved adjusting geometrical pieces descending down one of four walls of a three-dimensional well, and ''[[Hatris]]'' (1990) and ''[[Faces...tris III]]'' (1991) replaced descending tetrominoes with hats and faces respectively.<ref name=retrogamer/> Though they generally received positive reviews and commercial success,<ref name=entertainmentweekly/> with ''Faces...Tris III'' winning "Best Action/Arcade Program" in the 1991 Excellence in Software Awards,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_83/page/n65/ |title=Celebrating Software |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |date=June 1991 |issue=83 |page=66 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> none replicated ''Tetris''{{'s}} success.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/usa-today-tetris-inventor-gets-a-turn-at/164431581/ |last=Wlsosoczyn |first=Susan |title=''Tetris'' inventor gets a turn at the profit game |work=[[USA Today]] |date=May 9, 1996 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/why-tetris-creator-never-made-tetris-2/ |last=Byrd |first=Matthew |title=Why ''Tetris''{{'}} Creator Never Made Tetris 2 |website=[[Den of Geek]] |date=March 31, 2023 |access-date=February 4, 2025}}</ref> Other early variants of ''Tetris'' developed without Pajitnov's involvement included Spectrum Holobyte's ''[[Super Tetris]]'' (1991), Bullet-Proof Software's ''[[Tetris 2 + BomBliss]]'' (1991) and ''[[Tetris Battle Gaiden]]'' (1993), and Nintendo's ''[[Tetris 2 (1993 video game)|Tetris 2]]'' (1993).<ref name=retrogamer>{{cite magazine |last=Crookes |first=David |title=The History of ''Tetris'' |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |date=September 2018 |issue=183 |pages=20–29}}</ref>

===The Tetris Company and Blue Planet Software (1996–2014)===
[[File:Tetris on an iPod.jpg|250px|thumb|A [[iPod classic|5th generation]] [[iPod]] running ''Tetris'' (2006)]]
The Academy of Sciences' rights to ''Tetris'' expired at the end of 1995, reverting back to Pajitnov. Worried that Elorg, which had become a private company under Belikov following the 1991 [[collapse of the Soviet Union]],{{sfn|Ackerman|2016|p=241}} would try to claim the rights, Pajitnov recruited Rogers to secure them. Rogers formed [[the Tetris Company]] as an equal partnership between Elorg and Rogers' new company, [[Blue Planet Software]]. Rogers acquired Elorg and renamed it [[Tetris Holding]] in 2005.<ref>{{cite interview |url=https://time.com/2837390/tetris-at-30-pajitnov-interview/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606141137/https://time.com/2837390/tetris-at-30-pajitnov-interview/ |last=Rogers |first=Henk |author-link=Henk Rogers |interviewer=Matt Peckham |title=Tetris at 30: An Interview with the Historic Puzzle Game's Creator |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=June 6, 2014 |archive-date=June 6, 2014 |access-date=February 7, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite interview |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/the-man-who-won-tetris |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830150307/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/the-man-who-won-tetris |last=Rogers |first=Henk |author-link=Henk Rogers |title=The Man Who Won ''Tetris'' |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |date=September 9, 2009 |archive-date=August 30, 2021 |access-date=February 7, 2025}}</ref> Since formation, the Tetris Company has maintained guidelines for authorized versions of ''Tetris'', and Blue Planet Software has served as an agent for the ''Tetris'' brand.<ref name=retrogamer/> The Tetris Company has also enforced its copyright of ''Tetris'' against unauthorized clones,<ref name="iphonePurge">{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2008/10/tetris-co-strikes-again-another-iphone-app-clone-is-pulled/ |title=Tetris Co. Strikes Again: Another iPhone App Clone is Pulled |website=[[Ars Technica]] |last=Chartier |first=David |date=October 8, 2008 |access-date=April 9, 2020 |archive-date=August 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808232640/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2008/10/tetris-co-strikes-again-another-iphone-app-clone-is-pulled/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="androidPurge">{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2010/06/google-blocks-tetris-clones-from-android-market/ |title=Google Blocks ''Tetris'' Clones from Android Market |website=[[Ars Technica]] |last=Ryan |first=Paul |date=June 2, 2010 |access-date=June 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121202210616/http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2010/06/google-blocks-tetris-clones-from-android-market/ |archive-date=December 2, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> such as the 2012 case, ''[[Tetris Holding, LLC v. Xio Interactive, Inc.]]'', where a judge ruled that ''Mino'' violated ''Tetris''{{'s}} copyright based on [[look and feel]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Brown |first=Mark |author-link=Game Maker's Toolkit |date=June 21, 2012 |title=Judge Declares iOS Tetris Clone 'Infringing' |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/06/wireduk-tetris-clone/ |access-date=January 19, 2021 |archive-date=October 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019163633/https://www.wired.com/2012/06/wireduk-tetris-clone/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Pajitnov and Rogers sought to keep ''Tetris'' fresh and innovated in new directions. ''[[Tetrisphere]]'', developed by H2O Entertainment and released on August 11, 1997 was an example of this innovation.<ref name=retrogamer/><ref>{{cite web |last=Lee |first=Helen |date=July 2, 1997 |title=''Tetrisphere'' Gets Rolling |url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_07/02_tetris/index.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19990504104718/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_07/02_tetris/index.html |archivedate=May 4, 1999 |accessdate=February 8, 2025 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> Gameplay involved rotating a three-dimensional sphere to place pieces on its surface. It was the first puzzle video game on the [[Nintendo 64]] and garnered a [[cult following]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/09/22/the-3dss-n64-encores |last=Thomas |first=Lucas M. |title=The 3DS's N64 Encores |website=[[IGN]] |date=September 21, 2010 |access-date=February 10, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/tetris-game-spin-offs |last=Scullion |first=Chris |title=The ''Tetris'' Games No One Remembers |website=[[Red Bull Games]] |date=October 12, 2016 |access-date=February 10, 2025}}</ref> David Crookes of ''[[Retro Gamer]]'' called ''Tetrisphere'' "proof that the concept could be modernised and tweaked, while still being faithful to the original".<ref name=retrogamer/> Another game on the Nintendo 64, the Japan-exclusive ''[[Tetris 64]]'' (1998), allowed for four players and was the only game to utilize the Nintendo 64's Bio Sensor, which detected a player's pulse.<ref name=retrogamer/><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2009/06/nintendo-vitality-sensor/ |last=Kohler |first=Chris |title=Nintendo 'Vitality Sensor' Already Appeared on N64 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |date=June 8, 2009 |access-date=February 10, 2025 |archive-date=March 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324012445/https://www.wired.com/2009/06/nintendo-vitality-sensor/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On other platforms around this time, ''[[Tetris Plus]]'' (1996), ''[[Tetris DX]]'' (1998), and ''[[The Next Tetris]]'' added new game modes, and ''[[Tetris: The Grand Master]]'' (1998) was an arcade game targeted toward experienced players.<ref name=retrogamer/> 

According to Rogers, in order to appeal to beginner players, the Tetris Company started to standardize features that were not in the original game.<ref name="tftt"/> These features included the hold feature in ''[[The New Tetris]]'' in 1999, the easy spin and the super rotation system in ''[[Tetris Worlds]]'' in 2001, and the scoring system introduced in ''Tetris DS'' in 2006.''<ref name="polygon-tips" />'' Critics panned ''Tetris Worlds'' for the easy spin mechanic, which allowed players to delay a piece's descent by continually rotating it. Despite the controversy and Pajitnov's reluctance, the mechanic was implemented into the ''Tetris'' guidelines.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Grannel |first=Craig |date=2021 |title=Queasy Spin |url=https://archive.org/details/retro-gamer-100-playstation-games-to-play-before-you-die-3nd-edition/page/78/mode/2up |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |via=[[Internet Archive]] |page=78}}</ref><ref name="tftt" /> Alongside the easy spin, ''Tetris Worlds'' introduced the super rotation system which defines how pieces rotate,{{sfn|Linneman|2018|loc=37:42–38:07}} which most versions have used since.<ref name="polygon-tips" />

''Tetris'' was first ported to mobile devices in 2001 by [[G-Mode]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2010/jan/21/games-casual-gaming |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250110013147/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2010/jan/21/games-casual-gaming |last=Stuart |first=Keith |title=Tetris and Snake - The Biggest Games in the World |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=January 21, 2010 |archive-date=January 10, 2025 |access-date=February 7, 2025}}</ref> In 2002, Rogers formed Blue Lava Wireless to develop ''Tetris'' games for mobile platforms.<ref name="retrogamer" /> JAMDAT acquired Blue Lava Wireless in April 2005, granting them a 15-year license of ''Tetris'' for mobile platforms.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/jamdat-acquires-blue-lava-wireless |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525145218/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/jamdat-acquires-blue-lava-wireless |last=Gibson |first=Ellie |title=Jamdat Acquires Blue Lava Wireless |website=[[GamesIndustry.biz]] |date=April 22, 2005 |archive-date=May 25, 2024 |access-date=February 7, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> By December 2005 when [[Electronic Arts]] (EA) started its acquisition of JAMDAT, ''Tetris'' had been consistently selling well on American carrier phones.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/12/08/ea-buys-jamdat |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201043628/http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/12/08/ea-buys-jamdat |last=Buchanan |first=Levi |title=EA Buys JAMDAT |website=[[IGN]] |date=December 8, 2005 |archive-date=December 1, 2016 |access-date=February 7, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> EA completed its acquisition in February 2006, granting it the mobile license for ''Tetris''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/ea-officially-completes-jamdat-acquisition |last=Carless |first=Simon |title=EA Officially Completes Jamdat Acquisition |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |date=February 14, 2006 |access-date=September 25, 2024 |archive-date=September 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926062612/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/ea-officially-completes-jamdat-acquisition |url-status=live }}</ref> [[EA Mobile]] released their first Tetris game as a launch game for the [[iTunes store]] on [[iPod 5G]] on September 11, 2006,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/09/16/ipod-game-review-central |last=Buchanan |first=Levi |title=iPod Game Review Central |website=[[IGN]] |date=September 15, 2006 |access-date=September 23, 2024 |archive-date=September 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240923064816/https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/09/16/ipod-game-review-central |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/185577/ea-2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610075859/https://www.macworld.com/article/185577/ea-2.html |last=Cohen |first=Peter |title=EA Has Four New iPod Games in the Pipeline |magazine=[[MacWorld]] |date=May 8, 2007 |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |access-date=February 7, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> and then [[Tetris (Electronic Arts)|their version of ''Tetris'']] on the [[Apple App Store]] on [[iOS]] on July 10, 2008.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/191429/eagames-2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205233221/https://www.macworld.com/article/191429/eagames-2.html |last=Cohen |first=Peter |title=EA announces iPhone game lineup |website=[[MacWorld]] |date=July 10, 2008 |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |access-date=February 7, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> By January 2010, EA's mobile versions reached 100 million paid downloads, making ''Tetris'' the most popular mobile game of all time.<ref name="wired-ea" /> EA's license expired on April 21, 2020, and the game became inoperable.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2020-01-22-ea-tetris-mobile-game.html |title=EA is Shutting Down its Mobile ''Tetris'' Games |last=Fisher |first=Christine |website=[[Engadget]] |date=January 22, 2020 |access-date=April 29, 2020 |archive-date=January 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123144654/https://www.engadget.com/2020-01-22-ea-tetris-mobile-game.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Maya Rogers' succession and resurgence of popularity (2014–present)===
[[File:Maya Rogers.jpg|thumb|upright|Maya Rogers (pictured in 2022) succeeded her father as CEO of Blue Planet Software in January 2014.]]
In January 2014, after eight years of involvement, Henk Rogers' daughter [[Maya Rogers|Maya]] succeeded him as the CEO of Blue Planet Software.{{efn|An October 2020 press release announced that Blue Planet Software was renamed to Tetris.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://tetris.com/article/241/call-us-tetris-blue-planet-software-the-sole-agent-for-the-tetris-brand-gets-new-name |title=Call Us Tetris! Blue Planet Software, the Sole Agent for the Tetris Brand Gets New Name |website=[[The Tetris Company]] |date=October 21, 2020 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |archive-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826205845/https://tetris.com/article/241/call-us-tetris-blue-planet-software-the-sole-agent-for-the-tetris-brand-gets-new-name |url-status=live }}</ref> To date, Henk is officially the president of the Tetris Company, while Maya is the president and CEO of Tetris, Inc.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tetris.com/bios |title=Corporate Bios |website=[[The Tetris Company]] |access-date=February 4, 2025 |archive-date=March 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210314123813/https://tetris.com/bios |url-status=live }}</ref>}} She began by planning activities for ''Tetris''{{'s}} 30th anniversary. In an interview with ''[[VentureBeat]]'' in June 2014, Maya spoke of her desire to expand ''Tetris''{{'s}} brand, such as through merchandising, and keeping the game fresh.<ref>{{cite interview |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/after-three-decades-tetris-becomes-a-multigenerational-game/view-all/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928064546/https://venturebeat.com/games/after-three-decades-tetris-becomes-a-multigenerational-game/view-all/ |last=Rogers |first=Maya |author-link=Maya Rogers |title=After Three Decades, ''Tetris'' Becomes a Multigenerational Game |website=[[VentureBeat]] |date=June 20, 2014 |archive-date=September 28, 2023 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> Her theme for the 30th anniversary was "We All Fit Together".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/tetris-turns-30-creator-says-he-still-plays-every-week/1100-6420154/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217234941/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/tetris-turns-30-creator-says-he-still-plays-every-week/1100-6420154/ |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |title=''Tetris'' Turns 30, Creator Says He Still Plays Every Week |website=[[GameSpot]] |date=June 6, 2014 |archive-date=December 17, 2024 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Sega]] released ''[[Puyo Puyo Tetris]]'', a crossover between ''Tetris'' and ''[[Puyo Puyo]]'', in Japan on February 6, 2014, for multiple platforms.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://puyo.sega.jp/topics/2014/0206_02/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214180013/https://puyo.sega.jp/topics/2014/0206_02/index.html |title=『ぷよぷよテトリス』ダウンロードコンテンツ配信開始！ |trans-title=''Puyo Puyo Tetris'' Downloadable Content Now Available! |website=[[Sega]] |date=February 6, 2014 |archive-date=February 14, 2014 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |language=Japanese}}</ref> ''Puyo Puyo Tetris'' sold over 60,000 copies within a week, with the [[Nintendo 3DS]] version being the second-highest-selling game of the week according to ''[[4Gamer.net]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/117/G011794/20140212058/ |title=「ドラゴンクエストモンスターズ2 イルとルカの不思議なふしぎな鍵」が初登場44万3000本の「ゲームソフト週間販売ランキング＋」 |trans-title=''Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Iru and Luka's Mysterious Key'' Debuts in the "Game Software Weekly Sales Ranking+" with 443,000 Copies Sold |website=[[4Gamer.net]] |date=February 12, 2014 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |archive-date=December 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206040547/https://www.4gamer.net/games/117/G011794/20140212058/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Ubisoft]]'s ''[[Tetris Ultimate]]'' was released on the [[Nintendo 3DS]] in November 2014 and the [[PlayStation 4]] and [[Xbox One]] in December 2014.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/87463/tetris-ultimate-stacks-onto-playstation-4-and-xbox-one-next-week |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225044044/http://www.shacknews.com/article/87463/tetris-ultimate-stacks-onto-playstation-4-and-xbox-one-next-week |last=Perez |first=Daniel |title=''Tetris Ultimate'' Stacks onto PlayStation 4 and Xbox One Next Week |website=[[Shacknews]] |date=December 12, 2014 |archive-date=December 25, 2014 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> A PC port was released on December 2015, although initial user reviews reported frequent crashes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tetris-ultimate-pc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240529080716/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tetris-ultimate-pc |last=O'Conner |first=Alice |title=Tetrominos To The Max! ''Tetris Ultimate'' Spins Onto PC |website=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]] |date=December 11, 2015 |archive-date=May 29, 2024 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Tetris Ultimate'' received mixed reviews but the online multiplayer was generally seen favorably.<ref>{{Cite Metacritic|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241216030828/https://www.metacritic.com/game/tetris-ultimate/|id=tetris-ultimate|type=game|vgtype=3ds|title=Tetris Ultimate|archive-date=December 16, 2024|access-date=January 31, 2025|publisher_hide=y}}</ref><ref name=retrogamer/>

In the late 2010s, ''Tetris'' had a resurgence in popularity with the release of ''[[Tetris Effect]]'' and ''[[Tetris 99]]''.<ref name=gamesindustry-35th>{{cite news |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-rise-of-tetris |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006130012/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-rise-of-tetris |last=Dring |first=Christopher |title=How Everything has Fallen into Place for ''Tetris'' |website=[[GamesIndustry.biz]] |date=May 29, 2019 |archive-date=October 6, 2024 |access-date=February 3, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=pcmag-renaissance>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/the-tetris-renaissance-this-console-generations-most-unexpected-blessing |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121121400/https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/the-tetris-renaissance-this-console-generations-most-unexpected-blessing |last=Wilson |first=Jeffrey L. |title=The Tetris Renaissance: This Console Generation's Most Unexpected Blessing |magazine=[[PCMag]] |date=February 25, 2019 |archive-date=January 21, 2025 |access-date=February 3, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/110392/ctwc-pros-offer-tips-for-getting-better-at-tetris-99 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818112735/https://www.shacknews.com/article/110392/ctwc-pros-offer-tips-for-getting-better-at-tetris-99 |last=Singletary |first=Charles |title=CTWC Pros Offer Tips for Getting Better at ''Tetris 99'' |website=[[Shacknews]] |date=March 8, 2019 |archive-date=August 18, 2022 |access-date=February 3, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[PCMag]]'' credited the resurgence to the 2017 release of ''Puyo Puyo Tetris'' in the Western world where it received positive reviews and sold 1.4 copies worldwide by November 2020.<ref name="pcmag-renaissance" /><ref>{{Cite Metacritic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241208032731/https://www.metacritic.com/game/puyo-puyo-tetris/ |id=puyo-puyo-tetris |type=game |vgtype=nintendo-switch |title=Puyo Puyo Tetris |archive-date=December 8, 2024 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |publisher_hide=y |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=siliconera-interview/> ''Tetris Effect'' was developed by Monstars and Resonair and published by Enhance Games.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2018/11/28/tetris-becomes-even-more-addictive-tetris-effect/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128203707/https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2018/11/28/tetris-becomes-even-more-addictive-tetris-effect/ |last=Byrd |first=Christopher |title=''Tetris'' Becomes Even More Addictive in ''Tetris Effect'' |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |date=November 28, 2018 |archive-date=November 28, 2018 |access-date=February 2, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> Development began around 2012 following a discussion between Henk and Enhance CEO [[Tetsuya Mizuguchi]] about creating a ''Tetris'' game set to music using [[virtual reality]] to reflect the feeling of being "in the zone" while playing ''Tetris''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/e3/2018/6/15/17465364/tetris-effect-preview-enhance-games-e3 |last=Stark |first=Chelsea |title=Tetris Effect Has Been in Development for 6 Years |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=June 15, 2018 |access-date=February 2, 2025 |archive-date=June 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615214308/https://www.polygon.com/e3/2018/6/15/17465364/tetris-effect-preview-enhance-games-e3 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2019/gaming/features/tetris-effects-development-was-anything-but-zen-like-1203169014/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240724215337/https://variety.com/2019/gaming/features/tetris-effects-development-was-anything-but-zen-like-1203169014/ |last=Valdes |first=Giancarlo |title=''Tetris Effect''{{'s}} Development Was Anything but Zen-Like |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=March 21, 2019 |archive-date=July 24, 2024 |access-date=February 2, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Tetris Effect'' was released on the [[PlayStation 4]] on November 9, 2018,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2018-09-17-tetris-effect-release-date.html |last=Holt |first=Kris |title=''Tetris Effect'' Drops a Color Bomb on Your PS4 November 9th |website=[[Engadget]] |date=September 17, 2018 |access-date=February 2, 2025 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109013555/https://www.engadget.com/2018-09-17-tetris-effect-release-date.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and on Windows on July 23, 2019,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/ps4/2019/7/23/20707102/tetris-effect-ps4-discount-price-sale |last=Hall |first=Charlie |title=Tetris Effect for PS4 Discounted, Out Now on PC |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=July 23, 2019 |access-date=February 2, 2025 |archive-date=July 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723160441/https://www.polygon.com/ps4/2019/7/23/20707102/tetris-effect-ps4-discount-price-sale |url-status=live }}</ref> receiving widespread critical acclaim for its visuals and emotional impact.<ref name=gamesindustry-35th/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/tetris-effect-connected-coming-to-nintendo-switch-on-october-8/1100-6495048/ |last=Knezevic |first=Kevin |title=''Tetris Effect'': Connected Coming To Nintendo Switch On October 8 |website=[[GameSpot]] |date=August 11, 2021 |access-date=November 20, 2024 |archive-date=September 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927010039/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/tetris-effect-connected-coming-to-nintendo-switch-on-october-8/1100-6495048/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://hardcoregamer.com/news/tetris-effect-connected-comes-to-ps5-with-psvr2-compatibility/436098/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126014128/https://hardcoregamer.com/news/tetris-effect-connected-comes-to-ps5-with-psvr2-compatibility/436098/ |last=Soto |first=Fran |title=''Tetris Effect'': Connected Comes to PS5 with PSVR2 Compatibility |website=[[Valnet|Hardcore Gamer]] |date=January 20, 2023 |archive-date=January 26, 2025 |access-date=November 20, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Tetris 99'' is a [[battle royale game|battle royale]] variant of ''Tetris'' made available to subscribers of [[Nintendo Switch Online]] on February 13, 2019, upon its surprise announcement during [[Nintendo Direct]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/13/18224020/tetris-99-battle-royale-nintendo-switch-fortnite |last=Alexander |first=Julia |title=''Tetris'' is Now a Battle Royale Game with Tetris 99 |website=[[The Verge]] |date=February 13, 2019 |access-date=February 3, 2025 |archive-date=February 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214123830/https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/13/18224020/tetris-99-battle-royale-nintendo-switch-fortnite |url-status=live }}</ref> It received positive reviews and became Nintendo Switch Online's killer app;<ref name=gamesindustry-35th/><ref name=pcmag-renaissance/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/06/tetris_99_will_soon_have_a_tetris_battle_royale_rival |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603100705/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/06/tetris_99_will_soon_have_a_tetris_battle_royale_rival |last=Craddock |first=Ryan |title=''Tetris 99'' Will Soon Have A Tetris Battle Royale Rival |website=[[Nintendo Life]] |date=June 28, 2019 |archive-date=June 3, 2024 |access-date=February 3, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> according to President of Nintendo [[Shuntaro Furukawa]], 2.8 million Nintendo Switch Online users played ''Tetris 99'' within a few months of release.<ref name=nintendolife-tetris99>{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/04/9_8_million_switch_owners_have_signed_up_to_the_online_service_and_2_8_million_have_played_tetris_99 |last=Doolan |first=Liam |title=9.8 Million Switch Owners Have Signed Up To The Online Service And 2.8 Million Have Played ''Tetris 99'' |website=[[Nintendo Life]] |date=April 25, 2019 |access-date=December 7, 2024 |archive-date=December 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217213015/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/04/9_8_million_switch_owners_have_signed_up_to_the_online_service_and_2_8_million_have_played_tetris_99 |url-status=live }}</ref>