The Tetris Company says it had nothing to do with the White House's Build the Wall game, did not authorize its brand or IP, and takes copyright infringement very seriously - distancing itself from the new White House Arcade that launched September 4.
The White House Arcade Launch
On Thursday, September 4, 2026, the White House launched a new web-only section on its official website called the "arcade," hosted at Arcade.gov. The page debuted with five retro-style browser games tied to administration priorities, plus a placeholder teasing another title "coming soon."
The headline title was Build the Wall, a block-stacking game that asks players to "protect the border from the coming horde" by stacking falling blocks into a border barrier. The concept and visuals immediately drew comparisons to Tetris, the iconic puzzle game first created in 1984 and now managed by The Tetris Company.
The arcade launch was accompanied by promotional content on social media that also mimicked other well-known gaming brands. According to AFP and Newsweek, the material included imagery resembling the Sega logo and jingle - in one clip the Sega letters transform into MAGA - as well as designs echoing Microsoft-owned Xbox branding and a Flappy Bird-style game called "Flappy Bill" featuring a bald eagle avoiding columns. The White House described the effort as a way to tell the story of the president's accomplishments in a format that resonates broadly.
“The administration is laser-focused on ways to innovate and tell the story of the President's many accomplishments in a way that resonates with every American.”
— White House official via Newsweek
Tetris Company's Swift Disavowal
The Tetris White House Build the Wall copyright response came less than 24 hours later. On Friday, September 5, The Tetris Company told AFP it was not involved and is reviewing the matter.
“The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of 'Build the Wall' and did not authorize or license the Tetris brand or intellectual property for the game. We are currently reviewing the matter.”
— The Tetris Company via AFP, September 5, 2026
The company posted a similar statement on Instagram, adding a clear values message and a warning about IP enforcement. That post is now the central public record of its position.
“At Tetris, we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. P.P.S. We take copyright infringement very seriously.”
— The Tetris Company on Instagram via AFP and PC Gamer
PC Gamer confirmed the same language, noting the company explicitly said it had nothing to do with what it described as a racist rip-off. Newsweek reported that The Tetris Company did not comment when asked whether it was taking legal action, beyond saying it takes infringement very seriously.
Other Gaming IPs Caught Up in the Arcade
Tetris was not the only brand whose look and sound appeared in the White House Arcade rollout. AFP reported that the arcade-style games and promotional content contain images that resemble games created by Tetris and other major developers including Sega, Microsoft-owned Xbox and the Flappy Bird Foundation.
The Sega-like promo drew particular attention. AFP described a clip where the letters from the Sega logo transform into MAGA, referencing President Trump's Make America Great Again slogan from his 2016 campaign, paired with a jingle similar to Sega's. Promotional content also included images that resemble trademarks and designs from Microsoft-owned Xbox.
As of September 5, Microsoft did not respond to requests for comment and Sega Corporation couldn't immediately be reached, according to AFP. The Flappy Bird Foundation, which now stewards the Flappy Bird IP, was also named in coverage as one of the affected brands, but no public statement from the group was cited in the scraped reporting.
For PC players, the pattern matters. Tetris, Sega, Xbox and Flappy Bird each have distinct, registered trademarks and trade dress - from block shapes and color palettes to logos and audio cues - that are typically licensed for any official collaboration. The White House Arcade did not list any of those companies as partners.
Copyright and Trademark Implications
The Tetris White House Build the Wall copyright question sits at the intersection of copyright and trademark law, and early expert analysis suggests the White House could face real risk if rights holders pursue claims.
Christopher Buccafusco, a professor and intellectual property expert at Duke University School of Law, told Newsweek that some of the games go beyond homage and tread close to famous marks.
“It's pretty clear to me that some of these games tread pretty closely to the intellectual property rights of famous video game companies. While some of them simply call to mind existing games, other aspects of the White House's productions are no doubt meant to track the features of famous trademarks like the Sega logo and jingle.”
— Christopher Buccafusco, Duke University School of Law via Newsweek
Buccafusco said two common defenses are unlikely to help here. Trademark law does allow parody in some circumstances, but he argued the White House's use almost certainly does not qualify because it isn't commenting on Sega or the other games - it's using the marks to get attention. He added that "homage" is not a recognized concept in IP law.
“Importantly, while trademark law allows parties to engage in parodies of famous marks, the White House's behavior almost certainly does not qualify as a parody. The White House isn't trying to say anything about Sega or any of the other famous games. It's simply using Sega's mark to get attention. That behavior is almost never allowed by trademark law.”
— Christopher Buccafusco via Newsweek
The other key test, he said, is consumer confusion - whether people could mistakenly believe companies such as Sega or Tetris were involved in creating or endorsing the games. That is a core question for both trademark infringement and false endorsement claims. Copyright would be a separate analysis focused on whether protectable expression - not just the general idea of stacking blocks - was copied.
The White House's Stance and What Happens Next
The White House has not addressed the IP questions directly. Its only on-record comment cited by Newsweek framed the arcade as an innovation push, not a licensing discussion.
The Tetris Company, for its part, has left the door open for further action. Its statement that it is "currently reviewing the matter" is standard language when a rights holder is assessing potential infringement and weighing options, which can range from a cease-and-desist letter to a takedown request or formal litigation. The company has not announced a lawsuit as of September 5.
For now, the games remain web-only on the White House site. The controversy has already sparked condemnation for the political themes and prompted broader questions about whether government communications should use unlicensed commercial IP. If other rights holders follow Tetris in publicly disavowing the project, pressure to modify or remove the games could grow quickly, even without a court filing.
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Key takeaways
- The White House launched Arcade.gov on Sept 4 with Build the Wall, a Tetris-like block-stacker, plus other retro-style games.
- The Tetris Company said Sept 5 it was not involved, did not authorize its IP, is reviewing the matter, and takes copyright infringement very seriously.
- Promos also echoed Sega, Xbox and Flappy Bird branding; Microsoft and Sega had not commented as of Sept 5.
- IP expert Christopher Buccafusco told Newsweek the games tread close to trademark rights and likely don't qualify as parody or homage.
Written by
Devon Yates
Launcher & Platforms
Devon follows the platform wars: stores, subscriptions and the battle for your launch screen. He writes the weekly news roundup.
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