The Tetris Company has stated it "did not participate in the creation" of a parody involving the White House and emphasizes that it "takes copyright infringement very seriously"
The Tetris Company has spoken out against a parody of its puzzle game, created by the U.S. government and subsequently taken down. This parody was aimed at replicating the famous tile-stacking game.
The Tetris developer clarified via social media that it was "not involved in the creation" of this game, affirming its strong stance against "copyright infringement." The company emphasized, "At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere; we love you, we see you, and we're grateful to have you in our community."
Recently, the White House introduced a minigame website featuring several games parodying President Donald Trump's immigration policies.
The Tetris-inspired game, called Build the Wall: Zombie Border Siege, simulated using blocks to build a barrier that stops 'aliens' from breaching the 'Southern Border.' The site also included Flappy Bird and Snake parodies, where the latter required players to act as Border Patrol at the U.S. border.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has stated its intention to keep using video game references for policy promotion, saying in a discussion with journalist Alyssa Mercenate last year: "We will reach people where they are with content they can relate to and understand, whether that be Halo, Pokémon, Lord of the Rings, or any other medium. DHS remains laser focused on bringing awareness to the flood of crime that criminal illegal aliens have inflicted on our country. We aren't slowing down."
Microsoft opted not to comment on the incorporation of Halo. Meanwhile, the Pokémon Company acknowledged that its theme and video footage were used in a deportation video. It told BBC News it was neither involved in the creation nor authorized the use of its intellectual property in the content disseminated by the Department of Homeland Security.