Tetris has stayed popular for roughly four decades because its rules are easy to pick up, hard to master, and free of cultural baggage, and because it now runs on nearly every screen people use. That is the core of what Maya Rogers, CEO of The Tetris Company, argued in a VentureBeat/GamesBeat interview conducted at the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh. The interview’s publication date and byline could not be confirmed, but it marks Tetris’s 40th anniversary, and the game debuted in 1984, which places the conversation most likely in 2024.
What Maya Rogers says about the game
Rogers calls Tetris “the perfect game,” and she openly admits she is a little biased. Asked whether the company would change anything to keep it current, her answer was direct: “We don’t want to mess with that.” In her account, the company’s job is to protect the core experience rather than reinvent it. She has also described Tetris as “evergreen,” saying it resonates across generations without needing constant reinvention, a point reported by Thought Economics.
Why the design has lasted
Rogers and the game’s creator, Alexey Pajitnov, offer overlapping but distinct explanations. Rogers emphasizes accessibility and reach. Pajitnov, as reported by the Seattle Times and republished by the Spokesman-Review, emphasizes the game’s character. The two accounts are worth comparing side by side.
| Explanation | Who gives it | What it claims |
|---|---|---|
| Easy to enter, hard to master | Maya Rogers, CEO of The Tetris Company | New players can start immediately, while skill keeps developing over years |
| Available wherever players are | Maya Rogers | The game stays relevant by appearing on every platform where gamers go |
| Abstract, with no strong cultural reference | Alexey Pajitnov, creator | Geometric shapes carry no specific national, cultural, or franchise identity to age out |
| Peaceful and constructive | Alexey Pajitnov | Most games revolve around fighting and competition; Tetris is about arranging and building |
| Good gameplay outweighs graphics and sound | Henk Rogers, former rights-holder and Maya Rogers’s father | Presentation matters far less than the quality of the play itself |
The pattern across these views is consistent: the mechanics do the work, and the presentation can change without the core losing its appeal.
#1 Best Overall
- Officialy Licensed: This is an officially licensed Tetris title, ensuring an authentic gaming experience. Includes 200 bonus games!!!
- 🕹️ Addictive Gameplay: The iconic Tetris game challenges your brain with addictive puzzle action, fast-paced block stacking and sharpens your reflexes. Full color 2.5" screen
- Vibrant Art Style: Enjoy the charming and colorful visuals that have become a hallmark of Tetris, appealing to players of all ages. Intuitive user interface. Built-in speaker with volume control
- 🎯 Portable Power: Requires 3 AAA non-rechargeable batteries for gaming on-the-go (batteries not included) or by a USB Type C cable (not included). Mini Screwdriver needed and not included.
- Headphone Jack: 3.5mm headphone jack lets you enjoy Tetris on the go on your own privately. Perfect for travel. Take your games anywhere
Who owns Tetris and how the rights ended up there
The Tetris Company is run by Maya Rogers, who took over from her father, Henk Rogers. The company’s current structure follows a chain of rights transfers that the interview sources describe in summary form:
- 1984: Tetris debuts. Pajitnov created it.
- 1988: According to Henk Rogers, speaking to NBC Bay Area, ASCII, then the biggest software company in Japan, passed on Tetris, calling it “too retro.” Rogers has said that experience shaped his view that good gameplay outweighs graphics and sound.
- 1995: The rights reverted to Pajitnov. Henk Rogers then settled with ELORG, the Russian organization involved in the game’s licensing, and set up The Tetris Company, according to a Collider interview with him.
- Later: Maya Rogers became CEO, and the company’s focus shifted toward brand extension.
The exact dates of the later leadership change were not stated in the sources reviewed, so readers should treat the chronology after 1995 as a summary rather than a precise timeline.
Rank #2
- PORTABLE RETRO GAMING: Feel the nostalgic thrill of classic puzzle action anywhere you go, with this compact keyring console clipping easily onto keys or bags for instant fun.
- AUTHENTIC LICENSED GAMEPLAY: Experience true nostalgia with officially licensed Tetris sounds, original mechanics, and retro LCD graphics - no Wi-Fi or apps required at all.
- TWO FUN GAME MODES: Choose Sprint Mode to clear 25 lines as fast as possible or Marathon Mode to test endurance across 15 levels, sharpening focus and strategy each time.
- RESPONSIVE CONTROLS & SCORE MEMORY: Smooth arcade-style buttons make stacking blocks satisfying, while built-in score memory saves your best results for ongoing challenges.
- BATTERY POWERED & TRAVEL READY: Runs on 2 AAA batteries (not included) for unplugged fun anytime - perfect for car rides, flights, school breaks, or office downtime.
Beyond games: the brand strategy
Rogers describes Tetris as a brand that can extend past games into a lifestyle presence. Three examples appear in the interview:
- Film: The Tetris movie, which features Henk Rogers and Pajitnov, dramatized the game’s espionage-tinged origin story, as Rolling Stone covered it.
- Placement: Tetris is already available in airplanes, and it was embedded in Mercedes’s launch of the EQS electric car.
- Sport: Rogers says Tetris may be the perfect game for the Olympics, and that Olympic recognition would help legitimize the video game industry. This is her stated view, not an announced Olympic programme.
She also sees growth in the Middle East, citing a large base of young gamers and more women entering the workforce to make games.
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Rank #3
- CLASSIC GRAPHICS AND SOUNDS: Immerse yourself in nostalgia with classic graphics, music, and sounds that look just like the original Tetris arcade game!
- AUTHENTIC GAMEPLAY: Use the joystick and buttons to move and rotate the Tetriminos as they fall to complete lines and score points!
- FULL COLOR SCREEN: With a brighter, full color screen that makes it easy to see the blocks, you’ll be racking up points like a pro as you stack your Tetriminos!
- MARATHON MODE: Race to line up your Tetriminos in rows before they stack too high. Complete 10 lines to move to the next level. But watch out - the Tetriminos drop faster the longer you play!
- SHARE AND COLLECT: Arcade Classics are a must-have retro toy for collectors or for anyone looking to share this classic toy with the next generation!
Newer titles and the core game
Tetris Connected, Tetris 99, and Puyo Puyo Tetris are among the newer titles associated with the franchise. Their specific features were not confirmed in the source material, so this article does not describe them in detail.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the evidence does not establish
The interview offers opinions and company positioning, not measured data. It contains no verified sales, player-count, or revenue figures, so claims about how many people play Tetris today should be checked against primary company disclosures before being repeated. The quotations here come from interview excerpts; readers who need full context should consult the original VentureBeat/GamesBeat article directly.
Rank #4
- 🕹️Officialy Licensed: This is an officially licensed Tetris title, ensuring an authentic gaming experience
- 🔋Portable Power: Powered by 4 AA batteries for gaming on-the-go (batteries not included) or by a USB-C cable (not included)
- Addictive Gameplay: The iconic Tetris game challenges your brain with addictive puzzle action, fast-paced block stacking and sharpens your reflexes.
- High Resolution: This pocket-sized game features a high-resolution 2.75-inch full-color vertical display, allowing you to immerse yourself in the classic gameplay.
- Headphone Jack: 3.5mm headphone jack lets you enjoy Tetris on the go on your own privately. Perfect for travel. Take your games anywhere
Henk Rogers’s own account of the rights history is told at length in his book, The Perfect Game: Tetris: From Russia with Love. Its edition details were not verified for this piece.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- This renewed game will not come with the original case or manual; cartridge only. It has been cleaned, tested, and is in nice condition.
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