● Covered by 6 sources · 8 reportsLow impact4 negative4 neutral
Trump White House launches online arcade with games based on popular titles
Key points
- White House launched an online arcade with political games.
- Games include "Flappy Bill," "Build the Wall," and "Rio Run."
- Titles are based on popular games like Flappy Bird, Tetris, and Snake.
- The games incorporate themes of border security and financial policy.
- "Build the Wall" depicts a "zombie border siege."
- The Tetris Company was not involved in the game's creation.
- The Tetris Company is reviewing the matter.
- The White House released six new arcade titles on Thursday.
- The Tetris Company posted a statement on its Instagram account.
- The Tetris Company stated it takes copyright infringement seriously.
- The game's objective is to keep out an oncoming "zombie horde."
- The White House removed "Build the Wall" days after launch.
- The game's blocks do not disappear when a line is completed.
- The game ends with a "Border Breached" message.
- Frontera Federation co-director Amerika Garcia Grewal criticized the game.
- The White House launched "Build the Wall" on September 3.
- The Tetris Company posted its statement on September 4.
- The game's page now returns a 404 error.
- Kotaku first reported the game's removal.
- The Tetris Company settled a lawsuit with Mino in 2012.
- Four other arcade games remain on the White House website.
White House Releases Online Arcade
The Trump White House launched an online arcade on its website, featuring several games designed with a nostalgic pixel art aesthetic. This release follows previous instances where the administration used video game imagery and memes in its messaging, such as social media ads referencing "Halo" and "Pokémon."
Game Titles and Themes
The arcade includes games like "Flappy Bill," a version of "Flappy Bird" where players control an eagle with a scroll. "Supply Line" is a game about sorting junk food from a conveyor belt. More politically charged titles include "Build the Wall," a "Tetris"-like game focused on fortifying the southern border, and "Rio Run," a "Snake"-like game involving patrolling the Rio Grande. Another game, "Trump Savings Tycoon," involves collecting bills and gold coins.
Messaging and Impact
The games are presented as a continuation of the administration's strategy to use gaming culture for political communication. The content of some games, particularly "Build the Wall" and "Rio Run," directly incorporates political themes related to immigration and border control.
Updates
- The Tetris Company settled a lawsuit with Mino in 2012.
- Four other arcade games remain on the White House website.
- The White House launched "Build the Wall" on September 3.
- The Tetris Company posted its statement on September 4.
- The game's page now returns a 404 error.
- Kotaku first reported the game's removal.
- The White House removed "Build the Wall" days after launch.
- The game's blocks do not disappear when a line is completed.
- The game ends with a "Border Breached" message.
- Frontera Federation co-director Amerika Garcia Grewal criticized the game.
- The White House released six new arcade titles on Thursday.
- The Tetris Company posted a statement on its Instagram account.
- The Tetris Company stated it takes copyright infringement seriously.
- The game's objective is to keep out an oncoming "zombie horde."
- "Build the Wall" depicts a "zombie border siege."
- The Tetris Company was not involved in the game's creation.
- The Tetris Company is reviewing the matter.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
The White House removed its Tetris-style game "Build The Wall" from its website following copyright infringement concerns raised by The Tetris Company. The game, which involved stacking blocks to build a border wall, was one of five arcade games on the site.
The White House removed a video game titled "Build the Wall" from its website after the Tetris Company complained about copyright infringement. The game reportedly mimicked Tetris gameplay and was criticized for its content.
The White House removed its browser-based game "Build the Wall" from its online arcade following public pushback and copyright concerns raised by The Tetris Company. The game, launched on September 3, was a clone of the classic Tetris game, adapted to reflect immigration policies.
The White House removed its "Build the Wall" game from its website following a copyright infringement complaint from The Tetris Company. The game, an anti-immigration-themed Tetris adaptation, was part of a new "Arcade" section on WhiteHouse.gov.
The White House removed its "Build the Wall" Tetris clone from its website days after launching an arcade games section. The game involved stacking blocks to prevent a "zombie border siege," and its removal followed a statement from The Tetris Company indicating they were "reviewing the matter."
The Tetris Company stated it was not involved in the creation of the White House's new game, "Build the Wall," which is a clear copy of Tetris. The company also indicated it takes copyright infringement seriously and did not authorize the use of its brand or intellectual property for the game.
The White House released a series of policy-themed arcade games, one of which, "Build the Wall," is modeled after Tetris and depicts a "zombie border siege." The Tetris Company stated it was not involved in the game's creation and is reviewing the matter, raising concerns about copyright infringement and the use of established game mechanics for political messaging.
The Trump White House released an online arcade featuring games that appropriate popular titles for political messaging. These games include variations of Flappy Bird, Tetris, and Snake, with themes related to border security and financial policies.