The Tetris story is one that anyone with even a slight interest in video game history is familiar with. Complex, devoid of heroes, and riddled with political entanglements and corporate controversies, it’s the kind of tale where there are no clear heroes or villains, but rather a demonstration of how capitalism always finds a way to pave its path. To capitalize on everything. This irony is particularly pronounced in the case at hand, as Apple finds itself in a rather uncomfortable situation due to accusations of plagiarism tied to Tetris.
Released on March 15 and directed by Jon S. Baird, Tetris is a biopic centered around Henk Rogers and his endeavor to license and patent Tetris before anyone else. While met with a rather modest reception from both critics and the public, the film has been criticized for being overly biased in its positions and excessively sugarcoating what actually happened. But that’s not the end of the story. Just as controversial as the Tetris rights patent is the film itself narrating it, as it has been accused of plagiarism.
Dan Ackerman, Editor-in-Chief of Gizmodo, asserts that the movie is an unauthorized adaptation of his book “The Tetris Effect: The Game that Hypnotized the World.” Published in 2016, the book tells the story of Alexey Pajitnov, the creator of Tetris. It follows his journey from its inception in the Soviet Union to the licensing of rights to Nintendo, which included the game in a bundle with the Game Boy, creating a massive commercial success. This is also a focus of the film, although from Rogers’ perspective rather than Pajitnov’s.
Given that it is based on real events, it’s difficult to prove any form of plagiarism here. To support his claim, Ackerman states that he sent a copy of his book to Tetris Company in 2016, which they allegedly copied for the movie, and then threatened him with legal action if he attempted to create his own film or television version.
In fact, all of this has indeed made its way to the courts. Ackerman is seeking compensation for damages equivalent to 6% of the movie’s $80 million budget. He alleges that Maya Rogers, CEO of Tetris Company and daughter of Henk Rogers, and screenwriter Noah Pink, who was responsible for the movie’s script, have freely taken numerous sections and specific events from his book. It remains to be seen how this will unfold, but undoubtedly, it seems likely to be as contentious as the story itself regarding the Tetris rights acquisition.
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