White House removes ‘Build the Wall’ game following Tetris copyright warning

The White House has removed a controversial video game titled ‘Build the Wall’ from its official Arcade.gov website. The game, which featured mechanics heavily inspired by Tetris, tasked players with stacking blocks to build a barrier to protect the border from an incoming ‘horde’ or ‘zombies.’

The removal followed a public response from The Tetris Company, which stated it had not authorized or licensed the use of its intellectual property for the game. In a social media statement, the company noted, ‘At Tetris, we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them,’ while emphasizing that it takes ‘copyright infringement very seriously.’

Beyond copyright concerns, the game faced intense criticism for its content, which many described as dehumanizing and racially charged regarding immigration. While ‘Build the Wall’ has been taken down, other games on the White House arcade platform, such as ‘Rio Run’—a Snake-style game themed on deportations—remain accessible.