White House Removes ‘Build the Wall’ Game Following Tetris Company Copyright Complaint

A video game posted to the Trump administration’s website—one that closely resembled Tetris—has been taken down after the Tetris Company filed a copyright complaint. The White House had recently taken the unusual step of adding several arcade-style video games to its site, part of a broader digital engagement push that has continued to spark debate into 2026. Among them was a controversial game titled “Build the Wall,” which mirrored Tetris’s block-stacking mechanics, tasking players with arranging falling shapes. The game’s stated objective was to construct a wall to repel a “zombie border siege,” a premise widely criticized as racist and inflammatory. Shortly after “Build the Wall” came to public attention, the Tetris Company—which owns the rights to the original Tetris—publicly distanced itself from the title. In an Instagram post, the company stated, “The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall,’” adding, “We take copyright infringement very seriously.” The post underscored ongoing tensions between governmental content and intellectual property protections, a theme that remains relevant as digital platforms increasingly police unauthorized derivatives. The game’s dedicated page now returns a 404 error, confirming its removal from the White House website. Technology outlet Kotaku first reported the page’s disappearance. TechCrunch has reached out to the Trump administration for comment, but as of publication, no official response has been provided. Despite the takedown, another game remains accessible on the government’s site: “Rio Run,” in which players control a white male character aiming to deport as many immigrant characters as possible. This title has also drawn criticism, reflecting broader concerns about the administration’s use of such media to convey policy positions in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections. As of now, no formal copyright complaints have been lodged against “Rio Run,” but its presence continues to fuel public and legal scrutiny.

via TechCrunch