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

The White House has removed a video game called “Build the Wall” from its website after The Tetris Company raised concerns about the game’s similarities to the classic puzzle title.

The game was part of a collection of arcade-style games published on the White House website’s arcade section. “Build the Wall” featured gameplay similar to Tetris, requiring players to arrange falling blocks of different shapes and sizes.

The game’s stated objective was to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” The title and theme drew criticism online, while the game’s similarity to Tetris prompted a response from the company that owns the rights to the original puzzle game.

Tetris Company Says It Was Not Involved

The Tetris Company said it had no connection to the creation of “Build the Wall” and clarified that it did not authorise the game.

In an Instagram statement, the company said it was not involved in the project and noted that it takes copyright infringement concerns seriously.

The game’s page on the White House website now returns a 404 error, indicating that the page has been removed. Kotaku reported that the game was no longer available on the government website.

Other Games Remain Available

While “Build the Wall” has been removed, other games remain accessible through the White House arcade page.

One remaining title is “Rio Run”, a game where players control a character and attempt to deport immigrant characters as part of the gameplay.

The removal of “Build the Wall” highlights how copyright issues can affect even government-hosted digital content, particularly when projects closely resemble established entertainment properties.