The White House has removed a "Tetris"-style browser game from its online arcade following a public statement from The Tetris Company distancing itself from the project and warning about copyright infringement.
The removal came just days after the game first drew attention online, and it marks the second time a Trump administration digital project has clashed with a major gaming brand over unauthorized use.
White House Takes Down 'Tetris' Clone Game
According to ArsTechnica, on September 3, the White House launched "arcade.gov," a browser-based collection of five games designed around elements of President Trump's political agenda.
One of those games, called "Build the Wall," closely mirrored the format of "Tetris," tasking players with stacking falling blocks to defend the southern border from what the game described as a "zombie border siege."
The game ended once the stacked blocks reached the top of the screen, following the same basic structure as the original puzzle game.
Four days after The Tetris Company publicly addressed the situation, "Build the Wall" disappeared entirely from the arcade. The remaining four games on the site are still playable, including titles that closely resemble "Flappy Bird," "Snake," and "Tapper," along with a game centered on collecting money for Trump Accounts.
The Tetris Company Denies Involvement
P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall’.
— Tetris (@Tetris_Official) September 4, 2026
P.P.S. We take copyright infringement very seriously. pic.twitter.com/Fu02khRpT3
The Tetris Company addressed the situation directly through a post on its official X account, making clear it had no hand in creating the game. "The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of 'Build the Wall,'" the company wrote.
A spokesperson also told The Verge that Tetris has spent more than 40 years bringing people together through play, and confirmed the company was reviewing the matter further.
Neither the White House nor The Tetris Company has publicly confirmed that the copyright statement was the direct reason behind the game's removal, and it remains unclear whether any formal cease and desist letter was ever sent. Both parties did not immediately respond to requests for comment from multiple outlets covering the story.
TTC Threatened Copyright Infringement
Alongside denying any involvement in the game's creation, The Tetris Company added a pointed follow-up in the same post. "We take copyright infringement very seriously," the company wrote, a statement that closely mirrors language typically used in formal legal notices.
The company has a documented history of enforcing its intellectual property rights, having previously issued takedown notices against fan-made "Tetris" clones distributed on platforms like itch.io.
Given that track record, the phrase carried enough weight to be widely interpreted as an implicit warning, even without an explicit legal threat being spelled out in the post itself.
TTC Denounces 'Dividing' People
Beyond the copyright concern, The Tetris Company also distanced itself from the tone and messaging of the game entirely.
"At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them," the company said in its statement, drawing a clear line between the values associated with its brand and the anti-immigration messaging embedded in "Build the Wall."
This is not the first time the Trump administration has used recognizable video game branding in its messaging without securing permission first. Previous instances have involved references to franchises including "Halo," "Wii Sports," and "Animal Crossing" across official social media accounts.
The broader Arcade.gov project has also linked properties like Xbox, "Pac-Man," PlayStation, GameCube, and Sonic to Immigration and Customs Enforcement-related messaging.
The Tetris Company appears to be the first of these referenced brands to take visible public action, resulting in the game's quiet removal from the site.
