From Game Boy to Global Finals: Henk Rogers on Tetris’s competitive path

The Red Bull Tetris World Finals were held in Dubai on December 13, 2025, where four players were whittled down to just two, with the tournament being won by Fehmi Atalar of Turkey. However, what made the event memorable were the 2,800 drones that flew in a huge area within the frame that displayed the game.

It was an impressive sight, watched by Alexey Pajitnov, the creator of the game, and Henk Rogers, who was responsible for licensing Tetris to Nintendo and releasing it as a pack-in for the Game Boy in 1989. The Escapist spoke to Rogers before the Finals about how the game stands in the esports scene and the possible futures that Tetris could inhabit.

The Escapist recaps 

• Tetris was first released in 1985 on the Russian-made Elektronika 60 computer, created by Alexey Pajitnov.
• He and Henk Rogers set up the Tetris company in 1996, making them the owners of the game, and thereby ensuring that future royalties would now be owed to them.
• The Tetris World Finals were held in Dubai on December 13, where two players competed in the game via 2,800 drones that displayed the matches on a massive screen.
• The winner was Fehmi Atalar of Turkey, who won a three-day all-inclusive trip to Dubai.

Frame of the Future

The Tetris World Finals could have been held anywhere. But cities like London, Los Angeles, and others didn’t have the Frame that Dubai has, something that Rogers emphasized to us. “Just look at the 40-storey frame – it’s like they built this thing for Tetris. When I first came here and looked at all the structures, it felt like a boss stage in a game. Even the name fits.

Dubai feels like a city that sprang out of nowhere. It’s a city from the future. There are old buildings, but they’re hidden because the new ones are so huge and magnificent. It really feels like, “Oh, we’re in Dubai.”

It’s also a testament to the longevity of Tetris. It’s arguably one of the earliest esports games before the ‘esports’ term was acknowledged. We put it to Rogers on why he thinks the game has lasted for so long. “These games don’t look like classic games – they look like modern games, even though they came from a long time ago. That’s where Tetris sits. There’s no other game quite like it that’s lasted this long.”

Another part of Tetris being a competitive game largely stems from the Game Boy version featuring a two-player mode. When two Game Boy handhelds were connected via a link cable with the two Tetris games inserted, players could fight against each other. Nintendo’s Mario and Luigi feature as part of this mode.

Rogers recalls his appreciation for that. “Nintendo did an amazing thing by creating a two-player version where you send lines to the other player. Alexey calls it “garbage,” some people say “garbage,” but that mechanic was such a great addition. Nintendo got busy making the game after I licensed it to them. From time to time, they’d send me a version. I remember them changing certain aspects like the button layout, but it all worked out.”

Tetris in the next 40 years

As the years pass, Tetris has evolved with advancements in technology, allowing gaming consoles, PCs, and other devices to perform more complex tasks. Throughout this evolution, Rogers has ensured that the core element of the game remains intact. “Every time someone does something amazing with Tetris, we make sure it can be used by future licensees. If you create an improvement, we own that idea, so it doesn’t get stuck in one version.

That said, Tetris is a 2D game. It’s not a 3D game. Tetrisphere wasn’t really Tetris. We tried sideways and upside-down versions, but it didn’t work – and it weakens the brand.

Whenever we start a new project, we go back to the original Tetris. You start there, understand it, and then you can build on it. We also work very hard to keep violence, sex, gambling, and the rest out of Tetris so it stays a clean game. That’s important if it’s ever going to be in the Olympics.”

This led to a chat about how AI could work in a future Tetris title and in esports, something that Rogers sounds enthusiastic about. “Absolutely. AI could analyse your game and give feedback – what you did right, what you did wrong. That’s something Alexey has talked about as well.

You could even argue with the AI about whether you played well or badly. That’s up to the fans. We just want to give them some ammunition.”

Rogers was also quick to mention how player feedback, like from the Tetris World Finals, can help influence future titles. “I always listen to the players, but I’m not going back to improve the NES version – you can’t do that. Instead, we learn a lot by watching how audiences react to gameplay.

Even 35 years after the game’s creation, there’s still a strong community with different ways to play. That’s something we pay close attention to.”

As we were nearing the end, we wondered if Rogers had a theory as to why Tetris works well in many situations and events, like esports. “I think Tetris has a meditative effect. You can stop thinking about everything else in just a few minutes – it’s like resetting your computer. Close all the apps, reset, and start fresh. You can go in many directions with Tetris, such as the Olympics.”

Finally, we wondered if Rogers was thinking about another game that could work in tandem with Tetris. 

“I vowed never to make a game I wouldn’t want my children to play. That philosophy carried into Tetris as well. But I’m working on something where the actions happen in the real world. It’s called the Action App. You earn points by doing good actions – turning off lights, picking up rubbish, and creating actions that others complete.

The AI calculates how well you’re doing, and the higher your level, the more real-world benefits you get. At concerts, the people who’ve done the most good get the best seats.

Competition can be used to make the world better.”

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References

1. Tetrisphere – Nintendo 64 (N64) (YouTube)