Maya Rogers on keeping Tetris immortal

The Tetris Company, founded in 1996 by Alexey Pajitnov and Henk Rogers, has long defended its intellectual property against clones and legal challenges, including a 2012 copyright victory over Xio Interactive. Since Maya Rogers took over as CEO in 2014, the company shifted focus from litigation to strategic expansion, licensing Tetris for film, toys, apparel, and entertainment while keeping the game’s core mechanics unchanged. Rogers emphasizes that Tetris’s success lies in balancing innovation with tradition. The brand has expanded into an Apple TV+ film starring Taron Egerton, a Red Bull Tetris tournament with a drone finale in Dubai, and partnerships like a Minecraft add-on and a 7-Eleven Slurpee-shaped gaming device. Even the mobile game transitioned through multiple developers—EA, N3TWORK, and PlayStudios—without altering the original gameplay. Her approach prioritizes translating Tetris’s tactile, puzzle-solving appeal into real-world applications. Rogers highlights collaborations such as a streetwear collection with The Hundreds and interactive installations, ensuring the brand remains culturally relevant across generations. The company’s discipline in preserving Tetris’s identity while adapting to new platforms has kept it evergreen for over 40 years. Rogers will discuss her strategy at Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona on June 15–16, 2025, where she’ll share insights on protecting IP and sustaining a brand’s legacy. Her advice to other studios centers on early and consistent legal safeguards, combined with creative licensing to maintain relevance without compromising core values.