Recently, the journey of Tetris, from its creation by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union to its worldwide success, was made into a movie released by Apple TV. In this article we are going to talk a little more about the history of these two great names Alexey Pajitnov and Henk Rogers.
The film highlights the game's origins in the hands of Soviet programmer Alexey Pajitnov and Henk Rogers' negotiations with Elorg to secure console rights for the game in the Soviet Union.
I just watched the movie and decided to write this article. I really enjoyed the story and didn't know how much fun it was, so I decided to highlight more information about this Tetris story.
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The Story of Henk Rogers
Henk Rogers played an important role in the gaming world and in popularizing the Tetris game and selling the first Game Boy. Let's see the history of his trajectory and involvement with the game:
The Early Life of Henk Rogers
Henk Rogers was born on December 24, 1953 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The son of a Dutch electrical engineer and an Indonesian teacher, Rogers grew up in a multicultural and diverse environment. His family moved to New York when he was just 11 years old, which allowed Rogers to be exposed to different cultures and worldviews.
During his youth, Rogers attended Stuyvesant High School in New York, where he discovered his love of strategy and computer games. After graduation, he decided to pursue his passion and studied computer science at the University of Miami. However, his quest for knowledge led him to drop out of university and leave for Japan, where he would study at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.
The move to Japan was a milestone in the life of Henk Rogers. He quickly adapted to Japanese culture and decided to stay in the country after completing his studies. In 1982, Rogers founded Bullet-Proof Software (BPS), a company focused on developing and publishing computer and video games. BPS became a significant force in the Japanese video game market and laid a solid foundation for Rogers' future business.
Discovering Tetris
In 1988, Rogers discovered the game Tetris at a Las Vegas gaming expo and was fascinated by its simplicity and universal appeal. He decided he wanted to acquire the rights to the game and release it in Japan. However, the rights to the game were shrouded in a complex web of negotiations and contracts, as the game was originally developed in the Soviet Union by programmer Alexey Pajitnov.
Rogers traveled to Moscow to negotiate directly with Elorg, the Soviet agency responsible for software export rights. After intense negotiations, he was able to secure console exclusive rights to Tetris, which allowed BPS to release the game on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Game Boy. This last platform, in particular, has proven to be a huge success, with Tetris becoming one of the best-selling games of all time.
While Rogers was negotiating with Elorg, Mirrorsoft, a British video game company, was also trying to acquire the rights to Tetris. Mirrorsoft had obtained a non-exclusive license to distribute Tetris on personal computers, and subsequently sublicensed the game to Atari Games, which released it on arcades and home consoles.
This led to a legal dispute between BPS, Mirrorsoft and Atari Games, as Rogers claimed he owned the exclusive console rights to Tetris. The court battle was long and complicated, involving multiple companies and jurisdictions. Eventually, Rogers and the BPS prevailed, securing exclusive console rights to Tetris and solidifying its place in video game history.
The Tetris Company and other projects
After the success of Tetris, Rogers expanded his business and established The Tetris Company, in partnership with Alexey Pajitnov. The company was created to manage and protect Tetris' intellectual property and ensure that the game was licensed fairly and properly. Under Rogers' leadership, The Tetris Company became a major player in the video game industry, with Tetris continuing to be a worldwide success across multiple platforms.
In addition to his work in the video game industry, Rogers has also been dedicated to promoting sustainability and renewable energy. In 1995, he founded the Blue Planet Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on finding solutions to global environmental problems such as climate change and dependence on fossil fuels.
The Blue Planet Foundation has been working closely with the government of Hawaii, Rogers' home state, to promote clean and sustainable energy policies. The foundation has played a crucial role in Hawaii's transition to renewable energy sources, and Rogers has been a tireless advocate of the need for change on a global level.
Personal Life and Legacy
Henk Rogers married his wife, Akemi, in Japan, and together they have four children. His family has been an important part of his life and his business success. Rogers' dedication to his family and his passion for the gaming industry and sustainability has been a driving force in his life and career.
The story of Henk Rogers is a story of perseverance, passion and success. He turned a passion for video games into a thriving career, and his involvement with Tetris had a lasting impact on the gaming industry. Furthermore, his commitment to sustainability and renewable energy has been an inspiration to many and has had a real impact in the global fight against climate change.
In summary, the life and career of Henk Rogers is an example of how determination and passion can lead to extraordinary success and a lasting impact on the world.
The Story of Alexey Pajitnov
Alexey Pajitnov, the creator of Tetris, had an interesting trajectory after the game's initial release. When Pajitnov developed Tetris in 1984, he was working at the Computing Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. Since he created the game while working for a Soviet government institution, the rights to Tetris were owned by the Soviet government.
During the first few years after Tetris was released, Pajitnov received no royalties or profits from the game, despite its growing success and popularity. However, Pajitnov continued to develop and improve the game, as well as work on other programming projects.
In 1991, Pajitnov moved to the United States with the help of Henk Rogers, who had become his friend during the Tetris rights negotiations. Together they founded the Tetris Company in 1996, which took over the rights to Tetris and managed its intellectual property.
Finally, in 1996, the rights to Tetris were returned to Pajitnov by the Russian government, allowing him to start receiving royalties and profits from the game.
Alexey Pajitnov continued to work in the video game industry, collaborating with companies such as Microsoft and Spectrum HoloByte. He has also worked on other game projects such as Hexic and Tetris sequels. Pajitnov is frequently invited to video game events and conventions and is widely considered a legend in the industry.
Pajitnov's journey, from the creation of Tetris in the Soviet Union to recognition and financial success in the United States, is a unique and inspiring story of talent, perseverance and passion for electronic games.
