The White House added an arcade section to its website this week, featuring knock-off games like Flappy Bird, Snake, and a Tetris clone reskinned as 'Build the Wall.' The game casts players in a 'zombie border siege' on the 'Southern Border.' The Tetris Company quickly pushed back, posting on Instagram that it had nothing to do with the project and that it takes copyright infringement seriously.
What the White House posted
The arcade page went up quietly, but the 'Build the Wall' game didn't stay under the radar for long. It's a direct riff on Tetris, with the familiar falling blocks replaced by a wall-building mechanic against a zombie horde. The Department of Homeland Security is listed as a partner on the page, though it's not clear who actually built the game.
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The Tetris Company's response
In a statement on Instagram, The Tetris Company said it was not involved in the creation of 'Build the Wall.' The company also said it takes copyright infringement very seriously. It added that it believes in connection and bringing people together, not dividing them—a pointed rebuke to the game's border theme.
Other creators weigh in
The Tetris Company isn't the only one crying foul. The Pokémon Company previously noted that permission was not granted for the use of its intellectual property. And Marcus Lehto, co-creator of Halo, called the appropriation of his work 'absolutely abhorrent.' The White House hasn't responded to the criticism, and the games remain up as of this writing.
This is a political sideshow, but it touches on a real question: can the government just take copyrighted material for its own messaging? If the White House claims sovereign immunity, it could set a precedent that weakens IP protections for digital assets—including NFTs, which rely on clear ownership and licensing. That's a long shot, but it's a reminder that the rules for digital content are still being written, and political actors are testing the boundaries.
For crypto traders, this is noise. Bitcoin is still range-bound between $79k and $81k, and the market is focused on macro data, not IP disputes. But for builders in the NFT and metaverse space, it's worth watching whether the White House faces any legal pushback. If it doesn't, other governments might feel emboldened to borrow digital assets without asking.
