Tetris turned 40 this yr and it’s nonetheless a recreation that individuals simply carry on taking part in.
I talked with Maya Rogers, CEO of Tetris, in Riyadh on the New World Sport Convention in Riyadh. She took over years in the past from her father, Henk Rogers, who was immortalized within the Tetris film alongside creator Alexey Pajitnov for bringing Tetris to large world audiences.
A bit biased, she thinks of Tetris as the right recreation, and she or he stated, “We don’t want to mess with that.” She’s touring the world is search of latest alternatives to make sure it stays a recreation that folks and children play collectively.
Maya Rogers’ job has been to maintain developing with new types of Tetris on new platforms, resembling taking the sport to McDonald’s toy giveaways, the Tetris film, Tetris 99, Tetris Related, Puyo Puyo Tetris and extra to place the sport in entrance of a brand new technology of avid gamers.
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Among the many new markets she is worked up about is the Center East, the place there are tons of younger avid gamers and girls getting into the workforce to make video games. In truth, Maya Rogers stated she would like to see the right recreation turn out to be a part of the Esports Olympics, which is coming to Saudi Arabia.
Right here’s an edited transcript of our interview.
Disclosure: NGSC paid my method to Riyadh and GamesBeat was a media accomplice for the occasion.
GamesBeat: What was your discuss at this convention?
Maya Rogers: The recipe for [our success is that] Alexey Pajitnov created the right recreation. Everybody is aware of the way to play it. It’s straightforward to enter and tough to grasp. That’s helped. And naturally staying related, being out there on each platform the place avid gamers go. Wherever video games are performed, Tetris is out there. We’re prime of thoughts for customers all around the world. That’s one of many keys. After all, sustaining true to the core of the sport. Is it a Tetris recreation? Does it evoke that very same pleasure while you play? Honoring the music, the gameplay, and the historical past. These are all issues that wrap round how we keep related.
GamesBeat: It looks like you’re all the time on the lookout for these moments for a revival. A method to maintain it contemporary for individuals to seek out it.
Rogers: It’s been an fascinating journey. We’ve gone past video games. We’ve had the Tetris film. It’s an iconic model. We need to lengthen it into a life-style. It’s not only a online game anymore. However even inside video video games, we’ve innovated with video games like Tetris 99, Tetris Related, Puyo Puyo Tetris. Completely different contact factors that attain a youthful technology of avid gamers.
Relying on who you ask, they’ve all performed Tetris, however they’ve a distinct story. For me it’s the Sport Boy and the NES. Discuss to another person–we have been in Cologne. I used to be speaking to a 23-year-old bartender. They stated, “Oh, yes, I love Tetris. I played the old school version on my phone.” For him that’s old skool. Tetris remains to be related. The preliminary contact level simply depends upon who you ask. What’s stunning about that, each one who’s performed Tetris has that have. “I remember this game that I used to play.”
GamesBeat: That is your second time right here in Riyadh. What has introduced you again?
Rogers: I’m glad I got here final yr, as a result of it was a giant studying expertise. You see the dedication and the facility that’s behind the business. I stated to somebody earlier, you get to construct a brand new business right here with the youthful technology, the youthful workforce. There are such a lot of girls. They’re encouraging girls to turn out to be programmers and animators. They will mildew how this business goes to be constructed for the long run.
GamesBeat: It’s been fascinating to see how gaming and esports can propel social change.
Rogers: We owe it to ourselves. For me personally, local weather change and sustainability, that’s such a giant issue. It must be represented. How can we signify that in a online game in order that it’s not simply an afterthought, however we’re contributing to it? From prime to backside, that’s one thing I’m obsessed with. How can we incorporate sustainability into our on a regular basis lives? Everyone seems to be affected by it.
GamesBeat: Is there a specific mission to perform within the Center East?
Rogers: The attention is right here. For lots of us who’re coming from the west, coming to the MENA area, seeing it for the primary time, you’re simply astonished. There’s such a fanfare, such a presence for video video games right here. It’s to not be ignored. Now that we’re right here and seeing the joy, we wish to have the ability to do extra. It’s all world now. Every part is world. We’re all linked. I’m very excited to be right here.
GamesBeat: What do you see as a superb internet end result that would come out of exploring this area?
Rogers: They simply introduced the Esports Olympics. Tetris would be the good recreation for the Olympics. It’s a worldwide model. It’s iconic, identical to the Olympics. Everybody is aware of it. That might be the right marriage. If let’s imagine that we’re an Olympic sport, that actually legitimizes the online game business. It stands towards this notion that video video games could possibly be dangerous for you.
GamesBeat: How do you come to consider points round human rights, girls’s rights and so forth, versus the hope they’ve for the long run?
Rogers: With each tradition there’s some sort of shift that occurs. In the event you have a look at all of the nations that “become westernized,” they’ve gone by this shift. There’s a whole lot of negativity, but it surely’s all politics, I really feel. Whenever you journey the world and meet individuals from totally different cultures, you understand that we’re all the identical. It’s not about, “Your culture’s bad.” There’s custom. That ought to be revered.
Once more, it’s a singular place to be in. I used to be in a position to go to Bhutan a few years in the past. That’s one other instance of–they bypassed cable TV and went straight to cell phones. How do you continue to maintain your tradition whereas adapting to a brand new world? Saudi Arabia is an ideal instance of a rustic shifting with a brand new technology and seeing instant change. Some issues could by no means change, and that’s okay. We should always respect everybody from all cultures, identical to we do in Tetris. We’re all colours, we’re all totally different, however all of us might be collectively.
The truth that we’ve been round so lengthy is as a result of–it’s true of Henk and Alexey. Two individuals from vastly totally different components of the world who got here along with a typical love of video games. It’s thrilling to see that taking place right here in Saudi Arabia.
GamesBeat: Whenever you’re working the corporate, how do you have a look at totally different alternatives? How do you resolve when one thing is price doing with Tetris? You haven’t gone off on sidequests with a whole lot of different video games. You’ve taken this one factor and seen how far it goes.
Rogers: Earlier than I began working the corporate, we have been doing different video games. However finally Tetris was the golden egg. We realized that, once more, it’s an ideal recreation, an evergreen recreation. How can we guarantee that transcends time and every part else? That’s been the largest factor for us. Once we have a look at our recreation and our model, we all the time take into consideration the gamers, our clients. Those who work together with the model. What do they need? If that is smart for the model, it is smart for Tetris–it’s about being a part of this transmedia world the place, as a fan, we should always be capable to have interaction with the manufacturers we love.
That’s how I feel at this time’s business has modified a bit. Earlier than it was sort of a one-way road. Now it’s each means. It’s not simply video video games. It’s leisure and life-style. The entire above. Once we have a look at which new alternatives to go after, we take into consideration, who’s our consumer base? Does it make sense for them? Does it carry them pleasure?
GamesBeat: There are all types of issues you may nonetheless do. You may get into automobiles. You may get into airplanes. You may get into wearables.
Rogers: We’re already in airplanes. We’re in all probability in a whole lot of locations you haven’t seen but. When Mercedes launched their EQS electrical automobile we have been embedded there. Wherever video games are performed, Tetris will likely be.
GamesBeat: What do you see sooner or later for the Tetris Firm?
Rogers: Tetris has withstood time for many years. It’s a recreation that may proceed on like chess has, like many sports activities have. We don’t see it as a one-and-done kind of factor. It comes again to being the right recreation. We don’t need to mess with that.