Pajitnov

Not even the semi-retired Pajitnov has been able to create another game that captured the appeal of his big hit.

Wired Top Stories 2009

But nothing has ever been as appealing as the original, which causes Pajitnov, lover of games and riddles, a good deal of consternation.

Wired Top Stories 2009

Pajitnov is glad that his countrymen are following in his footsteps.

The Russian Invasion, 2.0 2009

People still play it, says Pajitnov, not only because it's an excellent game but because for many people, it was the first videogame they ever tried.

Wired Top Stories 2009

Pajitnov, along with some programmer friends, soon began work porting the game to the MS-DOS platform.

Wired Top Stories 2009

"We want to make Tetris more accessible to kids, boomers, and busy moms, to everyone who enjoys a fun, stimulating, and even meditative escape from the daily grind," says Pajitnov, who play-tests every new iteration of the game for his company, Blue Planet Software.

The Russian Invasion, 2.0 2009

Unlike Pajitnov, who was elbowed out of the picture by his own government, today's developers are receiving much more gracious treatment.

The Russian Invasion, 2.0 2009

But because Pajitnov worked for the state at the time, the game was technically owned by the government — he never received a dime or even a bonus from his employer.

The Russian Invasion, 2.0 2009

Pajitnov remains active in introducing new editions of the game to a motion-sensor-loving generation of gamers.

The Russian Invasion, 2.0 2009

It was so appealing to women, says Pajitnov, because it was a creative, constructive game developed when every other game was about destruction.

Wired Top Stories 2009