Morning!
We’re starting another day together, dear readers of Bir17! 🧿 How are you today? Thanks to today’s bit of knowledge, we’re taking a trip back to the 1980s! Our destination: Soviet Union, 1984. If you’re ready, let’s fire up the time machine. Just for you, and of course, only for you… 🫵🏻
In 1984, a young researcher named Alexey Pajitnov was working at a science academy in Moscow. One morning, he woke up and realized he was bored with his life. Using his mathematical skills, he developed a prototype for a computer game. And so, on June 6, 1984, on a computer called Electronika 60, a game was born—one that would go on to break records in the future.
In an interview, Pajitnov recalled, "When the first prototype was released, everyone was intrigued and wanted to try it. Everyone played it, and including myself, we all absolutely loved it."
Any guesses on which famous game this early prototype evolved into, dear readers?
Yes… Tetris.
Starting with a simple concept, Tetris became one of the most iconic video games of all time. The game challenges players to arrange falling geometric shapes (tetrominoes) into a horizontal line without leaving gaps. Built on strategy and logic rather than destruction, Tetris provides an experience that is both fun and incredibly satisfying.
At the time, personal computers were nearly nonexistent in the Soviet Union, but that didn’t stop Tetris from spreading. It was copied from one computer to another and quickly became popular among the few computer users in the country.
A British software company discovered Tetris in Hungary and attempted to negotiate distribution rights with the Russian government. Before long, Tetris started making its way into people’s homes. By the late 1980s, gaming consoles, particularly the Nintendo Game Boy, were entering the scene.
In 1989, American software entrepreneur Henk Rogers saw the game’s immense market potential. Working for a Japanese company at the time, Rogers was determined to bring Tetris from bulky computers to handheld devices. But to do that, he needed to secure the distribution rights from its creator.
So, Henk Rogers traveled to Moscow to find Alexey Pajitnov. This was during the period when relations between the Soviet Union and the West were beginning to thaw. Rogers searched for the office of Elektronorgtechnica (Elorg), the Soviet agency responsible for software and hardware exports and imports. After a week of negotiations, Rogers and Pajitnov signed a deal for the game’s rights.
This groundbreaking agreement allowed Pajitnov to receive a personal share from international sales, something previously unheard of for a Soviet developer. Pajitnov later admitted that he had met businesspeople before and disliked them, but when he saw that Rogers truly understood the essence of gaming, he was convinced.
Today, Tetris holds a legendary place in gaming history. Over a billion people have likely played the game at least once in their lifetime, stacking those iconic falling blocks into perfect lines. Pajitnov and Rogers eventually founded a company together, and Pajitnov, once a bored researcher experimenting with math, is now considered one of the wealthiest and most well-known figures in the gaming industry.
But Tetris is more than just a video game—it became a cultural phenomenon. Its adaptability across platforms, countless versions, and remakes have allowed it to remain timeless. The game’s simple yet highly addictive nature has transcended generations, and to this day, millions of people still enjoy playing it.
The story of Tetris is not just about how a game became a global sensation. It’s also a testament to human creativity, perseverance, and the power of an idea. What started as a small project in a Soviet science lab evolved into a game that millions of people worldwide hold dear.
Perhaps, above all else, we should recognize our talents and have the determination to develop them. We should pursue what we love, and as the saying goes, to say "I have arrived" is to say "I am finished."
Wishing you a fantastic day,
Bir17 Team 🧿