Blue Planet Software, Inc., the company that manages the exclusive licensing rights to the Tetris game, and EA Mobile, a division of Electronic Arts Inc., today announced at a press conference at the EA Montreal studio that Tetris has reached over 100 million paid downloads on mobile phones since 2005, making it the pre-eminent game for the platform. Since becoming the exclusive mobile publisher for Tetris in 2006, EA Mobile has brought a number of Tetris games to almost all mobile platforms including the App Store.
“Tetris on mobile will never go away,” said Henk Rogers, CEO of Blue Planet Software. “As mobile devices get into the hands of more people, so does Tetris. People are always looking for ways to fill their time—be it in waiting rooms or on the bus—and with the advent of touch screens and improved platforms, our eyes are opened to a whole new way to develop games. After Tetris’ success with the Game Boy in 1989, we always hoped that potential would carry over into today’s mobile devices. It’s a testament to the game’s staying power that it remains popular on today’s most modern technology.”
Over its 25-year history, the Tetris game has been sold on almost every gaming platform. Currently, the game’s greatest growth is occurring on mobile platforms.
“Tetris is the biggest franchise in mobile gaming, which speaks to the evergreen nature of the brand and the fact that it translates to any platform,” said Adam Sussman, VP Worldwide Publishing for EA Mobile. “Our strong relationship with Blue Planet Software has enabled us to optimally adapt Tetris to the ever evolving handset market while keeping the true spirit of the game alive. 100 million paid downloads are testament to this.”
Created in 1984 by Russian-born mathematician Alexey Pajitnov, the Tetris game has become a worldwide success model for the gaming industry. Tetris was first available on mobile in 2001, the product of collaboration between Rogers and Takeshi Miyaji of Japan’s G-mode.
“Tetris provided the crucial building blocks for our company when we started 10 years ago,” said Miyaji, president of G-mode, the exclusive distributor of Tetris in Japan. “Just this past year alone our ‘Tetris League’ game in Japan has been played nearly 100 million times. As G-Mode and Blue Planet Software grow alongside each other, we hope to continue our contributions to Tetris’ recognition and popularity.”
In addition to reaching this mobile milestone, the Tetris brand has created numerous headlines in the past year. It is currently celebrating its 25th Anniversary, which officially kicked-off in June 2009 at an event attended by thousands of videogame enthusiasts and journalists from E3 in Los Angeles. And in September 2009, a scientific study published by BMC Research Notes showed that participants who played the Tetris game over time had increased efficiency and a thicker cortex in areas of the brain linked to critical thinking and coordinated movement.
*EA Mobile internal data, includes iPhone and iPod touch downloads