Earlier this week, game publisher EA announced that it will be removing its Tetris apps from the App Store on April 21, 2020. EA did not provide a reason for this move, but it appears to be related to a licensing change.

tetris n3twork
As part of a multi-year agreement with The Tetris Company, game developer N3TWORK today announced that it has released an all-new Tetris app on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. The app features a traditional solo gameplay experience, both online and offline, and will be updated with new gameplay modes in the future.

The new Tetris app is free to download worldwide, excluding China and New Zealand, with an optional $4.99 in-app purchase to remove ads.

Top Rated Comments

Juicy Box Avatar
66 months ago

Out of curiosity, the first time you went to a bar early in life and paid $5 for your first beer ever, you probably enjoyed it for about a half hour before it was empty. Then when you asked the bar tender for a refill and they said, "That will be another $5", were you raged with anger and said, "I already paid $5, so I want free refills for the rest of my life"?

It's funny how people put a price on things they enjoy. For some, they will pay hundreds or thousands over a span of 4 or 5 years for beer, but if an app they equally enjoy does a one time charge of $5 for the same span of time, they freak out.
It is as simple as durable good versus consumable good.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durable_good
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumables


Until recently, almost all video games were considered durable goods. With the rise of digital media, a long with the bubblegum-like mobile game industry, video games are now becoming more consumable in nature.


It's funny how people put a price on things they enjoy.
If video games were always a consumable good, there probably wouldn't be any complaining, but when people used to be able to buy a video game and continue to use it indefinitely, and now you could buy a game today and tomorrow it could be pulled from the apps store or an iOS update can break the game, this understandably irks people.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Labeno Avatar
66 months ago

So another multi-year agreement, $5 to remove ads, and the need to re-do this all over again in a few years since we won't actually own the game.
I feel I need to respond, and I'm not trying to create a controversy, but just making an observation of something that perplexes me.

Out of curiosity, the first time you went to a bar early in life and paid $5 for your first beer ever, you probably enjoyed it for about a half hour before it was empty. Then when you asked the bar tender for a refill and they said, "That will be another $5", were you raged with anger and said, "I already paid $5, so I want free refills for the rest of my life"?

It's funny how people put a price on things they enjoy. For some, they will pay hundreds or thousands over a span of 4 or 5 years for beer, but if an app they equally enjoy does a one time charge of $5 for the same span of time, they freak out.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
herocero Avatar
66 months ago
I can’t wait for their exclusivity to end so in the future I have the opportunity to buy this game a third time ... pass.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
martyjmclean Avatar
66 months ago
Ah this one looks much better than the EA one!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pakaku Avatar
66 months ago
Meh, at this point I'll just stick with some form of the game that won't expire, like Tetris on NES
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darkslide29 Avatar
66 months ago

Well... nobody's forcing you to dump your currently installed version? Alternatively you can buy a gameboy :p

IMO it's basically a Russian scam though.
As a matter of fact, they kind of are forcing us to dump the currently installed version. According to the original story (https://www.macrumors.com/2020/01/21/ea-tetris-ios-retiring-april-2020/), they are going to flip a switch and the game is going to stop working entirely, even on already-installed devices.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
prioritize notifications ios 18 4

Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1

Friday February 21, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most...
ios 18 4 ambient music

iOS 18.4 Adds New Ambient Music Feature

Friday February 21, 2025 11:06 am PST by
In iOS 18.4, there's a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category. You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if...
iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Denies Speculation Surrounding iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe

Friday February 21, 2025 8:01 am PST by
Apple has confirmed that its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has nothing to do with the device's lack of MagSafe support, according to Macworld. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, there was some speculation online about how MagSafe magnets might have interfered with the C1 modem's cellular connectivity performance, and this was considered to be a potential reason for the...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...