Starting off this blog with a YouTube recommendation and some thoughts on video game history, as well as some musings on the state of the industry.
The Story of Tetris | Gaming Historian
I was not familiar with Gaming Historian's work before this, but I quite enjoyed this video. Where I went in expecting what's familiar to me in the realm of vintage video game history, I wasn't expecting such a constructive look at the political, legal, and tactical side of what brought the game to international stardom.
Obviously, capitalism and communism played big parts in the ideological and market framework all the rights parties were butting up against. I did find, however, where the stage was set for capitalism to benefit all those rights holders there were underpinnings of anti-capitalism throughout Tetris's history. The years when the writes essentially did not matter were arguably where the most widespread development and passion for the game grew, in the form of developing versions for different computer hardware at the time.
Tetris was Shareware!
Of course, as we saw outlined here, it couldn't stay that way forever.
There is something to said, as well, for the Gaming Historian's team to highlight the creator, the singular person to make this happen. Alexey Pajitnov did not receive royalties, rights, even money! for his game until far later in life.
I am well aware I cannot speak for the economy then, given the complexities of the USSR's economy at the time and his employment, but what I can say is this; Alexey's story, at least in the beginning, feels sort of common now doesn't it?
The games industry is complex. It always has been. I don't have any claim to the AAA industry, and its inner workings, and I trust other journalists and writers to deliver informative and critical analysis of it.
I do know several indie developers.
I can't help but ask myself after going through the history of a game with such staying power if we are losing so much within the world within this art form because of the stranglehold the current state of industry and economy have on the PEOPLE who make the games we love.
Tetris is a success story in this lens of history, this is a feel good story when the money and the contracts shake out.
I'd argue the art also benefited, given the variation in the way the game was programmed, with all of the weird rabbit holes each contain, and how Pajitnov initially distributed the game was the catalyst for the history we're reliving.
I think if I got anything from this, other than the fantastic history lesson, is the hope for stability for developers in the future. Not only that, but I think artists deserve to live alongside and have a say in the things they love, especially for an industry as vast and multidisciplined as video games.
I hope you enjoyed this reccomendation and my thoughts, if you have any thoughts or anything leave em in the comments.
Thank you :]