Home Gaming EA’s mobile Tetris games aren’t just being delisted, they’re going to stop working completely

EA’s mobile Tetris games aren’t just being delisted, they’re going to stop working completely

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EAtris

As we buy more and more games digitally, the question of digital ownership often comes along. The weird thing with software is that you’ve pretty much always bought a licence to use that software, not the software itself. Whether you’ve got a game on a disc or stored on your hard drive, you don’t own that data; you just own a licence to use that data. One benefit of physical media is that even if that licence is revoked for whatever reason, you can disconnect your machine or console from the internet, put the disc in and probably still play some version of said game.

That’s a little harder when the game is completely digital. While it hasn’t really happened, barring a few online games, it’s entirely possible for a rights holder to remove the licences from digital games you’ve paid money for. That’s precisely what’s happening with EA’s mobile Tetris games. The stakes are obviously lower, because they were free or $1.99 games, but users of the company’s mobile versions of Tetris and Tetris blitz will lose access to the games completely in April.

“Hello Fans, We have had an amazing journey with you so far but sadly, it is time to say goodbye,” says a statement on the game’s page on the App Store and Google Play (via GI.biz). “As of April 21, 2020, Tetris will be retired, and will no longer be available to play. Kindly note that you will still be able to enjoy the game and use any existing in-game items until April 21, 2020. We hope you have gotten many hours of enjoyment out of this game and we appreciate your ongoing support. Thank you!”

It’s a stark reminder that we don’t own our digital games, and that they could at some point just vanish. While it’s easy to point the finger at EA here, it’s likely that they have no choice. They no longer have the licence to make and distribute mobile Tetris games, with The Tetris Company giving that honor to N3twork, developer of the Tetris Battle Royale game (that’s not Nintendo’s Tetris 99) Tetris Royale.

Last Updated: January 23, 2020

14 Comments

  1. Raptor Rants

    January 23, 2020 at 14:52

    And this is why I say that rules around this need to change.

    That’s like paying for a car through a dealership and having someone collect it years later because “They aren’t licenced for the vehicle anymore”

    Or buying a Blu-Ray of Star Wars Rise Of Skywalker and having Mickey Mouse bash down your door a few years down the line, clothe line you and take all your Star Wars movies off your shelf

    Reply

    • Dresden

      January 23, 2020 at 15:15

      To be fair, they’ll be doing you a favour taking it away.

      Reply

      • Raptor Rants

        January 23, 2020 at 15:22

        I shall have you know that I actually rather enjoyed Rise of Skywalker.

        It was fun. It was full of just Star Wars pew pew and lightsabers. It made me feel like a kid again. And that’s pretty darn cool if you ask me

        Reply

        • Dresden

          January 23, 2020 at 15:22

          The only Star Wars movie that I’ve seen in the past 10 or 15 years is Rogue One and that Solo spin off. And I loved Rogue One!

          I’m just messing around because of all the flak the new trilogy gets.

          Reply

        • Dresden

          January 23, 2020 at 15:22

          The only Star Wars movie that I’ve seen in the past 10 or 15 years is Rogue One and that Solo spin off. And I loved Rogue One!

          I’m just messing around because of all the flak the new trilogy gets.

          Reply

          • Raptor Rants

            January 23, 2020 at 15:22

            Oh Rogue one was just a masterpiece. I think that’s pretty much the only thing fans can agree on lately. Lol

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          January 23, 2020 at 15:22

          This guy knows what’s up.

          Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      January 23, 2020 at 15:15

      There are already companies out there actively working to prevent people from being able to repair things they’ve bought from those companies themselves, and force them to go back to them for repairs. John Deere and their tractors for one, plenty of others, all thanks to abuse of DRM.

      Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      January 23, 2020 at 15:27

      I have zero sympathy for people that support EA. Not trying to be callous but how many times are people gonna support them without waking up.

      Reply

      • Raptor Rants

        January 23, 2020 at 15:27

        Sssshhh don’t say that. I bought Fallen Order OK!?

        It was really good though. But I also got it at like, next to nothing than. 180 bokkies!

        Reply

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