THQ lands 360 Tetris rights

Legal settlement gives publisher rights to bring classic puzzle game to next-gen console.

When the Xbox 360 debuted in Japan, it did so with its own iteration of Tetris. But while Japanese 360 players have been able to blissfully arrange falling blocks for months, American owners of the console have had to get their puzzle fix by pushing colored jewels around playfields on Xbox 360 Marketplace titles.

That's likely to change soon, as THQ, publisher of the Tetris Worlds series of games, has obtained the rights to publish an Xbox 360 Tetris game in North America and other territories, excluding Japan, according to the company's financial filings. THQ hasn't published a console Tetris game since releasing an online-enabled version of Tetris Worlds for the original Xbox in June of 2003.

The agreement between THQ and The Tetris Company, the rights holders to the popular series, actually came out of a legal dispute between the two. In 2005, THQ sued The Tetris Company, accusing it of breaking its deals with the publisher and preventing the planned release of a THQ Tetris game for the Nintendo DS. The publisher claimed it had met all the requirements of its deal with Tetris to have their licensing agreement renewed until 2007.

The two sides came to a settlement late last year, with the Xbox 360 licensing agreement being the only part of it made public. DS owners likely know already what became of the series' DS debut. Nintendo wound up with the rights to publish a DS Tetris game, which it did earlier this year.

This is not the first time Nintendo's version of the puzzle game made it to market while another publisher's own Tetris was tossed. In 1989, Atari subsidiary Tengen released a multiplayer version of Tetris for the original Nintendo Entertainment System, while Nintendo released its own single-player version of the game.

According to Leonard Herman's Phoenix: The Rise & Fall of Video Games, Nintendo discovered that Tengen unknowingly licensed only the computer rights to the game. Shortly thereafter, the console manufacturer made its own deal for console and handheld rights to the game, and Tengen was forced to recall its version of Tetris. According to Herman, the publisher destroyed 268,000 copies of the game.

47 Comments

  • MrHomind

    Posted Jun 11, 2006 2:07 pm PT

    where's it say 60 bucks

  • GS_darkplayer

    Posted Jun 9, 2006 6:41 pm PT

    Mike_mgoblue. In you logic. Rockstar have shoould relased table teness on XBLA. I don't think it going to a XBLA game. Becoues it too big to be a XBLA. and STREET FIGHTER 2 is not as big then it was oringaly come out.

  • CrazedColombian

    Posted Jun 9, 2006 1:01 pm PT

    hope its not 60 bucks haha

  • mike_mgoblue

    Posted Jun 9, 2006 11:32 am PT

    $40 is even way too much for Tetris as a game on DVD. I think it would be better to release the game as an Xbox Live Arcade game. The fundamental gameplay is the same as the 8-bit Nintendo versions that were only 2MB in size. I already own Tetris Worlds on the Xbox, and that game is fully compatible with the Xbox 360 thanks to backwards compatibility. When you consider that Hexic works on Xbox Live in an awesome way, I think that Tetris would, too. Even some of the staff members of Gears of War said in interviews that Tetris would be a great game to have on Xbox Live Arcade. Being able to listen to the songs on your hard drive would be great, and playing against others online is all something that can be done on Xbox Live Arcade.

  • Mutare

    Posted Jun 9, 2006 8:43 am PT

    MIcrosoft just couldn't keep their grubby fingers off this license as well. *rolls eyes*

  • PlatinumZelos

    Posted Jun 9, 2006 12:52 am PT

    I hope this is orginal Tetris. All these stupid companies have ruined Tetris. This sould be orginal Tetris with no added crap. Maybe just add some color and some cool effects.

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Jun 9, 2006 12:40 am PT

    Oh wow, another version of Tetris to go along with the 60 thousand other versions out already.

  • supercrap1

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 8:58 pm PT

    Tengen Tetris>all other versions. I hope THQ can AT LEAST do better than Tetris Worlds...

  • revelations

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 6:31 pm PT

    The ones they destroyed......those would be worth soooooo much money.

  • jasonmacrillo

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 6:06 pm PT

    play it on a nintendo system and have more fun

  • ONI5

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 6:02 pm PT

    If this isn't a XBLA game then THQ needs to be smacked. If they put it out for more than $20 then THQ needs to be smacked. This better install on the hard drive cause there is no justification of a $60 Tetris on the 360.

  • bill379

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 5:12 pm PT

    Who said it would be $60 dollars?!? Even if it doesn't come out on XLA, the full game will probably be $20 to $30. Online Tetris is cool, but I'm still not that interested...

  • Sydwynder

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 4:45 pm PT

    I would never buy Tetris on 360 for 60 bucks.......NEVER. MAYBE 7 or 8 bucks over Live on Arcade.......but not a penny more

  • buniao3

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 4:08 pm PT

    Tetris on the 360. What a waste of technology.

  • masskilla334

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 3:07 pm PT

    hahahahhaaaa 60 for tetris hell no!

  • nintendoismypal

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 2:53 pm PT

    solid snake 7 how am i being a fanboy i just said im not buying it for 60$

  • GoddBless

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 2:26 pm PT

    It better be on XBLA!!!

  • SteveTwo

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 2:04 pm PT

    Tetris DS is great, only downside, not enough classic Tetris tunes mixed in. Just the one I think...

  • GS_darkplayer

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 2:03 pm PT

    Poeple rockstar made a game called Table tennies and it $40 dollers. And i think it going to be the same thing to. It not a arcade game nor it a full game. It a small game but bigger then a XBLA. heck they chould have 25 players play at onces. And have a scoer board with a click of a buttion. Like say the the X buttion. And then have the A or B change the pices around. And having 25+ players over live will be a graet thing. And that the fact.

  • Benny_is_here

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 1:54 pm PT

    It better be free, or real cheap. You can get a great Tetris game for your cell phone real cheap, and I believe you can download it free on PC (legally). Of course it'll be an Arcade game, or noone would buy it! It's Tetris!

  • princeofgames90

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 1:41 pm PT

    wtf and ho wants tetres if you can get call of duty 2 or dream fall or elder scrool or any col graphics game dam this game i mean seriusly does any one still playes it

  • dukerav

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 1:38 pm PT

    I would rather see this on XLA since Tetris seems like a perfect fit.

  • UnrealDan

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 1:32 pm PT

    Dude you don't need Xbox Live Gold to download marketplace games. Silver is free. Either way they probably will not release it on XLA since the japanese 360 tetris they are referring to isn't an arcade game. It will probably be 20 or 30 bucks at a store.

  • danny_s1

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 1:05 pm PT

    Lumines and Tetris???? Man, M$ is totally investing in retro for XBOX Live, and it's good, it's good!

  • mylsd

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:51 pm PT

    yuck, THQ made the worst version of that game, almost disgraceful

  • JoePiervincenti

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:47 pm PT

    It hopefully will just be an Xbox Live Arcade game!

  • tomamagic

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:47 pm PT

    Next gen tetris?? Talk about milking a series . . .lets hope it has lots of modes of play then.

  • crash112492

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:41 pm PT

    ok.......

  • Aquatics_64

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:38 pm PT

    How would that work? 3D Tetris with an orchestrak soundtrack, improved textures and lighting effects? I think not.

  • xoverkillx

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:36 pm PT

    Nice

  • juanfraino

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:29 pm PT

    it would work in the form of Live Arcade for 5$, but nobody gonna go with 60$ for tetris.

  • blackIceJoe

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:29 pm PT

    Tetris is a fun game but most games never get the feel any more like the old one's.

    Maybe if it is just a Tetris game with nice music and a cool background it would be cool.
    I do not think there is much they could add to a Tetris game but would be cool to see what they can.

  • demollyon

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:22 pm PT

    K1llswitch you are a fanboy. You can purchase a MP card and its ok, withoud credit cards or anything, You FAIL!

  • KamaKase

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:22 pm PT

    ....better have the proper theme tune.

  • Legir

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:17 pm PT

    Nintendo is so cruel.

  • Intrakitt

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:13 pm PT

    They would never release Tetris for $60...that's ridiculous. Rockstar even released Table Tennis for $40.

  • K1LLSWITCH

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:07 pm PT

    Tetris, this time around, isn't worth the money, nor the players time. If the game is sold seperately, it'll cost the gamer $60. If it's on Xbox Live Arcade, you need a credit or debit card, and a $70 subscription for Xbox Live for the year, on top of the cost of the game itself. Xbox Live Arcade is basically good for the older games, until better and worth while games come out. No thanx, I can find that game just about anywhere for a cheaper price.

  • Magikdragon

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:06 pm PT

    I want some TETRIS on XBL ARCADE! NOW! and with some Multiplayer!

  • paullywog

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:06 pm PT

    To those saying it's $60 you are retarded. Theres something called xbox live arcade. It will cost probably $5-$15.

  • Solid_Snake_7

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:05 pm PT

    nintendoismypal: who said it would cost $60? Dude, you gotta open your mind a little bit. Stop being a fanboy.

  • Flat_Line_____

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:05 pm PT

    Yeah if they even think about releasing this as a "FULL" 60$ game instead of on marketplace for points I think it will be a mistake. I don't care how many times they try to rehash this old game it is still basically a classic game now and should be priced as such.

  • BIGDeVriendt

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:05 pm PT

    TETRIS DS owns my life now

  • bossjimbob

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 12:04 pm PT

    I hope it's a Live Arcade game for $5...$10 at the most.

  • FreakmanJ

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 11:57 am PT

    Too bad. THQ has been ruining Tetris for years, while Tetris DS is awesome. Unless they release it over Live Arcade, I won't be buying any 360 Tetris.

  • nintendoismypal

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 11:55 am PT

    tetris for 60$? no thanx

  • chromium42

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 11:48 am PT

    Woohoo! Can't wait to get some teris action on!

  • Dark_Link657

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 11:47 am PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

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