EA is ditching all Tetris games for iOS in April [Updated]

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Tetris
But it's not the end of Tetris on iOS.
Photo: The Tetris Company

EA this week confirmed it is retiring its collection of Tetris games for iOS.

Tetris Premium, Tetris 2011 and Tetris Blitz all disappear from the App Store on April 21, 2020. Fans will no longer be able to play the games after this date — even if they already have them installed.

Tetris is one of the most iconic puzzle games of all time. It’s also one of the most successful video game franchises, with a whopping 170 million copies of the game sold since it debuted in 1984.

You can enjoy a Tetris game on almost any platform, but it’s going to get harder for fans on iOS. All official Tetris games are disappearing.

Tetris for iOS to be booted by EA

“We have had an amazing journey with you so far but sadly, it is time to say goodbye,” reads a notice added to the App Store descriptions for all of EA’s officially-licensed Tetris titles.

“As of April 21, 2020, EA’s Tetris apps 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,” EA continues.

No longer playable

Unlike most other iOS games, which you can continue to play after a developer drops support — so long as you download them before they disappear — Tetris will stop working after April 21.

All three games require an internet connection to be played. And it sounds like the titles will no longer connect, and therefore will no longer be playable, once EA has retired them.

The announcement has upset some Tetris fans — particularly those who coughed up real cash to purchase Tetris Premium, the only game in the lineup that isn’t free-to-play.

What next for Tetris on iOS?

A developer usually drops support for a title when it no longer sees enough interest. It doesn’t pay to invest in a game if only a handful of people actually play it — even if you have the resources EA has.

But in this case, there’s another reason for the decision. Casey Pelkey, vice president and general manager of Blue Planet Software, the sole agent for the Tetris brand, told Cult of Mac:

Last year, The Tetris Company, Inc. and N3TWORK announced a multi-year agreement where N3TWORK will be the exclusive developer and publisher of new Tetris® games for mobile devices worldwide, excluding China.

EA’s announcement that it will retire its Tetris®, Tetris® Premium and Tetris® Blitz games as of April 21 is a result of this agreement.

The Tetris brand continuously aims to bring fans game experiences that are fresh, innovative and fun. We are excited about these new changes for Tetris on mobile and plan to share more news with fans very soon.

The Tetris Company confirmed last June a brand-new game called Tetris Royale. Inspired by Tetris 99 on Nintendo Switch, the game will see players competing against other fans in multiplayer battles.

We’re still waiting for an official Tetris Royale release date.

Story updated at 11:55 a.m. PT to include comment from Blue Planet Software.

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