Alexei Pazhitnov created the game in june 1985, inspired by a pentagon game. He called it Tetris (Tetra= 4 in greek). He used an Elektronika 60 of Moscow's science Academy. Vadim Gerasow converted it to the IBM and it began to travel in the eastern block. In 1986 it reached Budapest and Hungarian programmers convert it to the Commodore 64.
This versions is seen by Robert Stein, who want to sell it in the west. He sells the right to Spectrum Holobyte/Mirrorsoft owned by Robert Maxwell, without buying them from Pazhitnov. This version is a major hit in 1987, partly because its visuals are inspire by Russian Themes. A year later the word comes out that not the Hungarians invented it, as Stein Claimed, but Pazhitnov.
After long negotiations there is a deal for the right of computer versions. Atari makes a versions for the NES under its Tengen-label. Atari bought these rights from Mirrorsoft, while Bullet Proof bought them from Spectrum Holobyte, Mirrorsoft's American franchise. Atari and Bullet proof get in a legal battle.
In the mean time the Gameboy is in development and Nintendo president Manoru Arakawa want to bundle it with Tetris. He sends Henk Rogers to negotiate with Stein, but he is not succesful. He flies to Moscow to negotiate with Pazhitnov. Stein realises he hasn't got the Handheld rights and flies to Moscow as well. Finally, Robert Maxwell's son flies to Moscow for the rights to secure them for Mirrorsoft.
Rogers get the Gameboy rights for Nintendo shows the Atari version for the NES¬Ýto Pazhitnov and his agent Belikov. Belikov is furious. Rogers sees the opportunity to get all console rights. He succeeds, but knows that he will see Atari in court. Stein and Maxwell jr. get the Arcade right and the rights to make an offer for the remaining right respectively.
In the meantime Atari has to stop producing Tetris. They are not happy and claim copyright on the music and the conversion programming. Maxwell tries to use Gorbatchev to recover the rights. Atari sues Nintendo and starts to advertise in the United States for Tetris.
In june 1989 it comes in court. The case is focussed on the question if the NES is a computer. Atari argues it is, but Nintendo says the fact that it is stated specifically in the Stein-contract that there are computerrights means that that console rights aren't included. And Mirrorsoft sold the computer right while it hadn't secured them.
Nintendo wins and launches its version for the NES and Gameboy in Juli. America is Tetrified, the Gameboy a mega-success and Atari never recovers.