White House removes copyrighted arcade games after industry backlash

The White House has taken down “Arcade”, a collection of browser games that used copyrighted video‑game titles to promote President Trump’s policies.

Arcade, launched in early September, featured simplified versions of popular games such as Flappy Bird, Snake and Tetris, re‑worked to convey political messages on immigration, socialism and other issues. New additions included a Temple Run‑style game called “Red Scare”, which depicted players navigating a “ration market” while evading the Democratic Socialists of America, and a matching game warning of a socialist threat.

The games were criticised for being overt propaganda and for infringing intellectual property. The Tetris Company responded on social media, stating it “took copyright infringement very seriously”. Following the warning, the White House removed the games from its official website.

A March 2026 statement from the Pokémon Company also condemned the use of its characters in an ICE‑related propaganda game, though other major video‑game firms have remained largely silent.

The incident has sparked discussion about the use of digital media for political messaging and the responsibilities of government sites in respecting copyright.

Source: The Guardian. Photo: Simon Trappe / Pexels.