Alexey Pajitnov

Alexey Pajitnov

. Now many of you know my father Windows - Bill Gates, but few people who heard about the creator of Tetris - the legendary Alexey Pajitnov.

. Russia's most legendary game programmer - is, of course, Alexey Pajitnov, author of 'Tetris'
. Legend has it that an ordinary Russia programmer created a brilliant game, which went around the world, multiplied millions of copies, but not brought to its creator a dime. Can not say that this is not true. Indeed: and 'Tetris' won unprecedented popularity, and Pajitnov not been paid his full income. But the history of the spread 'Tetris' is full of nuances, of which little is known:

Employee Nauk SSSR Alexey Pajitnov from time to time does the writing simple toys. As often happens, 'Tetris' born not of a good life - Alexei occurred to program the classic puzzle 'Pentamino' so that the figure fell, turning around the center of gravity. However, the power 'Electronics-60' for these calculations was not enough, and it was decided to simplify the task - a truncation at Pentamino fifth element. Thus was born 'Tetris' - program written in two weeks on the Russian folk programming language Pascal.

Sixteen year old student, Vadim Gerasimov ported toy on IBM PC, and then on the 'Tetris' to learn the entire capital, and then the country. A year later, 'Tetris', with the brothers on the socialist camp from Budapest, appears on the platforms, the Apple II and Commodore 64. Around the same time, the program goes to the British businessman Robert Stein, a Hungarian national, who occasionally dropped in to their historic homeland, to see if anything is not navayali great Hungarian Encoders. Stein delighted with the toys and, without thinking twice, selling part of the rights to 'Tetris' company Mirrorsoft, owned by British media tycoon Robert Maxwell. How exactly this happened - not at all clear 1. But the fact that Stein had come to negotiate the purchase of rights from the real owners after a few months after the conclusion of the deal - a historical fact.

. Russian, as is, 'do not give up', refusing to sell Stein rights to 'Tetris' on his terms
. Meanwhile, two companies of the Maxwell - Mirrorsoft British and American Spectrum Holobyte - released their version of 'Tetris', under the string laden Soviet flavor.

. It is possible that on Pajitnov so nobody would know, if not tricky journalists CBS, reporting around the world the real author of popular game
. After the screening interview with Pajitnov position Stein shaken - it is clear that his trip to Moscow and unsuccessful attempts to negotiate with Soviet organizations, he did not advertise. How not to advertise, to put it mildly, questionable origin of their rights to this game.

While the court case yes, Mirrorsoft sells a license to build the console versions of 'Tetris' company Bullet-Proof Software, collaborating with Nintendo. A short time Bullet-Proof Software can sell two million cartridges for the Famicom console. In Russia, of course, for this particular should not - who cares about the Japanese game console. Meanwhile, the situation heated up. Nintendo plans to market a GameBoy, but it is not clear whether a Bullet-Proof Software to create versions of 'Tetris' for the handheld gaming devices. Stein, who seems quite confused as to which rights belong to him, and what does not - refuse Bullet-Proof Software without comments. Chapter Bullet-Proof Software Henk Rogers (Henk Rogers) appeared in Moscow to find out what is happening, and as it turns out, inform the officials of the union 'Elektronorgtehnika' about the success of the company. Demonstration Famicom cartridge makes bombshell - no one has the right to publish the console versions of 'Tetris' is not and can not be.

. At this point, Stein has a right to the PC version (obtained from the Soviet side), and he is trying to buy more and no less right to grace the market game consoles and arcade machines
. In Moscow, is the son of Robert Maxwell - Kevin, for which the complicated story, too, was news. The result of almost a detective intrigue is signed 'Elektronorgtehnikoy' contract with Nintendo for several million dollars. Stein and Maxwell had to be satisfied with crumbs from the table. But, . crumbs, . presumably, . accumulated enough: according to conservative estimates, . has sold more than 30 million GameBoy, . and the number of sold 'tetris' - including the PC version and specialized handheld gaming devices - calculated, . probably, . hundreds of millions.,

. Alexey Pajitnov, as mentioned above, has not received any fees from the sale of 'tetris'
. However, quite without remuneration, he did not remain. The state, according to rumors, gave him a 286-first computer and provided a flat. In 1988, with the support of Rogers, he organizes a company AnimaTek, and in 1991, with her moves in the U.S.. Despite the relative obscurity of this company, many players are faced with the results of her studies: development AnimaTek applied, for example, to a certain strategy Age of Empires from Microsoft. Rogers, meanwhile, is almost completely switched over to receive the proceeds of 'Tetris', first organizing the company Blue Planet Software, and then - the company Tetris.

. In 1996, Alex joined Microsoft, where under his leadership was released a set of puzzles Pandora's Box, has received several prestigious awards
. Immediately programming Pajitnov no longer engaged.