Skip to Content

Developer to pull Tris from App Store tomorrow

by Robert Palmer Aug 26th 2008 at 12:30PM

Tris Developer Noah Witherspoon has conceded to removing his app from the App Store after pressure from the owner of the copyright for Tetris. Tetris offers its own app for $9.99, while Tris is free.

Macworld reviewed both games, and found the official version, developed by EA, lacking. It takes about 30 seconds to load, and you can't listen to your own music while playing. Tris [app store link] isn't perfect either, rotating pieces the wrong way, and doesn't offer "ghosting": seeing where pieces will land before they drop (which always seemed like cheating to me).

The Tetris Company is well known for aggressively enforcing its copyright on the game. Tetris clone Quinn, for example, goes to great lengths to distance itself from Tetris: it doesn't even mention the word except for a small disclaimer at the bottom of the screen.

Witherspoon understands that The Tetris Company is entitled to enforce its copyrights, but said on his blog "the approach they're taking seems to me little more than bullying." Witherspoon is a student, and admits he lacks the means to pursue the case through the courts.

Witherspoon will pull Tris from the App Store on Wednesday. He wants to offer the app at some point in the future, but is evaluating his options.

[Via MacNN.]



View Tags

Related Stories

Categories

App Store

Tris Developer Noah Witherspoon has conceded to removing his app from the App Store after pressure from the owner of the copyright for...
 

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

36 Comments

Filter by:
al

Well, I downloaded tris before it was pulled (though I can't manage to back it up on my computer, I don't know what that's about...) and the app is really disappointing.

I'm used to playing Tetris for the Nintendo DS and this is horrible compared to proper Tetris. The movements keep getting screwed up and its extremely hard to do the subtle, game winning moves that you can do in proper tetris.

This app is cool for Tetris novices, perhaps, but anyone seriously interested in Tetris on a mobile platfrom will probably agree that the iPhone is not the place to play Tetris. The DS is.

August 30 2008 at 2:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mtfootfun

Now Tetris is $7.99 instead of $9.99. I want $2 back...

August 28 2008 at 12:43 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joseph

Damn!

It has already been removed from the AppStore.

August 27 2008 at 2:39 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Unregistered

I downloaded this not because I will be playing it often but because I want to show my support for Noah, and diss EA.

Thanks Noah.

August 26 2008 at 10:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Marcos

I gotta say that the Tris guy doesn't exactly break my heart. Very talented programmer but not talented enough to do something outsde of a clone. Come up with an original idea, please. No need to cry to the owners of the original.

August 26 2008 at 10:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Catt

Too bad
I just discovered this program in the app store yesterday and downloaded because it was free I had not intention to pay $10 for Tetris. I was looking forward to some updates. What a shame.

August 26 2008 at 8:42 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dustin Diaz

This happened to me when I built Tetris in plain 'ol JavaScript. I refused to take it down, but they eventually contacted my web host, and they took it down :(

August 26 2008 at 6:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kev Orng

They should protect their own copyright, but really, selling Tetris for $10? There are free games in the app store with more advanced gameplay than tetris.

Tetris is a time waster, for when you don't feel like getting too involved in something else. I've got plenty of those to choose from for free.

Look at the gameplay in Toy Bot Diaries ($4). way more advanced than Tetris, and $6 less.

Tetris is a $2 game at most. And that's being very kind.



August 26 2008 at 3:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dlem28

Maybe, just maybe, EA shouldn't be selling a game from 1985 for $10. This is another reason to hate corporate America. We should bring it all down Tyler Durden style. How much money has been made off of Tetris already? AND it isn't like the kid is making any profit from it, IT'S FREE.

August 26 2008 at 3:08 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andrew Greenberg

i already own it. will it not work after tomorrow?

August 26 2008 at 2:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Buy an ad here

Hot Apps on TUAW

Tweets

© 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.