Inside the Legacy of Tetris: Roger Dean, Henk Rogers, and the Iconic Tetris Logo

The world of gaming owes much to the iconic puzzle title Tetris, whose legacy continues to influence the industry across generations and platforms, including the Nintendo Switch.

Behind this global phenomenon stand influential figures such as The Tetris Company’s co-founder Henk Rogers, original game creator Alexey Pajitnov, and visionary artist Roger Dean—the designer whose distinctly recognizable Tetris logo has graced boxes and screens worldwide. Roger Dean’s artistic achievements extend well beyond the gaming realm.

Famous for his surrealistic artwork featured on album covers and gallery walls, Dean’s influence is particularly notable among enthusiasts of retro video games.

His creative vision shaped the covers of several classic Psygnosis-published titles like Shadow of the Beast (1989), Barbarian (1987), and Brataccas (1986).

He also crafted the legendary Psygnosis 'owl' logo, which remains one of the most distinctive marks in video game history. Yet, for countless gamers, Dean’s lasting contribution is his design of the universally recognized Tetris logo.

His collaboration with Henk Rogers stretches back decades; notably, Dean also illustrated a cover for Rogers’ influential role-playing game, The Black Onyx.

Through such creative partnerships, the identity of Tetris was established—paving the way for the game’s enduring popularity and cultural impact. Recently, Roger Dean, Henk Rogers, and Alexey Pajitnov reconnected in a candid discussion that examined the lasting legacy of Tetris and addressed the recent Hollywood adaptation, "Tetris," which premiered on Apple TV in 2023.

The film dramatizes the legal battles and behind-the-scenes negotiations that shaped the international rights to the puzzle game.

During the discussion, Henk Rogers commented on Hollywood’s interpretation of real events, saying that much of the film embraced creative storytelling.

"It’s about 75 percent Hollywood," Rogers explained, noting that while he and others reviewed the script numerous times, many elements of fiction remained.

He likened the situation to looking at a photograph of something beautiful compared to seeing it in reality, concluding that "the real thing is always more beautiful than the picture." Tetris, originally created in 1984 by Alexey Pajitnov, stands among the best-selling games of all time, surpassing 100 million copies on mobile alone and featuring prominently on Nintendo platforms, including the Game Boy and Nintendo Switch.

The game's success is a testament to the collaborative innovation of The Tetris Company, Rogers, Pajitnov, and Dean, whose combined efforts have cemented Tetris as a cultural and commercial phenomenon. As Nintendo continues to highlight classics on its Nintendo Switch Online service and the eShop, the story behind Tetris and its iconic visual design serves as an enduring inspiration for the game development community and fans worldwide.

Tetris Henk Rogers Inside Tetris Company Roger Dean The Tetris Company Alexey Pajitnov Psygnosis Nintendo The Black Onyx