Immersive Gamebox, a leading immersive gaming company with 30 locations globally, will launch its latest group gaming experience, Tetris® 1991, with an appearance by 13-year-old Willis Gibson, the first person to beat Tetris®, at its location in Grandscape in The Colony, Texas.
Willis and his mother will play the first game of Tetris® 1991, just weeks after Willis gained international acclaim for achieving a world record by “beating” the Nintendo Entertainment System version of Tetris®. A viral video viewed by millions of people globally shows Willis, who goes by the gamer tag Blue Scuti, in tears and shock after he cleared 1,511 lines in just 38 minutes, a record previously completed only by artificial intelligence. The event, set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, will also feature a birthday party for Willis, who is turning 14, with Tetris®-themed cupcakes and Tetris®-colored balloons. The public is invited to the party, and to watch Willis as he plays the game for the first time.
“My mom has always been supportive of my love for Tetris® and I wouldn’t have been able to achieve the record without her,” Willis said. “Being able to be part of a group gaming experience inspired by Tetrix with her and my big sisters is going to be fun and new for all of us.”
Tetris® 1991 joins Immersive Gamebox's extensive library of licensed and original intellectual property games, further enriching its immersive gaming offerings. This includes versions of popular titles such as Squid Game, PAW Patrol, Shaun The Sheep and Angry Birds.
Founder and CEO Will Dean wants Immersive Gamebox to be a collaborative experience, rather than the sometimes isolated experience of gameplay at home.
“Immersive Gamebox’s mission is to build stronger communities and social bonds through gaming,” Dean said. “That’s why all our games are built to be collaborative and connection building – a far cry from the isolating and often violent games currently offered by the industry.”
“Four decades after it was first launched, Tetris® remains popular among adults and young people alike,” he continued. “Our immersive gaming version plays on the well-loved classic and promises to offer nostalgia for those around in the ’90s and pure excitement for those with the pleasure of experiencing it for the first time at one of our Immersive Gamebox locations.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Immersive Gamebox to provide players of all ages an opportunity to experience the Tetris® brand in an exciting new format,” said Tetris CEO Maya Rogers. “As we celebrate the 40th anniversary this year, Tetris® 1991 offers our fans a unique way to physically engage with the brand and have fun with family and friends at the same time.”
The immersive group gaming adaptation of the beloved classic will be available to play in 30 Immersive Gamebox sites around the world beginning Jan. 27. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit immersivegamebox.com.
EVENT INFORMATION
What: Tetris® 1991 gameplay begins with an appearance by Willis Gibson, the 13-year-old who beat Tetris® for the first time. The event will also feature a birthday party for Willis with Tetris®-themed cupcakes and Tetris®-colored balloons.
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27
Where: Immersive Gamebox, 5752 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony
Cost: The event is free to attend. If you want to play, tickets are $34.99 for adults, $29.99 for kids 5-11, college students and military with ID. Reservations should be made in advance.
Information: immersivegamebox.com
About Immersive Gamebox
Immersive Gamebox is an immersive group gaming company founded by Will Dean (founder of Tough Mudder) and David Spindler. Over 1 milliion gamers in 27 cities across the U.S., UK, Germany and the United Arab Emirates have experienced Immersive Gamebox since it launched in 2018. Its digital and augmented reality games are designed by its in-house studio in collaboration with creators at the likes of Netflix, Columbia Pictures and Paramount. Its augmented reality games include Ghostbusters, Paw Patrol, Shaun the Sheep and Squid Games. Immersive Gamebox has raised over £50m from investors including Index Ventures, Project A Ventures, Philian, Brookfield Asset Management and ActivumSG, alongside notable Angel Investors. Its team of 40 is located in offices in London and Dallas.
About the Tetris® Brand
The Tetris® brand is one of the leading and most distinctive video game brands and franchises in the world. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024, the brand continues to be loved globally by people of all ages and all cultures. Billions of Tetris games are played online every year, and over 520 million units have been sold worldwide. The Tetris brand’s global licensee network includes major video game publishers, including Nintendo and Sega, as well as many partners in electronics, toys and games, apparel, accessories, entertainment and more. Tetris Holding, LLC, is the owner of Tetris rights worldwide, and The Tetris Company, Inc. is its exclusive licensee. For the latest information about the Tetris brand and Tetris products, please visit: www.tetris.com.
Become a fan of Tetris on Facebook (@Tetris) and follow Tetris on Twitter (@Tetris_Official) and Instagram (@Tetris_Official). Learn more about the history of the game by watching the Apple Original Film Tetris now streaming on Apple TV+.