The author of The Tetris Effect: The Game that Hypnotised the World sues Apple and The Tetris Company for adapting his work without permission

Dan Ackerman, an American journalist and writer, as well as the author of the book "The Tetris Effect: The Game that Hypnotised the World", which was published in 2016, filed a lawsuit against Apple and The Tetris Company, accusing them of using his work to create a film without permission.

Here's What We Know

According to Ackerman, before publishing his book, he sent a preliminary copy of his creation to The Tetris Company. According to The Guardian, the company refused to license its intellectual property to projects related to his book. The Tetris Comp. also denied producers the opportunity to adapt his book into a film and sent Ackerman a "harsh rejection letter".

The author claims that Maya Rogers, the CEO of The Tetris Company, and screenwriter Noah Pink began writing the screenplay for the Tetris film in 2017, using his book as a basis. While Tetris is based on the true story of the struggle to license and patent the game in the USSR, it takes some creative liberties to create a more engaging story. Meanwhile, Ackerman's book offers the story as a "cold war thriller with political intrigue," as stated in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit accuses Apple and The Tetris Company of unfair competition, copyright infringement, and unlawful interference with Ackerman's business relations. It also seeks compensatory damages amounting to at least 6% of the film's $80 million budget (at least $4.8 million).

Sources: VGC, The Guardian