Prompt Cast
Hank Rogers' Journey to Spread Tetris Worldwide
TLDR Hank Rogers risked time, money, and a trip behind the Iron Curtain to spread Tetris globally, overcoming obstacles from Soviet bureaucrats, powerful companies, and skeptical executives. Through perseverance and strategic deals, Rogers secured the rights to Tetris, leading to its massive success and his eventual dedication to environmental causes.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Hank Rogers risked time, money, and a trip behind the Iron Curtain to spread the game Tetris around the world, facing obstacles from Soviet bureaucrats, powerful companies, and skeptical executives.
06:12
Hank Rogers created text-based games and started a software company in Japan, eventually launching the successful role-playing game "The Black Onyx."
12:23
Hank Rogers became the number one game in Japan in 1984 with "The Black Onyx" and later struck a deal with Nintendo to publish a Go game after being turned down by Nintendo for their own development.
18:24
Hank Rogers established a relationship with Nintendo by playing Go with the company's top executive, which eventually led to him discovering Tetris and bringing it to Japan.
24:16
Hank Rogers tried to secure the rights to Tetris for Japan, but the deal fell through when the rights were unexpectedly given to Atari Games by Mirosoft.
30:09
Hank Rogers secured the personal computer rights for Tetris in Japan, but then reached out to Atari Games to obtain the console rights for Nintendo, eventually making a deal for $300,000.
36:07
Hank Rogers secured a deal with Nintendo to include Tetris with every Game Boy, convincing them that it would appeal to a wider audience than Mario, leading to a million dollar upfront payment.
42:10
Hank Rogers traveled to Moscow in 1989 to secure the rights to Tetris for the Game Boy from the Soviet organization ELorg, facing initial resistance due to lack of credentials.
48:05
Hank Rogers faced an interrogation in Moscow by eight people, including Tetris inventor Alexey Pashitnov, before securing the rights to publish Tetris on the Game Boy.
54:08
Hank Rogers made a deal with the Russian officials to secure the rights to Tetris on the Game Boy by offering to pay them 25 cents for every unit sold, resulting in a significant financial success for both parties.
01:00:25
Henk Rogers secured the rights to Tetris by forming the Tetris company with the former Soviet ministry of import and export of software, dividing the ownership 50-50, and eventually buying out the other party to own Tetris completely.
01:06:30
Henk Rogers survived a life-threatening health scare and decided to dedicate his life to environmental causes, including ending the use of carbon-based fuel, working towards world peace, exploring other planets for life, and understanding the end of the universe.
Categories:
Business
