This is how a Serbian gaming studio made a brand-new Tetris game!

Playstudios Europe is part of the international game dev story that originated in Las Vegas, and their only representative office in Europe is in our capital. By now you may be familiar with titles such as POP! Slots and MGM Slots Live, which this studio developed but, since recently, the portfolio of their games includes perhaps the most famous title in the history of gaming – Tetris!

This year marks the 40th birthday of the original Tetris. On this occasion, Playstudios launched a casual game for mobile phones, Tetris Block Puzzle. In forty years, a lot has changed – from the devices we play games on, to the gaming dynamics we prefer. That’s why Tetris Block Puzzle is not a remastered version of the original (although Playstudios launched a revamp of the traditional Tetris mobile application on the App and Play Store on the same day) but a spin-off. If the hectic pressing of buttons drained your annual supply of adrenaline, this will not be the case in the new title: here players are not in a race against time. You might even get to relax!

We know that you are most interested in hearing the behind-the-scenes story sincee you can deconstruct the game yourself. That’s why we have decided to chat with Vukašin Marković, the Product Manager of Tetris Block Puzzle, and Tahir Slezović, the Technical Lead. So – tah-daaah!

SGA: What did it mean for Playstudios Europe to be given the exclusive rights to develop this iconic video game franchise?

Tahir and Vukašin: For us, it represents an extraordinary honor and responsibility, recognition of our expertise and innovation in the gaming industry. This opportunity allows us to work with a legacy that has defined generations of players while bringing freshness and modernity to the game. Our goal is to provide players with an authentic experience that will remind them why they fell in love with Tetris, while also delighting them with new mechanics.

SGA: Since this is a game whose design has become monumental, how challenging was it to introduce novel functions and adapt the game to our times and modern devices?

Tahir: From the technical side, it was quite challenging because for almost every feature we were developing, we had several iterations and several versions, so we had to come up with an efficient way to organize the architecture of the game itself. And we, the developers, are creditable for all of that! 😀 While this gentleman next to me is to blame *points his finger at Vukašin*. I am joking, of course!

Vukašin: The first step was understanding and respecting the original gameplay of Tetris and adapting it to the casual block puzzle genre. We had to be careful to keep the essence and simplicity of Tetris, which made it survive for decades. On the other hand, the challenge was to do good marketing for our game. When players search for Tetris in stores, they may expect to get classic Tetris, not the game we made. In the end, everything turned out well. 🙂

SGA: Tahir, you are the Technical Lead on this project. What was your day-to-day work like?

Tahir: I have a certain routine before every daily meeting. First, I check the state of the game in production, whether there are any problems with the Android version, then with the iOS version, and if there is something, I communicate with a colleague who tests the game (QA), who then takes over and tries to find the so-called reproduction steps. If there are no problems, we’re all happy, yaaay! 😀 🎉 

Later in the day, I communicate with the whole team – we try to see if we have any problems in production. As for how we worked previously, we changed it a lot, trying to find the best way to do it, and our comrade Stefan Stojković was in charge of that. 👏

SGA: Vukašin, as a Product Manager, you had a special responsibility. Interestingly, you are also a doctoral student of history. Since Tetris has historical significance, does that make the responsibility of managing this game even greater?

Vukašin: It was indeed a historic moment when we launched the game. On the same day, June 6th, it was 40 years since Tetris was created, and also 80 years since the Allies landed in Normandy in 1944. It was a real D-Day for us! 😂

Certainly, the combination of my role as a Product Manager and history added to the responsibility I felt working on Tetris. Its historical significance and deep-rootedness in video game culture were a significant factor in my approach to this project. On the one hand, that responsibility was challenging because there was a need to preserve the integrity of the original game, which left an indelible mark. On the other hand, the historical perspective allowed me to look at the bigger picture and recognize opportunities for the evolution of the game in a way that respects its roots but also meets the modern needs and expectations of players.

SGA: Over 30 people in different positions worked on the game. What were all the roles involved? Now that the game is live, are you all still working on this project?

Tahir: That’s right, 30 people. The positions are developers, QA, Animators, technical art, concept art, UI/UX, Backend Developers and, of course, Product & Production Managers.

Vukašin: We all continue to work on the project. Given that we are also entering a new mode of operation because the product is now live and globally released, we will also expand the team. We’re already looking for a Senior Unity Animator, and we’ll probably seek reinforcements on the technical side soon.

SGA: What would you say to game developers who want to leave their mark on a franchise that is loved around the world?

Tahir: Honestly, few people get the chance to work on a franchise. I for one did not expect something like that to happen. An opportunity such as this comes once in a lifetime, so you should embrace it and do your best to make it the best product.

Vukašin: I absolutely agree. It’s rare to get the opportunity to work on a world-famous brand. In the end, it doesn’t really matter if you’re working on a well-known franchise or not. The key to success is to surround yourself with a talented team, with whom you can openly collaborate and communicate. With such a team you can achieve great results and certainly leave your mark.

SGA: What were the reactions to the game during testing? Were there major design iterations in response to them?

Tahir: The reactions were very positive (of course, there were also negative ones) and certainly, based on the data we received, we pivoted the design, which was sometimes a problem.

Vukašin: I agree with my colleague. This was especially pronounced during the soft launch phase. A large number of changes based on player feedback had positive consequences. Some did not have the expected results. We try to follow our instincts because not every feedback is good feedback. Balancing listening to player feedback and trusting our game vision created the best possible experience for everyone. Data-informed decisions should be made, not exclusively data-driven ones.

SGA: The development cycle of mobile games, in a sense, truly begins when the game is officially released. What’s next for you when it comes to Tetris Block Puzzle?

Tahir: Hmmm, difficult question but Vukašin surely has an answer! 😀

Vukašin: In the F2P industry, keeping players interested by constantly adding new content is key to long-term success. When it comes to Tetris Block Puzzle, our plan for future phases of development includes several key aspects:

• Enrichment of the Level Play segment of the game: We will continue to introduce new elements, challenges and levels. This includes new types of blocks, special effects and different obstacles that will provide players with fresh and exciting gameplay.
• Meta-layer improvements: In the meta-layer segment, we plan to introduce live events that will motivate players to come back regularly to the game. Live events may include seasonal challenges, competitions, special missions and limited time offers that will provide players with additional rewards and bonuses.

SGA: Thank you very much for your answers. We are proud that a Serbian company is behind such a great moment for the global gaming community!And now that you know more about the development process of Tetris Block Puzzle, don’t forget to download it for free in the App or Play Store!