Tetris To Remove "S" Block Over Claims Of Anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism and racism have always been rampant problems in the gamer sphere. If it's not some popular "YouTube streamer" spouting slurs or angry hate mobs calling for the white-washing of some beloved video game POC like Super Mario, the beloved Italianx Nintendo mascot, it's the developers themselves with their racist, sexist, or homophobic bigotry. Gamers really are rotten all the way down to the core.

The latest offender, beloved puzzle game Tetris. It was to be expected, a staple of gaming as old as the industry itself, like an old Confederate general statue or books with the N word in them that they make our children read at school.

The colorful blocks, or "Tetrominoes" as they're called, come in a variety of shapes. A long skinny one, which clearly appears to evoke some sort of phallic male power fantasy as it's also the most powerful and valuable, and a number of other various jagged pieces. But among those shapes is the S Block, which one could tell just from one look at it, is a clear reference to the SS of Nazi Germany. It's even stylized in the same way.

The S Block was a point of contention within the Tetris community for years, with many white supremacist Tetris enthusiasts insisting that it was a harmless symbol. The game was from a different time, and it's simply an iconic design. We could never do away with it. It's important to history, and all that. The usual excuses they give, when they're trying to defend literal oppression in the world. But finally, the ADL has stepped in and ruled.

Henceforth, the S block will no longer be in Tetris and is now classified as a hate symbol. There are currently talks as to what kind of block will replace it. Instead of the S block, which is typically depicted as green, there will be a rainbow colored block, with black and brown bricks, that will represent the unity of LGBT and POC people. Current designs include a peace sign, or a fist, as is commonly used by marginalized groups as a symbol of solidarity. Some have argued these shapes are awkward and would upset the balance of Tetris, but they are clearly bigots.

The lack of black and brown tetrominoes has always been a problem in Tetris, and it's about time someone stepped in to correct this travesty. All old versions of Tetris are to be pulled from the internet, and this new version that will be rebranded as "Tetrix" will be relaunched in the coming months.