World’s biggest game of Tetris played out on 2,000 drones

Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov says Dubai event was a ‘dream come to life’

A finalist of the Red Bull Tetris World Final plays a game in Dubai, UAE, on 13 December, 2025 (Red Bull)

An e-sports final for one of the world’s oldest video games has broken a new world record for the largest game of Tetris ever played.

The spectacle in Dubai saw more than 2,000 drones replicate the blocks in the iconic puzzle game, marking the first ever time that a live playable game of Tetris has been played in the sky.

The event comes more than four decades after the creation of the video game, which is the second-best-selling game ever created with more than 520 million sales.

“When I created Tetris in 1984, I never imagined it would become the global cultural icon it is today, continuing to evolve in new and exciting ways,” said Alexey Pajitnov, who created the video game while working as a software engineer in the Soviet Union.

“One of my biggest dreams has been to see it played with drones, so I’m thrilled to see that dream come to life.”

After more than 7 million qualifying games across 60 countries, finalists from Türkiye and Peru played out the final on a 150 metre tall frame that housed the drones.

The eventual winner was Fehmi Atalar from Türkiye, who posted a five-minute score of 168,566.

“Over my five years of Tetris experience, this was the best moment, and this event was one of a kind,” he said. “It’s not a thing you can describe in words.”

The Red Bull event, which took place between 11-13 December, was not the first Tetris world championship, with a separate series beginning in 2010. It was however the first to be officially sanctioned on a global level.

“For more than 40 years, Tetris has been an iconic game inspiring creativity and connection worldwide,” said Tetris chief executive Maya Rogers.

“The Red Bull Tetris World Final takes the game to new levels of innovation, competition, and excitement. With players from 60 countries coming together under a sky lit by 2,000 plus drones, it’s a breathtaking celebration of skill and unity.”