Immersive Gamebox at Grandscape is welcoming its brand-new Tetris 1991 group gaming experience on Jan. 27, 2024. And what better way to launch the gaming installation than having Willis Gibson, the first person to ever beat Tetris, play the first round at Immersive Gamebox The Colony location at Grandscape.
On Jan. 2, 2024, a handful of viewers on YouTube were witnesses of a milestone in video game history: almost 40 years after the first version of Tetris was born in Moscow in 1984, the brainchild of soviet scientist Alexey Pajitnov, the game was beaten for the first time by a 13-year-old boy in Oklahoma.
“I can’t feel my fingers, I can’t feel my fingers,” kept repeating a panting Gibson as he came to terms with the reality of his victory, his 999999 score frozen on his screen. According to 404 Media, Gibson, who by the name of BlueScuti on YouTube, dedicated the game to his dad, Adam Gibson, who passed away a month prior. Since the video went up on YouTube, it’s gained over 2 million views in just a couple of weeks with people all over the world celebrating the achievement.
To celebrate Gibson’s feat and his upcoming 14th birthday, Immersive Gamebox’s event will also host a birthday party for him complete with Tetris-themed cupcakes and Tetris-colored balloons. Attendees are welcome to take part in the birthday party and watch Gibson and his mom take the first stab at the immersive group gaming adaptation.
“My mom has always been supportive of my love for Tetris and I wouldn’t have been able to achieve the record without her,” Gibson said. “Being able to be part of a group gaming experience inspired by Tetrix with her and my big sisters is going to be fun and new for all of us.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Immersive Gamebox to provide players of all ages an opportunity to experience the Tetris brand in an exciting new format,” said Tetris CEO Maya Rogers. “As we celebrate the 40th anniversary this year, Tetris 1991 offers our fans a unique way to physically engage with the brand and have fun with family and friends at the same time.”
