Alexey Pajitnov was born in Moscow, Russia, on April 16, 1955. He is best known for making the popular puzzle game Tetris. He made most of his money from income and licensing deals from Tetris, as well as from his work with Microsoft and other game design projects. In 2025, Alexey Pajitnov net worth is expected to be around $20 million. Pajitnov helped create The Tetris Company, which oversees the brand’s licensing around the world. This is his first chance to make money from his creation since the Soviet government owned it for years and didn’t pay him any fees.
He spends time in both Seattle and Moscow with his wife Nina and their two kids, Peter and Dmitri. They have a pretty private family life. Even though Pajitnov has had a big impact on the past of video games, he likes to keep his personal life quiet and focus on his work as a game designer and consultant instead of the spotlight.
Quick Bio
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Alexey Leonidovich Pajitnov |
| Date of Birth | April 16, 1955 |
| Place of Birth | Moscow, Russia |
| Profession | Video game designer, computer engineer |
| Famous For | Creator of Tetris (1985) |
| Key Career Points | Developed Tetris at Dorodnitsyn Computing Centre; founded The Tetris Company in 1996 with Henk Rogers; worked at Microsoft designing games for MSN and Xbox Live Arcade |
| Net Worth (2025 est.) | Approximately $20 million, mainly from Tetris royalties and licensing |
| Family | Married to Nina; has two sons, Peter and Dmitri |
| Residence | Splits time between Seattle, USA and Moscow, Russia |
| Education | Studied applied mathematics at Moscow Aviation Institute |
| Citizenship | Russian-American (moved to US in 1991) |
Alexey Pajitnov Net Worth in 2025
Alexey Pajitnov’s net worth is thought to be around $20 million as of 2025. This is mostly due to the income and licensing deals he made from his game Tetris, as well as his work as a game designer and consultant for companies like Microsoft. There are different estimates of how much money the person has. Some sources say it could be up to $50 million, but most financial experts agree that it’s less than $20 million.
Pajitnov didn’t make any money from Tetris at first because the Soviet government owned it. But after he and Henk Rogers co-founded The Tetris Company in 1996, he started getting big royalties and controlling the brand’s global licensing rights. While Tetris is a very famous game, his earnings tell a unique story of delayed financial compensation and shared ownership.
He spends most of his time between Seattle and Moscow with his wife Nina and their two kids, Peter and Dmitri. They keep their family life pretty quiet. Aside from Hexic, Pajitnov has also worked on other puzzle games and is still making games better.
Net Worth Timeline (Year-by-Year Milestones)
| Year | Major Event | Impact on Earnings/Equity | Est. Net Worth Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Created Tetris | No royalties due to USSR state control | $0 |
| 1987 | International release of Tetris | No personal earnings | $0 |
| 1991 | Moved to USA | No royalties yet | Low |
| 1996 | Founded The Tetris Company with Rogers | Start of royalties and equity | $5–10 million |
| 2005 | Mobile gaming boom | Increased royalties and licensing | $10–15 million |
| 2024 | Estimated net worth reported | Established income and equity | ~$20 million |
| 2025 | Continued licensing and media presence | Stable income from Tetris IP | ~$20 million |
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Business Ventures and Income Sources
Alexey Pajitnov’s main business and source of income comes from making Tetris and selling it to other companies. Pajitnov didn’t get any earnings at first because the Soviet government owned the game. But in 1996, he joined forces with Henk Rogers to start The Tetris Company, which gave him back his rights and a steady income from the game. The company makes a lot of money by managing global licensing deals for Tetris, which work on a wide range of platforms, from early PCs to modern smartphones and virtual reality. This licensing success is the major reason why Pajitnov’s net worth is thought to be around $20 million in 2025.
Besides Tetris, Pajitnov has also been involved in the following businesses:
- From 1996 to 2005, he worked at Microsoft, where he helped make puzzle games like Hexic and other games for Xbox Live and MSN Games.
- Starting the 3D software company AnimaTek with Vladimir Pokhilko and making games and screen savers like El-Fish.
- Making tasks for other games, like Yoshi’s Cookie, and making their own games, like Pandora’s Box.
- Continued working on games by making new versions of Tetris, including ones where you can play with other people.
These projects show that Pajitnov is still interested in making puzzle and logic games, and they help him make money and build his name in ways other than just licensing Tetris.
Real State Ownership and Properties
Alexey Pajitnov is best known for his work in the gaming industry, especially for making Tetris. As of 2025, his net worth of about $20 million comes mostly from earnings and licensing fees for the game, not from owning a lot of real estate. There is no public information that suggests Pajitnov has large real estate investments or owns a lot of land. He is said to live in Clyde Hill, Washington, which is a suburb of Seattle, and to spend time in Moscow, but the public doesn’t know much about his personal real estate interests or property portfolio.
Recent news stories and an interview make it clear that Pajitnov has a private family life and doesn’t seem to be building a real estate business or big real estate investments with his money, which is still mostly from his work with intellectual property and games.
Personal Life
Alexey Pajitnov was born in Moscow in 1955. Both of his parents were writers; his father was an art critic and his mother wrote for newspapers and a film magazine. When he was 11, his parents split up. He lived with his mother in a one-bedroom apartment owned by the state until he was 17. At that point, they went to a private apartment. At the Moscow Aviation Institute, he learned math that was used in real life.
Over time, Pajitnov became a citizen of the United States after moving here in 1991. He is married to Nina and has two boys, Peter and Dmitri. The family spends some time in the U.S. and some time in Moscow, but Pajitnov doesn’t talk much about his personal life. Besides his family, he loves movies and puzzles very much. These hobbies have shaped both his upbringing and his job as a game designer.
Career Journey
The main thing that defines Alexey Pajitnov’s career is making Tetris and working in the video game business after that. He started his job in the Soviet Union and later went to the US, where he continued to make games and run the Tetris brand.
Important points in his job history are:
- In 1984 and 1985, Pajitnov worked as a computer engineer at the Dorodnitsyn Computing Center, which was part of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union. This is where he created Tetris. In his free time, he made Tetris in 1985 as a puzzle game during this time. Because he worked for the Soviet Academy of Sciences, he didn’t get any income for Tetris at first because the rights belonged to the government.
- Post-Tetris Development and Move to the US (1989–1991): In 1989, Pajitnov made a game called Welltris that came after Tetris and became famous around the world. As soon as the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, he went to the United States and later became a citizen.
- Beginning The Tetris Company and Microsoft (1996–2005): Pajitnov and Henk Rogers started The Tetris Company together in 1996. With this business, he was finally able to get income from Tetris because the rights had been returned to him. He started working for Microsoft that same year and stayed there until 2005. He worked at Microsoft on puzzle games for MSN and Xbox Live Arcade, such as Hexic HD.
- Continued work on games and consulting (2005–present): Pajitnov kept working on games after he left Microsoft. In 2005, he said that he would be working with WildSnake Software to make new puzzle games. He also helped to start the 3D software company AnimaTek, which made games like El-Fish and puzzles for other games like Yoshi’s Cookie and Pandora’s Box. He is still involved in the community of game developers and judges contests and gives talks at conferences.
Physical Measurements
- Height: 5 feet 6 inches (170 cm)
- Weight: Approximately 80 kg (176 lbs)
- Eye color: Hazel
- Hair color: Brown
Struggles with Mental Health, Addiction & Homelessness
According to reliable sources, Alexey Pajitnov, the creator of Tetris, has not personally dealt with mental health problems, addiction, or being homeless. The sources we have talk mostly about his successful job, how he made Tetris, and how private his family life is.
There is, however, a sad story about his close friend and former business partner Vladimir Pokhilko. Pokhilko was a psychologist who worked on puzzle games with Pajitnov. Pokhilko had serious mental health problems and was having a hard time with money. His problems reached a peak when his family killed themselves in 1998, which was a dark and deeply sad event that had nothing to do with Pajitnov himself.
Pajitnov is known for keeping his personal life quiet. There are no public records or stories that he was addicted to drugs or homeless. Tetris, on the other hand, is sometimes talked about in terms of how it affects players’ minds, including the so-called “Tetris Effect,” which happens when players play the game for a long time and it changes the way their minds work. However, this is because of the game itself, not Pajitnov’s own problems.
Current Status
Alexey Pajitnov is still working in the gaming business in 2025 as one of the founders of The Tetris Company, which is in charge of licensing and managing the rights to Tetris around the world. He is still working on game creation projects. One of them is a multiplayer version of Tetris that has been in the works for more than ten years. Pajitnov is known for more than just making Tetris. He is also known for his ongoing work on game design and new ideas.
Starting in 2025, the Tetris Company will continue to grow its footprint and creative partnerships. They will build on the legacy and popularity of Tetris with new announcements and immersive experiences. Pajitnov keeps his personal life pretty quiet, but he is a big part of keeping the Tetris brand alive and making it better for new players.
Public Perception & Media Coverage
The famous puzzle game Tetris was made by Alexey Pajitnov, who is admired and looked up to as a pioneer in video game creation by both the public and the media. His story is often told because it is a unique mix of creativity, technical skill, and history. He created Tetris in the Soviet Union in 1985, when the game rights were owned by the government and he didn’t get any income at first. The media often talk about him as a “electronic ambassador of benevolence,” recognizing Tetris for its scientific and cultural importance around the world as well as its economic success.
The public and the media often talk about his rise from being a Soviet computer engineer to a famous figure in the global gaming industry, praising his ultimate fame and wealth after starting The Tetris Company with Henk Rogers in the mid-1990s. They often talk about how humble he is, how he keeps working on creative projects (like making new online versions of Tetris that have been in the works for over ten years), and how, despite his fame, he prefers privacy.
The media also shows Pajitnov as thoughtful and aware of his legacy, often downplaying his past wins in favor of talking about what will be new in the future. People know him for making games that are fun to play and also have a long impact on pop culture, education, and applied design. For example, Tetris is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
FAQs
How much is the creator of Tetris worth?
About $20 million by 2025, mostly from fees, licenses, and shares in The Tetris Company.
Did Alexey Pajitnov make money from Tetris?
Not at first. The first big profits came after 1996, when The Tetris Company was founded.
How much money did Tetris earn overall?
Over $100 million has been made through sales and licensing around the world.
How much is Tetris worth today?
When you look at the constant income lines, a franchise is worth at least $100 million.
Is Alexey Pajitnov still alive?
Yes, still living in July 2025 at age 70.
Alexey Pajitnov age?
He was born on April 16, 1955.
Alexey Pajitnov lives where?
Living in the United States.
Who is Alexey Pajitnov’s wife?
Information about his wife and family is kept private and not shared with many people.
What is Henk Rogers’s net worth?
It is thought to be worth between $22 million and $50 million, and it has many business interests besides Tetris.
What is The Tetris Company worth?
It’s thought to be worth more than $100 million because of licensing and ongoing income.
What is Maya Rogers’s net worth?
Not made public, but thought to be important because she is CEO and runs businesses.
Conclusion
It’s amazing how Alexey Pajitnov went from being a Soviet engineer who didn’t get any royalties to co-owner of one of the biggest video game brands. His projected $20 million net worth now shows how hard he has worked over many years and how popular Tetris is around the world. Pajitnov’s creation has now reached its full financial potential thanks to the relationship with Henk Rogers through The Tetris Company. Because Tetris is still fun to play, more growth and wealth gain are still possible in the years to come.
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