Tetris has been immortalized in a playable McDonald’s plastic chicken nugget, a playable fake 7-Eleven Slurpee cup, and a playable wristwatch. But the most intriguing way to play Tetris yet is encased in paper.
Technology
This magazine plays Tetris — here’s how
Last year the Tetris Company partnered with Red Bull for a gaming tournament that culminated in the 150-meter-tall Dubai Frame landmark being turned into the world’s largest playable Tetris installation using over 2,000 drones that functioned as pixels. Although the timing was a coincidence, Red Bull also published a 180-page gaming edition of its The Red Bulletin lifestyle magazine around the same time as the event, with a limited number of copies wrapped in a less grandiose, but no less technically impressive, version of Alexey Pajitnov’s iconic puzzle game.
To create a playable gaming magazine, Red Bull Media House (the company’s media wing) enlisted the help of Kevin Bates, who in 2014 wowed the internet by creating an ultra-thin Tetris-playing business card. In 2015, he launched the $39 Arduboy, a credit card-sized, open-source handheld that attracted a thriving community of developers. Over the course of a decade, Bates also created a pair of equally pocketable Tetris-playing handhelds that cost less than $30, and the shrunken-down USB-C Arduboy Mini.
The GamePop GP-1 Playable Magazine System (as it’s officially called) is the latest evolution of Bates’ mission to use existing, accessible, and affordable technologies to reimagine what a portable gaming device can be. It took “most of last year” to develop, Bates revealed during a call with The Verge. He wouldn’t divulge the exact details of how his collaboration with Red Bull came to be. But if you’re looking to make an officially licensed version of Tetris that’s thin enough to flex, Bates has the experience, and he shared with us some of the technical details that make this creation work.
While OLED display technology has given us tablet-sized devices that fold into smartphones, they’re still expensive and fragile. To make a display that can survive being embedded in a flexible magazine cover without reinforcement, Bates created a custom matrix of 180 2mm RGB LEDs mounted to a flexible circuit board just 0.1mm thick. While the display and coin-cell batteries make it thicker in a few places — nearly 5mm at its thickest point — you genuinely feel like you’re playing a handheld made of paper. The flexible circuits are bonded between two sheets of paper to create the sleeve that wraps around the book-sized magazine, and it feels satisfyingly thin and flexible.
Flexible circuits aren’t a new idea. They’ve been used in electronics for decades. You can find them in flip phones old enough they now feel like antiques, and nearly every laptop. They’re also frequently used to miniaturize devices that don’t fold or flex at all, connecting internal components where space is extremely limited. But it’s only in the past five or six years that the technology has become available to smaller makers, and Bates says he’s been “messing around with the flexible circuits for about as much time.” This collaboration was an opportunity to use what he’s learned to create a device that would live outside his workshop.
The GamePop GP-1’s display resolution pales in comparison to the OLED screens used in folding phones, but Bates’ creation is far more durable. The game has not only undergone the typical safety tests, but Bates even “hit it with a hammer a few times” to test its durability. His display survived, but don’t try that with a folding phone. They’re still far less durable.
Instead of buttons, the game uses seven capacitive touch sensors that are directly “printed in the copper layer of the board,” Bates says. There’s no true mechanical feedback when pressed, but the paper’s flex helps them feel a bit like a button when you press down. Bates says the responsiveness of the sensors was specifically tuned to account for the thickness of the paper stock and the glues used in the final print run. You’re not going to be chasing Tetris world records on the cover of a magazine, but the controls are satisfyingly responsive and the game is surprisingly much easier to play than other Tetris devices I’ve tested.
How much does a flexible Tetris game cost to manufacture? Neither Bates nor Red Bull would divulge the total price tag for all the off-the-shelf and custom components you’ll find sandwiched inside the magazine’s cover. But to help keep costs down, not all components are flexible. Inside the edge of the cover, next to the magazine’s spine, you’ll find a long but thin rigid PCB where an ARM-based 32-bit microprocessor is located, along with four rechargeable LIR2016 3V coin cell batteries.
Like most devices now, the game can be recharged using a USB-C cable, but it’s not immediately obvious where. Hidden along the bottom edge of the magazine’s cover is a deconstructed USB-C port. Instead of a metal ring, its socket is a small paper pocket containing a pin-covered head inside. It doesn’t feel quite as durable as the charging port on your phone, but it’s a welcome alternative to making the game disposable when the batteries die.
Bates did have to cut some corners. The GamePop GP-1 saves high scores, but modern Tetris gameplay features, like previews of upcoming pieces and being able to save tetrominoes for later, aren’t included. There’s sound effects, but when starting a game you only hear a small snippet of the iconic Tetris theme. The game’s piezo speaker “uses about as much energy as it does to run the rest of the system,” Bates says, so this helps prolong the life of the small rechargeable batteries. He tells us you can play for an hour or two that way, and the battery should last many months when not in use.
Red Bull made around 1,000 copies of the magazine. It’s only available online in Europe, but can also be found in some stores and newsstands, including Iconic Magazines in New York and Rare Mags outside Manchester in the UK. However, only 150 copies with the playable cover were produced, and none were made available to the public. They were distributed to Tetris competitors, those featured in the magazine, influencers, and select media.
The playable cover isn’t going to revolutionize the print industry, or pave the way for smartphones we can roll up and stick in our back pockets. The goal was to use existing tech in a way that gamers haven’t seen before.
Photography by Andrew Liszewski / The Verge
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After quickly selling out of the Steam Controller on May 4th, Valve has launched a reservation system to ensure that you can get one without too much hassle. You may not get one as quickly as you’d like to, but at least you can now easily reserve the $99 controller.
If your Steam account is in good standing, and you’ve purchased something on the account before April 27th of this year, you’ll be able to reserve one. Essentially, this will hold your place in line for future restocks. Once a controller is available for you, you’ll get an email prompting you to purchase. You’ll have 72 hours to purchase your Steam Controller before it gets offered to the next person in the queue.
Ahead of its launch, Valve told The Verge that it had significant supply ready for its debut, but it didn’t know exactly how much demand there would be for the controller. Clearly, there wasn’t enough stock to meet demand. But at least now you’re able to join the line to get one instead of hoping you’ll be among the first to buy from a restock.
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Air travel already feels automated in many ways. You scan your ticket, drop your bag and move along. Now, another part of the airport experience is starting to change.
At Haneda Airport, one of the busiest airports in Japan, humanoid robots are preparing to join ground crews. The effort comes from Japan Airlines, which plans to test machines that can help move baggage and cargo right on the tarmac.
The project brings together Japan Airlines’ ground service teams and GMO AI & Robotics, a robotics business within GMO Internet Group, to test how these systems could fit into real airport operations.
The long-term goal is to support a more sustainable way to run airport operations as demand continues to grow.
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Japan Airlines plans to test humanoid robots at Haneda Airport to help ground crews move baggage and cargo on the tarmac. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
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Why airports are turning to humanoid robots
Airports are under pressure from two directions at once. Passenger numbers keep rising, while the number of available workers is shrinking.
Japan is feeling that squeeze more than most. Tourism continues to surge, yet the working-age population is declining. That creates a gap that is hard to fill with traditional hiring alone. Japan Airlines employs thousands of ground crew workers, highlighting the scale of the challenge.
Instead of redesigning airport systems from scratch, companies are exploring humanoid robots that can fit into existing workflows. A robot shaped like a person can move through the same spaces, use the same equipment and work alongside human crews without major changes.
The humanoid robot handling airport baggage
The machines being tested come from Unitree Robotics. One model, known as the G1, is compact enough to move through tight spaces yet capable of lifting and pushing cargo. It stands a little over four feet tall and weighs about 77 pounds. The design folds for storage, which matters in crowded airport environments.
What makes it useful isn’t size alone. The robot uses sensors like 3D LiDAR and depth cameras to understand its surroundings. It can recognize objects, adjust its movement and even respond to voice input.
During a recent demonstration, the robot pushed cargo onto a conveyor belt and signaled to a nearby worker. That interaction may sound small, yet it shows how machines and humans can coordinate in real time. These early demonstrations are designed to evaluate how robots can safely assist in real airport conditions rather than operate independently.
How humanoid robots learn to handle baggage
Before a robot ever touches a suitcase, it spends time in a virtual world. Engineers create a digital version of the machine and train it using simulations. Nvidia provides tools like Isaac Simulator, where robots practice tasks again and again without real-world risk.
Motion capture data helps the robot copy human movement. Then reinforcement learning refines those actions through repetition. Once the system performs reliably in simulation, the behavior transfers to the physical robot. This process, often called Sim2Real, helps reduce mistakes when the robot enters a busy environment like an airport.
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Japan Airlines and GMO AI & Robotics are testing whether humanoid robots can safely support real airport ground operations. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
What humanoid robots will and will not do on airport tarmacs
Even as automation expands, airlines are drawing clear boundaries. Robots are expected to take on repetitive, physically demanding tasks. That includes moving baggage, loading cargo and assisting with equipment.
In the future, they could also support a wider range of tasks, such as cabin cleaning or operating certain types of ground support equipment. GMO AI & Robotics also sees workers shifting toward supervision, decision-making and robot management as the technology matures.
Still, critical responsibilities remain with people. Airports are busy, unpredictable environments where workers, aircraft and ground equipment operate close together. For now, the goal is to learn where humanoid robots can safely help crews while reducing physical strain.
The bigger picture for humanoid robots in airports
Attempts to automate airport work are not new. Traditional robots have struggled in unpredictable settings where objects move, people walk through work zones and conditions change quickly. Humanoid robots offer a different approach. Their human-like form lets them adapt without requiring major infrastructure changes.
Japan’s trial will run through 2028, giving airlines time to evaluate performance and refine how these machines fit into daily operations. The rollout is expected to follow a phased approach, starting with observation and testing before expanding into more practical use cases. If the results hold up, similar systems could appear in airports around the world.
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Humanoid robots could eventually help airports handle baggage faster, reduce worker strain and support busier travel schedules. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
What this means to you
If you fly in the U.S., you likely will not see robots on the tarmac tomorrow. Still, what happens in Japan could signal where airports everywhere are headed. If these trials work, similar systems could show up at major U.S. airports. That could mean faster baggage handling and fewer delays during busy travel periods.
It could also change working conditions for airport crews. Robots may take on the heaviest lifting, which could reduce injuries and make jobs more sustainable over time. At the same time, new questions will follow. Airlines will need to prove these systems are safe, reliable and ready for real-world pressure before expanding them across busy U.S. airports.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Robots moving baggage on an airport tarmac may take a minute to get used to. Still, it makes more sense once you understand the reason behind the trial. Airports are getting busier, and ground crews are already doing tough physical work under real pressure. If these robots can safely take on some of the heaviest stuff, they could give workers more support and help flights move more smoothly. The real test will be how well people and machines work together when the airport is busy and every minute matters.
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If robots start handling your luggage, would you trust them to get it right every time? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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The Instructure-owned learning management platform, Canvas, is down after recently confirming a massive data breach that impacted student names, email addresses, ID numbers, and messages. Students attempting to access the system on Thursday saw a message from the hacking group ShinyHunters, which claimed responsibility for the attack:
ShinyHunters has breached Instructure (again). Instead of contacting us to resolve it they ignored us and did some “security patches.” If any of the schools in the affected list are interested in preventing the release of their data, please consult with a cyber advisory firm and contact us privately at TOX to negotiate a settlement. You have till the end of the day by 12 May 2026 before everything is leaked.
The message included a link to a list of schools ShinyHunter claims to have breached through Canvas.
“Instructure has placed Canvas, Canvas Beta and Canvas Test in maintenance mode,” according to Infrastructure’s status page. “We anticipate being up soon, and will provide updates as soon as possible.”
Instructure said last week that it “deployed patches to enhance system security” following the breach. ShinyHunters — which has claimed responsibility for attacks on Ticketmaster, AT&T, Rockstar Games, ADT, and Vercel — said its data leak site contains 9,000 schools, including data belonging to 275 million students, teachers, and other staff, according to Bleeping Computer.
Update, May 7th: Added Infrastructure’s maintenance mode message.
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