Alexey Leonidovich Pajitnov[a] (born April 16, 1955) is a Soviet-born American computer engineer and video game designer. He is best-known for creating, designing, and developing Tetris in 1985, while working at the Dorodnitsyn Computing Centre under the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union (now the Russian Academy of Sciences).
In 1991, he moved to the United States and later became a U.S. citizen. In 1996, Pajitnov founded The Tetris Company alongside Dutch video game designer Henk Rogers. Pajitnov did not receive royalties from Tetris prior to this time, despite the game's high popularity.
Pajitnov was born to parents who were both writers. His father was an art critic. His mother was a journalist who wrote for both newspapers and a film magazine. It was through his parents that Pajitnov gained exposure to the arts, eventually developing a passion for cinema. He accompanied his mother to many film screenings, including the Moscow Film Festival.: 296 : 75  Pajitnov was also mathematically inclined, enjoying puzzles and problem solving.

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