BACK TO TOP

50 Years of Rubik's Cube

If one Rubik’s Cube has more than 43 quintillion possibilities and millions of Rubik’s Cubes are sold and solved every year, multiply that by 50 years and you have...so many possibilities!

Discover some of the milestones and iconic moments that have helped cement Rubik’s Cube as one of the best-selling puzzles of all time.

explore our history
2024
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Rubik’s Cube.
2023
Max Park sets a new single solve world record with an astonishing time of 3.13 seconds – a long way from the 22.95-second solve 40 years prior.
2021
Rubik’s is acquired by the Canadian children’s entertainment company Spin Master.
2020
2020 marks 40 years since the Rubik’s Cube was first sold in stores.
2018
Recognizing the passion and competitive nature of Cubers, Red Bull launches the first-ever Red Bull Rubik’s Cube World Championship.
2017
Rubik’s celebrates a record year with retail sales reaching $250 million!
2015
Justin Bieber famously solves the Rubik’s Cube on the Late Late Show with James Corden
2014
Celebrations mark the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Rubik’s Cube.
2012
1414 people gather in London, England to simultaneously solve the Rubik’s Cube, setting a new world record.
2008
Rubik’s Cube is famously featured in Disney’s Wall-E. Wall-E showed great promise.
2008
Cementing its status as a STEM toy, the “You Can Do the Cube” school program launches, teaching kids how to solve the Rubik’s Cube.
2006
More than 30 years after its creation, the Rubik’s Cube makes an appearance in The Pursuit of Happyness featuring Will Smith.
1991
Continuing to captivate the public’s attention, Rubik’s Cube makes its first appearance on the mega-popular show, The Simpsons. The Rubik’s Cube will eventually make 6 appearances.
1987
Rubik’s Magic is launched and sells more than 14 million units worldwide.
1982
The undeniable popularity of the Rubik’s Cube leads to the first-ever Rubik’s Cube World Championship in Budapest, Hungary. First place won with a time of 22.95 seconds.
1981
The Rubik’s brand launches a new innovative puzzle where users can create unique shapes. Rubik’s Snake instantly sells millions of units worldwide.
1980
The Magic Cube is renamed “Rubik’s Cube”, and the world is never the same again!
1979
The Magic Cube fascinates toy fair crowds in London, Paris, New York, and Nuremburg.
1977
As the Magic Cube became more popular in Hungary, communist-era Hungary’s tightly controlled exports complicated continued growth. Ever the problem solver, Ernő realized the solution was international toy fairs!
1975
Ernő Rubik patents the mechanism used in his 3D cube, now known as the Magic Cube.
1974
Ernő Rubik, a Hungarian architecture professor, creates a prototype of a three-dimensional cube. In the years following, it was used by Rubik to teach his students about three-dimensional spaces.
These are some of the many exciting moments in the history of the Rubik’s Cube. Today, the Rubik’s Cube is revered as one of the most beloved toys of all time. In its 50th year, inquiring minds and puzzlers all over the world will continue to discover the power and endless possibilities (well, almost endless. 43 quintillion is still finite!) the Rubik’s Cube offers. So, grab a Rubik’s Cube and join the Cube community to become part of this rich history. The world is always in need of solvers!
Make Your Move with Rubik’s Cube.
Solution GuidesRubik's MatchRubik's Sensory Cube
Contact UsPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseDistributorsCookie Preferences
© Spin Master Ltd. All Rights Reserved.