--- eclass/games.eclass
+++ eclass/games.eclass
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@
 		if grep -q -s disable-silent-rules "${ECONF_SOURCE:-.}"/configure ; then
 			_gamesconf="--disable-silent-rules"
 		fi
+	fi
+
+	# bug 493954
+	if grep -q -s datarootdir "${ECONF_SOURCE:-.}"/configure ; then
+		_gamesconf="${_gamesconf} --datarootdir=/usr/share"
 	fi
 
 	econf \