GeoGuessr Exits Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia

GeoGuessr has announced its withdrawal from the Esports World Cup following criticism from players and map creators over the event's controversial Saudi Arabian location this summer.

The wildly popular geography game, with 85 million users globally, challenges players to identify locations through street-view imagery. Its robust customization allows players to tailor experiences - from opponent selection to map types (urban/rural), geographical restrictions, and movement options like NMPZ (no moving, panning, or zooming). The thriving community has created countless custom maps, cementing GeoGuessr's esports presence.

On May 22, prominent map creator Zemmip - representing developers behind many top competitive maps - initiated a "blackout" protest. Their statement on the GeoGuessr subreddit cited Saudi Arabia's human rights record: "The government systematically targets women, LGBTQ individuals, religious minorities, political dissenters, and migrant workers through discrimination, imprisonment, and executions. By participating in EWC, GeoGuessr enables sportswashing that whitewashes these abuses."

The protest disabled numerous competitive maps, including most top-ranked global maps. Organizers pledged to maintain the blackout until GeoGuessr canceled its Saudi event and committed to avoiding the country while rights violations continued.

After community outcry across social media, CEO Daniel Antell announced the withdrawal: "We founded GeoGuessr to connect people through exploration. While we initially saw EWC participation as expanding our Middle Eastern community, we've heard clearly that this contradicts our values. When our community says we're wrong, we listen."

The decision earned immediate praise from players, with top Reddit comments referencing the game's perfect "5K" scoring and celebrating the community's collective action. IGN has reached out to EWC organizers for comment.

Other major titles like Dota 2, Valorant, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 remain scheduled for July's event. Meanwhile, GeoGuessr's recent Steam launch faced rocky reception - initially ranking among the platform's worst-reviewed games due to restrictive free-to-play mechanics and non-transferable browser purchases. The free mode reportedly suffers from bot infestations, while paywalled features frustrated players expecting cross-platform access.