The EWC Geoguessr event was announced just last week.
GeoGuessr have announced that they will no longer hold an event at this summers Esports World Cup in Ryhad, Saudi Arabia. This event, which would have been a first for GeoGuessr, was announced just last week.
The announcement was met with a huge backlash. This included maps being made private, and major community figures speaking out.
Now, as a result of that reaction, GeoGuessr have confirmed the event will not take place as previously announced.
Major backlash forces GeoGuessr to withdraw from Esports World Cup
The events announcement on May 16 was described as a "major milestone for the game’s competitive scene, placing it alongside iconic titles and opening new opportunities to reach players and fans worldwide." However, the GeoGuessr community was strongly against the even.
"All major world maps" were privated in the game in protest, with the official Discord also being overwhelmed with messages saying "Cancel Riyadh event."
Some of the maps that were privated included ones used in official GeoGuessr tournaments. Map makers even went on the record with their anger at the event.
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GeoGuessr withdrawal announced via statement
That pressure from the community was too much for GeoGuessr to ignore. They posted a statement early on May 22, confirming that the event would not go ahead.
Hi everyone,
I’ve seen your reactions over the past few days regarding our decision to participate in the Esports World Cup in Riyadh. When we made that decision, it was with positive intentions. To engage with our community in the Middle East and to spread GeoGuessr’s core mission of let everyone Explore the World.
Since Erland, Anton, and I founded GeoGuessr in 2013, we’ve always strived to be a community-first game. Everyone here at the Stockholm office is a passionate GeoGuessr fan, doing our best to build something meaningful, with you and for you. That said, you - our community - have made it clear that this decision does not align what GeoGuessr stands for.
So, when you tell us we’ve got it wrong we take it seriously. That’s why we’ve made the decision to withdraw from participating in the Esports World Cup in Riyadh.
We will come back with information on how the wildcards will be distributed as soon as possible. Thank you for speaking up and sharing your thoughts.
/Daniel
The announcement, as expected, was met with mostly positive reaction.
While there has been mixed reactions in some game communities around the Esports World Cup, the reaction of the GeoGuessr community was one of the strongest and most united seen. As it stands, there has not been any official comment from the EWC on the withdrawal.
