{"id":13817,"date":"2025-05-22T15:02:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T15:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gaming.news\/?post_type=news&#038;p=13817"},"modified":"2025-05-22T15:32:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T15:32:21","slug":"fan-and-creator-backlash-forces-geoguessr-to-opt-out-of-esports-world-cup-festival","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/gaming.news\/news\/2025-05-22\/fan-and-creator-backlash-forces-geoguessr-to-opt-out-of-esports-world-cup-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Fan and Creator Backlash Forces GeoGuessr to Opt Out of Esports World Cup Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"spgn__article__hero__news horizontal-wrapper vertical-wrapper\">\n\t\t<h1 class=\"spgn__article__hero__news__title wp-block-post-title\">Fan and Creator Backlash Forces GeoGuessr to Opt Out of Esports World Cup Festival<\/h1>\n\n<figure class=\"spgn__article__hero__news__image --with-bg wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"854\" src=\"https:\/\/images.gaming.news\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80,width=1280,height=854,dpr=1,fit=crop,gravity=0.5x0.5\/https:\/\/s3.gaming.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GeoGuessr-Steam-Edition.png\" class=\"attachment-1280x854 size-1280x854\" alt=\"Fan and Creator Backlash Forces GeoGuessr to Opt Out of Esports World Cup Festival\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1600px) 565px, (min-width: 1280px) calc(25vw + 172px), (min-width: 900px) 800px, (min-width: 380px) 91.8vw, calc(40vw + 178px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.gaming.news\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80,width=412,height=275,dpr=1,fit=crop,gravity=0.5x0.5\/https:\/\/s3.gaming.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GeoGuessr-Steam-Edition.png 412w, https:\/\/images.gaming.news\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80,width=768,height=512,dpr=1,fit=crop,gravity=0.5x0.5\/https:\/\/s3.gaming.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GeoGuessr-Steam-Edition.png 768w, https:\/\/images.gaming.news\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80,width=792,height=528,dpr=1,fit=crop,gravity=0.5x0.5\/https:\/\/s3.gaming.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GeoGuessr-Steam-Edition.png 792w, https:\/\/images.gaming.news\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80,width=1280,height=854,dpr=1,fit=crop,gravity=0.5x0.5\/https:\/\/s3.gaming.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GeoGuessr-Steam-Edition.png 1280w\" \/><figcaption>Source: GeoGuessr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\t<div class=\"spgn__article__audio\">\t\t<span class=\"bg\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"custom-audio\">\n\t\t<div class=\"audio green-audio-player\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"play-pause-btn\" id=\"playPause\">\n\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"controls\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"name-and-time\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"name-audio\">Listen to this article<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"total-time\">~&nbsp;2:00<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"slider\" data-direction=\"horizontal\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"progress\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pin\" id=\"progress-pin\" data-method=\"rewind\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"volume\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"volume-btn\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#F2F2F1\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M14.667 0v2.747c3.853 1.146 6.666 4.72 6.666 8.946 0 4.227-2.813 7.787-6.666 8.934v2.76C20 22.173 24 17.4 24 11.693 24 5.987 20 1.213 14.667 0zM18 11.693c0-2.36-1.333-4.386-3.333-5.373v10.707c2-.947 3.333-2.987 3.333-5.334zm-18-4v8h5.333L12 22.36V1.027L5.333 7.693H0z\" id=\"speaker\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"volume-controls hidden\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"slider\" data-direction=\"vertical\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"progress\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pin\" id=\"volume-pin\" data-method=\"changeVolume\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"spgn__article__meta\">\n\t\t<a class=\"spgn__article__meta__block spgn__article__author\" href=\"https:\/\/gaming.news\/authors\/mik-dzisko\/\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__author__avatar\">\n\t\t\t\t<img alt='Mik Dzisko' src='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cb199cc14ff87ae10effaf16572ea2ce3dc9cc4aa9e0c1d5e8645771722e75d0?s=68&#038;d=retro&#038;r=g' class='avatar avatar-68 photo spgn__article__author__avatar__image' height='68' width='68' \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__author__name\">\n                \t\t\t\tBy\n                \t\t\t\t<span itemProp=\"author\" itemScope itemType=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Person\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span itemProp=\"name\" title=\"Display name in user profile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMik Dzisko\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__author__position\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>Deputy News Editor\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t            <ul class=\"spgn__article__author__data js-article-data\" data-timestamp=\"1747926154\">\n                <li class=\"spgn__icon__separator js-local-date\"><time itemProp=\"datePublished\"\n                datetime=\"2025-05-22T15:02:34+00:00\">May 22, 2025<\/time><\/li>\n                <li class=\"spgn__icon__separator --lowercase js-local-time\">3:02 pm<\/li>\n                <li>2&nbsp;min read<\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__meta__block\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spgn__social\" data-testid=\"hero-social\">\n\t\t<div class=\"spgn__social__title\" data-testid=\"hero-social-title\">More content<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"spgn__social__links\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"spgn__social-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@gamingdotnews\" data-testid=\"hero-social-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"screen-reader-text\">Gaming.News on YouTube<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"spgn__social-link\" href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/cJYbGCNs\" data-testid=\"hero-social-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"screen-reader-text\">Gaming.News on Discord<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"spgn__social-link\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/gamingdotnews\" data-testid=\"hero-social-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"screen-reader-text\">Gaming.News on X<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"spgn__social-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gn_gamingnews\" data-testid=\"hero-social-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"screen-reader-text\">Gaming.News on Instagram<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"spgn__social-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@gamingdotnews\" data-testid=\"hero-social-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"screen-reader-text\">Gaming.News on TikTok<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"spgn__article__key-points\">\n\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__key-points__title\"><h2>Key points<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t<ol class=\"spgn__article__key-points__list\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"spgn__article__key-points__list__item\">\n\t\t<span>GeoGuessr has withdrawn from the Esports World Cup festival due to community backlash.<\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n\n\n\t<li class=\"spgn__article__key-points__list__item\">\n\t\t<span>Doznes of most popular GeoGuessr map creators made a supermajority of competitively relevant world maps unplayable in protest.<\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n\n\n\t<li class=\"spgn__article__key-points__list__item\">\n\t\t<span>GeoGuessr was initially set to host a tournament with a $20k prize pool and qualification spots for the 2025 GeoGuessr World Championship.<\/span>\n\t<\/li>\t\t<\/ol>\n\t<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"spgn__article__content horizontal-wrapper vertical-wrapper narrow\">\n\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__content__main spgn__content\">\n\t\t<p>GeoGuessr has withdrawn from the <a href=\"https:\/\/gaming.news\/news\/2025-04-10\/esports-world-cup-to-feature-70m-prize-pool-in-2025\/\">Esports World Cup<\/a> festival after players and map creators slammed the team for participating in the event that will be hosted by Saudi Arabia later this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Esports World Cup Festival is a multi-week event dedicated to gaming culture that will run alongside the <a href=\"https:\/\/gaming.news\/news\/2025-04-07\/esports-world-cup-reveals-all-disciplines-for-2025-season\/\">Esports World Cup 2025<\/a> in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, 2025. Organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF), the festival is set to offer multiple activities, including live music performances, retro arcades, anime caf\u00e9s, cosplay showcases, creator studios, and interactive exhibits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GeoGuessr was initially slated to host a Last Chance Wildcard Tournament during Week 3 of the festival (July 21\u201327), offering a $20,000 prize pool and qualification spots for the 2025 GeoGuessr World Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, due to community backlash and the fact that dozens of the most popular map creators made a supermajority of the most competitively relevant world maps unplayable in protest, the game&#8217;s CEO and co-founder, Daniel Antell, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/geoguessr\/status\/1925456508277363109\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">announced<\/a> on X (formerly Twitter) that GeoGuessr will not participate in the EWC&#8217;s festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Since Erland, Anton, and I founded GeoGuessr in 2013, we\u2019ve 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 \u2014 our community \u2014 have made it clear that this decision does not align with what GeoGuessr stands for,&#8221; Antell explained of the withdrawal.<\/p>\t\t<div class=\"spgn__social_share\" data-testid=\"social-share\">\n\t<button class=\"spgn__social_share__toggle active spgn__social_share__link --open-button\" aria-label=\"Share Article\" data-testid=\"social-share-toggle\">\n\t\t<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Share options<\/span>\n\t<\/button>\n\n\t<div class=\"spgn__social_share__overlay\" data-testid=\"social-share-overlay\"><\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"spgn__social_share__icons\" data-testid=\"social-share-icons\">\n\t\t<a class=\"spgn__social_share__link\" data-testid=\"social-share-x\" 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site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.3.1 (Yoast SEO v25.3.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Fan and Creator Backlash Forces GeoGuessr to Opt Out of Esports World Cup Festival<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gaming.news\/news\/2025-05-22\/fan-and-creator-backlash-forces-geoguessr-to-opt-out-of-esports-world-cup-festival\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fan and Creator Backlash Forces GeoGuessr to Opt Out of Esports World Cup Festival\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/gaming.news\/news\/2025-05-22\/fan-and-creator-backlash-forces-geoguessr-to-opt-out-of-esports-world-cup-festival\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gaming News\" \/>\n<meta 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