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The Esports Advocate
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The tournament was scheduled for July 21–27 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, offering a $20,000 prize pool and qualification spots.
GeoGuessr has officially withdrawn from the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC) Festival following intense community backlash. The company had initially planned to host a "Last Chance Wildcard Tournament" in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 21–27, featuring a $20,000 prize pool and qualification spots for the 2025 GeoGuessr World Championship. However, the announcement triggered a swift negative response from the player base, including organized boycotts by map creators who argued that the event served as a platform for the Saudi Arabian government to conceal its human rights record.
In response to the criticism, GeoGuessr CEO and co-founder Daniel Antell acknowledged the decision was a mistake and confirmed the company would no longer participate in the festival. The EWC, funded by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, has frequently faced accusations of "sportswashing" from international human rights organizations. Despite the withdrawal from this specific event, GeoGuessr continues to maintain a presence in other competitive circuits, such as the upcoming Americas Major at DreamHack Dallas, which is operated by a subsidiary of the Saudi-backed Savvy Games Group.
The incident highlights the growing tension between esports organizations and their communities regarding partnerships with state-funded entities. While fans successfully pressured GeoGuessr to reverse its involvement in the EWC Festival, the lack of similar opposition toward the DreamHack event suggests that community scrutiny remains highly selective, often focusing on specific event associations rather than broader corporate ownership structures.
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