Geoguessr community maps show dark in protest against EWC relationships with human rights violations

Set of GeoguessR The maps elements withdrew their contributions from the game to protest against its participation in the 2025 Electronic World Cup, Call The championship is “the sports washing tool used by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to distract and conceal its terrible record of human rights.” The demonstrators say that the blackout will keep the match publisher, GeoguessR AB, cancels the last Wildcard championship planned in EWC in RIYAADH, Saudi Arabia, from 21 to 27 July.

GeoguessR It is a browser game where players are trying to determine only Google Street View photos, and it relies on societal maps makers for relevant survival. It includes the obstruction, which started on May 21, “dozens of creators and their maps, including super generations of competitive global maps,” according to the group’s participation. On Redit. Tens of millions of times removed maps.

One of the biggest GeoguessR Societies, Plonk, also have Remove its map guide She shared the message of open maps. This statement is fully read as follows:

We got to GeoguessR AB to comment on blackout and we will update this story and we hear.

EWC is a huge multi -game event owned by the Saudi government and is held in the country’s capital. It is an evolution for the Gamers8, and this year represents the second competition that bears the EWC brand; It is scheduled to happen In July and August With the total billiard prize of $ 38 million, divided between 24 games. The privileges participating in the event 2025 Legue, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, Legue of Legends, Counter-Strike, Overwatch, Dota 2, Valorant, Street Fighter 6, EA SPORTS FC and Pubg.

It is difficult to compete in electronic sports without running in the smart games group, Video game The arm of the General Investment Fund in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Besides hosting EWC, Savvy has financial risks in Nexon (10.2 percent of ownership), electronic arts (9 percent), the Embraler (8.3 percent) group, Nintendo (7.5 %), Capcom (5 %), and interacting between them (6.8 % As of 2023). Savvy also runs the Esl Faceit Group collection, which contains the Electronic Sports League, a long and important ESPORTS events company. New York Times It reported last year that the Saudi government is planning to invest $ 38 billion in the video game industry by 2030.

Human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch It has long documented violations of the Saudi government. HRW describes the human rights record in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as “bad exhibition”, specifically PIF as a reputation whitening tool. The Saudi authorities have also been accused of sports in traditional sport, specifically through the country’s ownership of the golf and Newcastle United.

In February, riot games were signed – the Legue of Legends, and the team battle tactics, and it can be said that the largest name in electronic sports – A three -year deal With the Electronic World Cup for a group that has not been revealed. RIOT defended the partnership, on the pretext that the financial grace resulting from players and the electronic sports industry outperformed other concerns.

“We know that some of you may not feel satisfied with our decision to partner with EWC in this way, and we respect that.” statement Read.

Although corporate support for EWC is still strong, only GeoguessR Society maps are not alone in rejecting this year’s championship. Street fighter 6 Player Christopher Hancock, who plays the role of Chrischch in Flyquest, recently rejected his place in EWC 2025. Social media statement“I gave this decision a lot of thinking and eventually decided that because of the nature in which the event is funded and managed, I do not feel comfortable participating in it,” Hancock said. He added that the partnership between the Capcom Pro and EWC tour was effectively forced him to work with the Saudi -backed group.

“The choice of not participating in any qualifiers in EWC will actually mean retirement from competition,” Hancock said. “I find it unfortunate that this event has become deeply guaranteed in the (fighting game community), but I have not yet made a decision whether I would stop competing in the events associated with it completely.”

Besides GeoguessR Map Blackout, the community’s protest added a new new challenge to the named game How to run a dictatorship. It takes players through five sites throughout Riyadh, documenting the alleged torture approved by the government, kidnapping, imprisonment, suppression of women, LGBTQ individuals, religious minorities and political opponents who are in these places. The challenge takes only a few minutes, so don’t hesitate to do so Try it yourself.