Newly released on Steam, GeoGuessr has been met with a backlash from players. A disaster for the developers, resulting in one of the lowest ratings recorded on Valve's platform.
GeoGuessr on Steam: a free top play in disguise?
Launched in 2013, GeoGuessr gradually gained popularity, particularly during the 2020 lockdown. Fairly easy to access and intuitive, the game asks players to guess precise positions on the world map from images offered on Google Street View, using highly variable parameters. Now very active, it is regularly featured in online competitions and international tournaments. With a very active community of over 80 million players, its release on Steam on May 8th was looking promising.
Only here it is. Presented as a free to play"including an unlimited number of Team Duels with the possibility of facing players from all over the world in exciting multiplayer battles",GeoGuessr Steam Edition is facing criticism from players eager to try a free version that finds itself very limited in its options and content.
Source of players' anger: the game's monetization system: Indeed, this free version only offers one game mode: Team Duels, which allows you to play against another player in a single league: the amateur league. Referred to as a demo by many, this version will require you to pay once completed to take full advantage of the game's features: the Steam Pass costing 30 euros. If no other subscription is - for the moment - allowed by the game, it is then possible to go to the browser version of GeoGuessr, between $2.49 and $4.99 per month depending on whether or not you want to have additional features.
The problem is that a subscription to GeoGuessr on the browser does not automatically give access to the Steam version of the game, and vice versa. "Unless you have the Elite subscription," GeoGuessr specifies in its FAQ, which is the most expensive, which rises to $59.88 per year (around 53 euros).
0/20, players downgrade the game on Steam
Aggrieved, the players then downgraded the title on Steam. A veritable review bombing of 17% positive reviews out of more than 3,300, making the game currently the second lowest-rated title, behind War of the Three Kingdoms. In the comments, players are letting loose to show their dissatisfaction.
A completely false announcement, it is not free to play. After 5 victories and therefore access to the next level, you must necessarily buy a subscription or wait for the reset, which is not daily. It's a shame," notes one internet user.
No notable improvement, on the contrary, everything seems restricted. Unstable multiplayer and almost non-existent matchmaking. Feeling of being limited everywhere unless you pay. A real waste of time
+1 for the joke, - 100 for the mockery
In early access, GeoGuessr promises to fix the situation
In response, GeoGuessr tries as best it can to calm the community's enthusiasm, playing the early access card. Indeed, the game is in early access, allowing the developers to continue working on the title for improve it over time."We are committed to developing and improving both free and paid experiences over time. So far, most of the feedback has been about monetizing the game, with many wanting a one-time purchase model."
The game will remain in Early Access for at least six months, according to the company, and will gradually introduce new features, maps, and competitive modes. Hopefully, GeoGuessr will find a viable business model for players, as well as a better anti-cheat system (which heavily affects the base game).
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