'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
For over a decade, GeoGuessr has provided an amazing blend of geography and guess work, which has attracted players from all over the world. Moreover, all the services being available for free has meant that accessibility has never been a problem. All of that is set to change starting February 2024, as an official tweet has stated about the introduction of a paywall.
Starting February 1, there won't be any free account for users, and a paid membership will become necessary. While the charge will vary based on a player's region, the announcement has drawn some sharp reactions from the community. While some fans have understood the rationale behind the move, others feel that this is just another example of corporate greed. As X user SquidGamePlayer456 commented:
"Corpo is gonna be corpo."
GeoGuessr's latest paywall leaves the community divided
There has been the existence of a subscription service that provided users with added advantage. However, the changed scenario means that there won't be a free way to play the game, at least on the web version.
User @Heikki360 stated that while they had a subscription since the very first day, the new pricing seems slightly unfair to say the least.
@JamzyBVB feels that the game will lose a lot of players now that it will no longer continue to be free-to-play.
@masterdesky even wished for the decision to have been part of an April 1st joke.
Two other users had conflicting opinions about the decision. While one of them felt that there could have been different ways to go with the monetization, the other stated how expensive running such websites can be.
Only the upcoming days will clear what kind of impact GeoGuessr's decision will have on the community.
Why did GeoGuessr end free subscription?
It seems that costs and sustainability are the main reason behind the introduction of a paywall. As the official message states, the developers believe that the additional revenue will allow them to introduce new features and improve the game. They have also stated that they will be looking to ramp up their investments in the pro scene.
How much does Geoguesser Pro cost?
As of writing, the Pro Unlimited membership costs $1.99 a month if taken for a year. This will increase to $2.99 per month charged for a year from February 1. However, there will be no change in the prices of membership bought before February 1, 2024.
