The Geography Community Maps are dark in protest of EWC relations with human rights violation
A group of Geotherapy Map creators dragged their collaboration from the game to protest the participation in the Esports World Cup 2025, Calling The tournament is “a sporting tool used to focus and hide its terrible human rights record.” Protesters say the blockout will be held at the IWC, Arabia, Saudi Arabia from July 21 to 27 until the cancellation of its last Chance Wildcard Tournament, the publisher of IWC in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Geotherapy Using only Google Street View images is a browser game that players try to find positions, and it relies on community mapmakers to be relevant. The blackout, which started on May 21, “contains dozens of creators and their maps, which have a super majority of the world’s most popular competition” In Red. The removed maps have been played ten million times.
One of the biggest one Geotherapy There are communities, even Its map removed the directory And shared an open letter of the mapping community. That statement will completely read as follows:
We have decided that the creators of Geography’s most popular maps cannot play our maps in protest of the Geogusar AB’s decision to host the World Championship Wildcard Tournament at the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh.
EWC is a player tool used to distract and hide its terrible human rights record of Saudi Arabia.
The government -targeted groups include women, LGBT people, apostasy and atheist, political dissenters, migrant workers, religious minorities and many more. The oppression of these groups is widespread and widespread. Members of these groups are usually subject to discrimination, prison sentence, violence and open execution. These serious human rights violations are well recorded and turned in.
By participating in the EWC, the Gayogucation contributes to that sportswashing agenda designed to attract attention from the human rights violations of Saudi Arabia.
There are many members of the groups to live in the Geographed Community and live in Saudi Arabia. We have decided to be black by replacing all their previous positions with random trash, as well as to attend the tournament in Riyadh, as well as those living in Saudi Arabia when they are subject to oppression.
This blackout includes dozens of creators and their maps, including the super majority of the most popular competition. It will continue until we see the action from the Geography; Specifically, we want to abolish its wildcard event in Geotherapy Saudi Arabia and not to host any events as long as it continues its oppression.
You don’t play games with human rights.
Thank you for reading.
Geotherapy Mapping Community
To comment on the blackout we hit the Gieceer Ab and we will update this story when we listen back.
The EWC is a Saudi government owned and managed and in the nation’s capital city. This is the evolution of the gamers 8 tournament and the second EWC-branded competition this year; This is going to happen In July and August The total gift pool is divided into 24 games, with $ 38 million. The franchises participating in the 2025 event include Rocket League, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Overwatch, Dota 2, Value, Street Fighter 6, EA Sports FC and Pubi.
It is difficult to compete in the esports without getting into a group of unknown games Video game Arm of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. In addition to hosting the EWC, Savi has a financial share of Nexon (10.2 per cent ownership), electronic arts (9 per cent), embryer group (8.3 per cent), Nintendo (7.5 per cent), Capcom (5 per cent) and take-to-to-one interactive (6.8 per cent. By 2023). The Sawwi also runs the ESL FaceTe Group, which has an electronic sports league, which is a long and important Esports event company. The New York Times Last year, the Saudi government reportedly plans to invest $ 38 billion in the video game industry by 2030.
Groups of human rights Amnesty International And and Human Rights Watch The Saudi government has long been documented. HRW describes Saudi Arabia’s human rights record as “absurd” and specifically calls PIF as a reputable white washing tool. Saudi authorities have also been accused of sports washing in traditional sports, especially by ownership of Liv Golf and Newcastle United FC countries.
In February, riot games – the biggest name in the League of Legends, Valuable and Team fighting strategies and espports – signed Three years of agreement To an unknown amount with the Esports World Cup Foundation. The riots defended the partnership, as a result, the players and the Esports industry would overcome the financial boon of the industry.
“We know that some of you may not feel great about our decision to become a partner with EWC, and we will respect it” The statement Read.
Although the corporate support for EWC is strong, Geotherapy The mapping community is not alone in rejecting the tournament this year. Street Fighter 6 Christopher Hongcock, who plays Crisk for the Flyquest, recently reduced his position in EWC 2025. A. Social Media StatementHongcock said, “I have given this decision a lot of ideas and eventually because of the nature of funding and maintaining this program, I don’t feel comfortable to participate in it.” He said the partnership between the Capcom Pro Tour and the EWC was forced to work with the Saudi-supporting group.
“Choosing not to participate in any EWC qualifiers indicates retirement from competition effectively,” Honcock said. “I am sad that this event (Fighting Game Community) is so deeply embedded in the event, but I have not yet decided to stop competing in the events associated with it.”
Beside Geotherapy Map blackout, added a new, small challenge to a game called community protest How to drive the dictatorship. It takes players through five places around Riyadh, the government sanctioned violence, kidnapping, prison sentence and women, LGBT people, religious minorities and political dissenters in these places. The challenge takes a few minutes, so feel free Experience yourself.
