'We're actually getting GeoGuessr on Steam before GTA 6': the Google Street View puzzler arrives on Valve's platform this April

GeoGuessr Steam Edition – Official Trailer - YouTube

Online puzzler GeoGuessr has taken players across the globe, but its most recently revealed location is perhaps its unlikeliest yet. The game, which involves identifying real world places based on contextual clues from Google Street View images, is getting a Steam edition that arrives next month.

The Steam edition provides access to both competitive solo duels, where you'll square off against one other player in ranked matches, and unranked team duels. Regarding the former, GeoGuessr's brand new Steam page explains that players start off in an amateur division, and can rise through the ranks up to the champion division "On your way to the Champion division, you'll access new features and game modes, such as No Move and the legendary NMPZ."

Both amateur solo duels and unranked team duels will be playable for free through Steam. If you want to play the complete solo duels experience, however, you'll need to purchase a GeoGuessr Steam pass available "inside the game". The Steam edition and browser edition are separate entities with individual subscriptions, although both support crossplay, letting you play people using the alternate version.

An image of a street in the Philippines, flanked by scooters, being identified on an overlaid world map in Geoguessr. — (Image credit: Geoguessr)

GeoGuessr's Steam edition will also be an early access game, with the developers planning to add "new game modes, maps, and competitive features" over the next six months. If, like me, you just did a double take and thought "Hold on, maps?" GeoGuessr does indeed have specific maps assembled from collections of different locations.

There's no explanation regarding why GeoGuessr is coming to Steam, but as is implied by the multiplayer emphasis and the inclusion of ranked leaderboards, Geoguessr has a burgeoning competitive scene. High-level GeoGuessr play can be remarkable to watch, and GeoGuessr has even staged a World Cup for the last two years, with the winner of last year's tournament taking home $26,250.

Bringing Geoguessr to Steam seems like a smart way to formalise its nature as a competitive game, while also exposing it to a wider audience. There's no precise release date yet, but the X post says the Steam edition is "going live soon", while the Steam page says it's coming in April.

Rick has been fascinated by PC gaming since he was seven years old, when he used to sneak into his dad's home office for covert sessions of Doom. He grew up on a diet of similarly unsuitable games, with favourites including Quake, Thief, Half-Life and Deus Ex. Between 2013 and 2022, Rick was games editor of Custom PC magazine and associated website bit-tech.net. But he's always kept one foot in freelance games journalism, writing for publications like Edge, Eurogamer, the Guardian and, naturally, PC Gamer. While he'll play anything that can be controlled with a keyboard and mouse, he has a particular passion for first-person shooters and immersive sims.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.