Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions we get most often.
The basics
Is GeoHiders free?
Yes. GeoHiders is completely free to play. There are no in-game purchases, no subscriptions, no premium tiers, and no paywalls. The site is supported entirely by display advertising delivered via Google AdSense.
Do I need an account?
No. You only need a nickname. There is no email, no password, no social login, and no profile to set up. Pick a name, create or join a room, and start playing.
How do I invite friends?
After creating a room, you will see a six-character room code at the top of the lobby. Share it with your friends — they enter it on the landing page after clicking "Join Room". Even easier: just copy the URL from your browser (it will look like geohiders.com/?code=ABC123) and paste it into your group chat. Anyone who opens it lands directly in the join modal.
How many players can join a room?
Up to eight players can play in the same room at the same time. We recommend three to six players for the best pacing — with more than six, the hiding phase can feel slow because everyone has to wait for one hider.
Can I play on mobile?
Yes. GeoHiders works on any modern mobile browser, including Safari on iOS and Chrome on Android. The interface is responsive and Street View is fully usable on touch screens. For the best experience, we recommend a tablet or a desktop, because the map is easier to read on a larger display.
Can I play solo?
Not yet. GeoHiders is designed around multiplayer rooms. A solo practice mode is on the roadmap, but for now you need at least two players in a room to start a game.
Gameplay
How is the score calculated?
Each seeker's points are based on the distance between their pin and the hider's true location. Closer guesses earn exponentially more points: a guess within 1 km is worth around 5000 points, a guess in the same country is worth several thousand, and a guess on the wrong continent is worth almost nothing. The hider does not score for their own round.
What happens if Street View has no image at a spot?
You will not be allowed to confirm a hiding spot in places where Street View has no coverage. This rules out most oceans, deep wilderness, and many areas in countries without Street View support. If you try, the game will refuse to lock in your location and prompt you to pick somewhere else.
How long does a round take?
A typical round lasts two to three minutes — about 60 seconds for the hider to pick a spot and write clues, and another 60 to 90 seconds for seekers to guess. A full game of five rounds with four players is usually finished in 15 to 20 minutes.
Can I cheat with reverse-image search?
Technically nothing stops you from opening a second tab. Practically, it is against the spirit of the game, ruins it for your friends, and is also explicitly prohibited by our Terms of Service. Please do not. GeoHiders is a casual party game, not a competitive league.
What happens if I disconnect mid-game?
If your network drops briefly, you will rejoin the same room with the same nickname automatically when you reconnect. Your room code and nickname are stored in your browser's local storage. If you are disconnected for too long, you will be removed from the room and the game continues without you.
Technical
Which browsers are supported?
GeoHiders works on the latest two versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. It will likely work on other modern Chromium-based browsers too. We do not support Internet Explorer or very old mobile browsers.
Do I need a Google account?
No. Street View and Google Maps work inside the GeoHiders page without you needing to log in to Google. You may see ads served by Google AdSense — those are anonymous by default and can be personalized only if you consent.
The map or Street View is loading slowly. Why?
The first time you load a game, your browser downloads several megabytes of map tiles and Street View imagery from Google. After that, most of it is cached. If it keeps loading slowly, check your network connection or try disabling browser extensions that block third-party scripts.
Is my chat private?
Yes — chat messages are only sent to players in the same room. They are not stored on our servers; they exist only in the in-memory state of an active room and are discarded when the room closes.
Privacy and data
What data do you collect about me?
Very little. We do not collect emails, passwords, or any persistent identifiers. We do log your IP address and basic browser information for connection routing and abuse prevention. We use Google Analytics for anonymized usage stats and Google AdSense for ads. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.
Can I delete my data?
Since GeoHiders does not require an account or store gameplay data after sessions end, there is almost nothing to delete. Clearing your browser's cookies and local storage for geohiders.com removes everything we ever stored about you.
Still have questions?
Anything we missed? Email adarshchauhan13@gmail.com or visit our contact page. We try to reply within a few days.