Challenges being retired

WGA Member Joined: 2007-11-26 Posts: 3259

In case you're not on the GC mailing list...no new challenges effective immediately, all challenges gone in 7 days. Can't say I'm surprised.

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:42 pm

Do we get to keep our numbers? Crying or Very sad

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:44 pm

No big deal here. Although we did a couple, it never really caught on with us. We won't be losing any sleep over their demise.

WGA Member Joined: 2006-12-23 Posts: 5961

Hold the phone. I own one. Gr where is this message?

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 6:28 pm

Yeah, I don't think there will be too much backlash to this announcement.
I wonder what they have in mind...

WGA Member Joined: 2007-11-26 Posts: 3259

Came in my email. Also on the WGA Facebook. Keep in mind this refers to challenges as a cache type/icon, not ? caches that are challenges.

WGA Member Joined: 2007-11-26 Posts: 3259

huffinpuffin2 wrote:

Do we get to keep our numbers? Crying or Very sad

No but you can exchange them at Starbucks plus $7 for a cup of coffee.

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 6:35 pm

The email:
-------------------------------
Subject: We are retiring Challenges

Dear Geocacher,

In our effort to inspire outdoor play through Geocaching, we are often faced with decisions about what to focus on next, and what to focus on less. It is through these decisions that we explore opportunities to grow the global game of Geocaching.

Occasionally, during this process, we are faced with the reality that certain ideas don't catch on as we had hoped. In these situations we owe it to ourselves and to you to make tough decisions about the future of every project and the resources to be applied to each. Sometimes, as a result, cool features must become casualties.

In this spirit, we have decided to retire Geocaching Challenges.

This means that, effective today, we have disabled the ability to create new Challenges. We have also removed the Challenges application from all mobile application stores. In approxim ately 7 days, we will be removing all traces of the Challenges functionality and related content from Geocaching.com.

On an office wall here at HQ is a sign that reads, "Let's make better mistakes tomorrow." By accepting that we will sometimes get it wrong, we can allow ourselves to learn from and imagine new opportunities in the world of Geocaching. Our hope is we can take the lessons from Challenges and create better tools to guide you on your next adventure.

Sincerely,
Geocaching.com

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 8:48 pm

NOT

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 9:21 pm

gotta run wrote:

huffinpuffin2 wrote:

Do we get to keep our numbers? Crying or Very sad

No but you can exchange them at Starbucks plus $7 for a cup of coffee.

I disagree GR as I know for a fact a cup of coffee at the starry place is $1.94 for 16 oz. (with the $0.10 discount for bringing my own refillable mug). Now if its one of those foo foo type beverages you may be correct. wink

Joined: 2009-06-05 Posts: 2126 Location: Menominee, MI

gotta run wrote:

Came in my email. Also on the WGA Facebook. Keep in mind this refers to challenges as a cache type/icon, not ? caches that are challenges.

Sometimes I wonder if the ? challenge caches should be retired as well as many of them are out-rightly stupid. But that's a topic for another discussion.

But good to know GC finally wised up and got rid of this version of challenges.

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 10:38 am

I am not surprised or upset with this action. As for caches that are challenges, the ones that I have done have made sense. Our group trip to Iowa for The Road to Camelot also qualified us to log the 25 D/T challenge cache.

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 11:20 am

We know that some challenge ? caches are kind of silly and unless we qualify for those already, won't work to do so. We do like challenges that are a real challenge....DeLorme, Well Rounded, the Rustic Roads and things like that. Those capture the original intent of geocaching, which is still what we love most. Others like the power trails. Still others will bike. There's a place for all those things. No one is saying they must all be completed and we're happy there are options for anyone out there, no matter their abilities. This is one of the few activities we enjoy that seems to include a wide range of ages and skills.

As for those other challenges....no tears shed here.

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 2:12 pm

Unscientific but interesting I thought.

I picked a cache that has been popular and out there for a while. I looked at the last 100 "found it" posts and about 20% had also completed at least 1 challenge. Not a real high percentage but probably higher than some other cache categories.

I personally have looked at some challenges but have never been interested in doing any.

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 3:36 pm

I would think that the percentage of cachers who have completed MORE than one is pretty low...