The end of an era is upon us, as Foursquare prepares to shutter its City Guide app on December 15, 2024. What began as a revolutionary tool for discovering and exploring cities is now drawing to a close, with the company redirecting its focus towards the Swarm check-in app. This change marks the end of Foursquare’s ambitious 2014 decision to split its features between two apps: City Guide for exploration and Swarm for location sharing.
The closure of the City Guide app comes as no surprise. In recent years, the app has struggled to maintain relevance amidst the rise of newer social platforms, where sharing real-time location has become less about novelty and more about privacy concerns. The City Guide, once popular for its “mayor” feature and user-generated tips, will now see its collected data disappear, signaling a shift in the company’s strategic focus.
Foursquare’s Nostalgic Farewell
In an email sent to users, Foursquare expressed gratitude to its community:
“After many wonderful years of leaving tips and reviews around the world together, we’ve made the tough decision to say goodbye to the City Guide app.” The web version will follow suit shortly after the app’s closure.
Foursquare’s founder, Dennis Crowley, admitted to feeling emotional about the decision. Reflecting on the years spent building the app, Crowley remarked on how difficult it is to say goodbye to something you’ve invested so much of yourself into. On Threads, he shared, “The ‘neglect of FSQ’s apps’ story has been a drumbeat in my personal online experience for like five years now. And I let it affect me more than I should.”
What’s Next for Foursquare?
Foursquare remains financially strong, with over $100 million in revenue, but its future lies in the Swarm app, focusing more on the check-in experience. Crowley acknowledged the shift in his post, saying, “I’m genuinely curious what FSQ (the company) will do with Swarm, and will always be rooting for the team.”
Despite his reduced involvement, Crowley praised the “old-school” Foursquare engineering, infrastructure, and product teams who made the City Guide what it was. He also gave a heartfelt shout-out to the super-user community that kept the platform alive throughout the years.
A Moment of Reflection from the Internet
Foursquare’s departure has sparked waves of nostalgia. Fans described the closure as a “gut punch” and expressed sadness over the loss. Josh Williams, co-founder of Gowalla, Foursquare’s past competitor, shared his thoughts on Threads: “Foursquare made the web and our digital lives a much better place. The quest for efficiency has robbed us of some joy.”
The Digital Shift: A Sign of the Times
The end of Foursquare’s City Guide reflects the changing nature of the internet. What began as an experiment in real-world connectivity through digital tools has evolved into something very different. As apps shift towards efficiency and data-driven models, the sense of exploration and joy that once defined platforms like Foursquare feels increasingly rare.
While Foursquare bids farewell to its City Guide, it continues forward with Swarm, hoping to retain a niche audience still interested in check-ins. Crowley has hinted at working on a new project, signaling that although this chapter is closing, new opportunities lie ahead.
For now, those nostalgic for the “golden age” of internet fun bid Foursquare’s City Guide a fond farewell, remembering the joy it brought when exploring the world—one check-in at a time.
This farewell to Foursquare reminds us that technology evolves, and sometimes, the things we love must change or fade away. But as long as the spirit of exploration lives on, we can look forward to new innovations that might reignite that same spark.
