The Return of r/Place: A Dive into Reddit’s Most Iconic Collaborative Art Experiment
Reddit’s r/Place Returns, but Users Express Frustration with Timing
Reddit’s r/Place has made a comeback on July 20th, but users are not as excited as they were before. To understand why, let’s go back to 2017 when Reddit introduced r/Place as a collaborative project, allowing users to edit pixels on a large canvas measuring 1000×1000 pixels. Users could place a single colored pixel every ten minutes, creating a vibrant tapestry symbolizing the community’s unity.
After its initial release in 2017, r/Place became a beloved online social experiment. It made a return in April 2022, playfully dubbed the “Pixel War,” as people from around the world gathered to leave their artistic marks on the digital canvas.
In the latest Reddit r/place event in 2023, running from July 20 to July 24, users can add a pixel once every five minutes on an initially blank canvas. The goal is to fill the massive 4-million-pixel virtual canvas, measuring 2000×2000 pixels, with national colors, symbols, logos, and flags from internet users worldwide.
However, the recent launch of r/Place comes at a time when Reddit users are still upset about various issues, such as the company’s decision to delete chat history before 2023 without proper notice and the announcement to sunset the current system to introduce Reddit Gold. Additionally, concerns about Reddit’s API pricing have led to the closure of cherished third-party apps. Users have voiced their frustration with Reddit CEO Steve Huffman on the platform.
The company’s tagline for the event, “right place, wrong time,” suggests that Reddit might not be fully aware of the current sentiments, leading to mixed reactions from users regarding the timing of r/Place’s return.
