Oregon Wins Epic 49-Day Reddit Battle to Be Last US State

A silly map game on Reddit turned into one of the internet's most delightful competitions this spring, bringing thousands together in a playful battle over state supremacy.

In March 2026, a Reddit user posted a simple challenge on the Geography Memes subreddit: "Top comment removes one state." Each day for 49 days, the most upvoted state got eliminated and absorbed into neighboring states on the map.

What started as a casual game quickly escalated into an all-out digital war. Florida went first, then Idaho. But as more states disappeared, people got invested in ways nobody expected.

Arguments erupted. Memes flooded the thread. Creative coalitions formed to save favorite states while targeting rivals. One user confessed his wife of 17 years grew suspicious of his sudden phone obsession, forcing him to explain he wasn't cheating but fighting for "Megasota" with "child-like, rudimentary memes."

The competition grew fiercer as boundaries shifted and bodies of water got renamed. The Gulf of New Mexico appeared. So did the Great Hawaiian Sea.

When five states remained, they gained epic conglomerate names: Cascadia (Oregon), Megasota (Minnesota), Kingdom of Hawaii, Maryland Crab Army, and The Vermonster (Vermont). The final battle came down to Oregon versus Minnesota, with thousands casting votes in the closest race yet.

Oregon ultimately claimed victory, celebrated for its stunning coastline, volcanic landscapes, moss-covered forests, and 80 miles of trails through Portland's Forest Park. The Pacific Northwest state offers everything from turquoise beaches with massive rock formations to hikes passing 10 waterfalls in eight miles.

Why This Inspires

This delightfully nerdy contest shows how something simple can bring people together through shared joy and friendly competition. Thousands of strangers connected daily over a map game, creating inside jokes and memories that lasted nearly two months.

The creator called it one of the best things they've ever done, amazed by how people rallied around their states with genuine passion and humor. Now they're launching a European version starting May 28th, where countries will battle for supremacy.

Sometimes the internet reminds us that humans just want to have fun together, even if it means arguing passionately about geographic superiority through memes.