Guest access is a temporary account type that lets you play on Rovian without giving an email or password. You open the site, continue as a guest, turn on your camera and play your first game. No verification email to wait for.
The logic is simple: you don't want to create an account for a platform you haven't tried. Play first, stay if you like it.
What can you do as a guest?
The whole core experience is open: pair randomly and play strangers, use your camera and mic, chat, and move on to a new opponent when the game ends. Playing a friend in a private room needs a free account, though: as a guest you can't create or join a private room.
In other words, it isn't a trial version — it's the real game.
What's reserved for registered accounts?
Anything that leaves a trace. Puzzles, settings, the dashboard, friends, messages and a permanent rating are for registered users. The reason isn't technical but logical: a guest account has no owner, so there's nowhere for progress to attach.
Title applications are off-limits too — you need a free account before applying for a FIDE title or coach badge.
Signing up takes seconds and costs nothing. The moment you do, your rating, history, themes and friends become permanent.
Does the 18+ rule apply to guests?
Yes, without exception. Because Rovian involves video chat with strangers, it is for ages 18 and over only, and guest access is no exception. The confirmation isn't just a checkbox in your browser: it is explicitly requested and recorded on the server too.
If you ever face someone who is clearly a child, don't drag the game out: use “Report and skip” and choose the child-safety reason. We have zero tolerance here; details are on our safety page.
What happens to the games you play as a guest?
A guest session carries no permanent profile, so when you close it, that session's record goes with it. If you want to track progress, keep your game analysis or appear on the leaderboard, you'll need an account.
But nothing is needed for the first step: start playing as a guest, then decide.
See you in the next story.
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