Zwift’s first virtual world was called Jarvis Island and was released as an invite-only beta product on September 30th, 2014. That was exactly 10-years ago.
However, that doesn’t quite tell the full story because what evolved into the platform we know today, actually started a few years before, in 2010, with Jon Mayfield.
Pre-Zwift
In a historical blog Jon remembers his early days of indoor cycling, explaining that “First, riding indoors was awfully boring. Second, there were very few options out there to help make it better and most of them required expensive and often proprietary hardware, not to mention none of them were actually very good.”
Having developed video games over a number of years, Jon set about trying to develop something better, more entertaining. Over the next few years, Jon would work on his project, remembering that “every once in a while, I’d post about my software on various Internet forums with differing levels of positive reception.”
Fate would intervene and Eric Min appeared at Jon’s door, quite literally, late in 2013, asking about his programme.
Eric and Alarik
Whilst Jon had been exploring the art of the possible with his computer programme, Eric Min and Alarik Myrin, co-founders of Sakonnet Technology were looking for their next project. Eric recalls “Alarik had been encouraging me to take a hard look at cycling since I was so passionate about the sport.”
Eric recounts that indoor training was always uninspiring. “It had dawned on me that the indoor cyclist was being underserved and that the indoor experience hadn’t really changed all these years. It still wasn’t fun or social! Then I had a moment of eureka. What if we could take something that was historically mind numbing and turn it into entertainment? What if we could take advantage of video game technology, social networks, and friendly competition, and package that experience for the indoor cyclist?”
Positive response
Eric convinced Scott Barger, a friend and a cyclist (and now a co-founder) to join him to understand if this idea was worthy of a start-up. They travelled across the US and Europe to talk to business executives about their idea, finding out whether anybody else was engaged in a related initiative. “It turned out that no one had envisioned the answer the way we had, and the notion was favourably welcomed.” Eric said. Feeling empowered to proceed with the project, they wanted to use video game technology to construct the platform, and when looking for a senior game developer, came across Jon Mayfield’s work. Eric and Jon met and by January 2014 and as Jon says in his blog, “Hands were shook, partnerships formed.”
It’s all about the name
With the direction set, the team needed a name and with the support from Clever Creative agency, the name “Zwift” was agreed upon. “It was a process that took about six weeks, but our main goal was to create something fun that we could own,” Eric said.
Zwift is born
On September 30th, 2014 having sold the vision, Zwift launched its beta version, having raised $350k to make it viable. The rationale was that early users would help develop the product and by the following year Zwift moved from beta. In December the first video review of Zwift appeared in Cycling Weekly, a UK cycling magazine.
Milestones
A potted history shows the development of the platform over the last 10 years with a selection of key achievements identified.
2014 – Zwift beta launches, with Jarvis Island.
2015 – Zwift moves from beta. Watopia launched, replacing Jarvis Island and since then over 6 million accounts created. Key achievements include:
- January: Zwift reveals 23,000 requests to join beta (only 10,000 places made available).
- March: Zwift Riders reaches 1,000 members.
- April: Watopia launches.
- May: Zwift announces Open Beta.
- October: move out of Beta, $10/month.
2016 – Zwift Academy launched, which to date, 16 professional contracts have been awarded. Key achievements include:
- January: Angel funding round raises $10m.
- March: Zwift adds Mountain Extension (Col du Zwift) First big climb in game/Epic KOM.
- April: Zwift Academy announced.
- December: Zwift launches on iOS.
2017– Big “Z” branding introduced and group workouts released. Key achievements include:
- January: Volcano Extension launched.
- September: Group Workouts feature announced.
- October: Jungle extension to Watopia is released.
- November: price increased to $15/mo; first official group run event.
- December: event filtering on Companion app launched.
2018 – Alpe du Zwift released, along with Zwift Run. Key achievements include:
- February: Zwift Running is officially launched.
- March: Alpe du Zwift released.
- October: dedicated run-only routes added to Watopia; NYC map launched.
- December: Big refresh for Zwift Companion includes private Meet Ups.
2019 – The first Tour de Zwift, Zwift and the UCI announce the UCI Cycling Esports World Championship. Key achievements include:
- January: First Tour de Zwift.
- February: Zwift national championships; FTP Ramp test released.
- February: Zwift rated as 5th most innovative company in Sports sector by Fast Company.
- March: ZADA relaunches under Zwift’s umbrella.
- April: Fuego Flats expansion released; Tour of Watopia.
- May: Giro d’Italia Bologna TT course released; Zwift for Android is out of beta.
- June: TT mode released; first eRacing Rules and Regulations released.
- August: Titans Grove expansion released; Zwift Academy 2019 begins.
- September: Yorkshire UCI Worlds map released.
- September: Zwift announces first UCI Cycling Esports World Championships with the UCI at UCI Road World Championship in Harrogate.
2020 – Virtual Tour de France, RoboPacers released. Key achievements include:
- March: Zwift rated as 6th most innovative company in Gaming sector by Fast Company.
- June: France and Paris maps released.
- July: Virtual Tour de France.
- August: Pace Partners launch.
- October: Zwift Racing League starts.
- December: UCI Cycling Esports Worlds, Watopia connecting roads added with 4 new routes.
2021 – Makuri Island map launches. Peak concurrent users hits 49,114. Key achievements include:
- January: Highest Peak Zwift to date: 49,114.
- May: Makuri Islands launched with Yumezi area.
- June: Zwift announces 4-year deal with ASO to sponsor Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
- August: Route progress bar added to Heads Up Display.
- September: Zwift named second Most Innovative Company in Sports by Fast Company, behind the NBA.
- November: Neokyo added to Makuri Islands, RoboPacers brought to Makuri Islands for the first time.
2022 – First year of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, Holoreplays launched. Zwift Hub announced. Key achievements include:
- March: Zwift announces 4-year deal as presenting partner for Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift.
- September: handcycle rolled out.
- September: Pace Partners renamed to RoboPacers and officially moved out of FutureWorks.
- October: Zwift Hub trainer launched.
- October: HoloReplay feature launches, allowing Zwifters to compete against past performances.
- November: Urukazi launched in Makuri Islands.
2023 – Climb Portal launches during the Tour de France. Zwift Play, Zwift Hub One and Virtual shifting all released. Key achievements include:
- February: Scotland map released.
- June: Olympic Esports Series held in Singapore, with Zwift hosting the cycling competition.
- June: Zwift Play controllers launched.
- June: Climb Portal launched.
- September: Companion app update adds route browser and guest map calendar.
- October: Hub One trainer released with virtual shifting.
- November: Southern Coast expansion added to Watopia.
2024 – First Zwift Games. Zwift Ride launches. Key achievements include:
- February: Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One launched, along with virtual shifting support for all KICKR Core users.
- March: The first Zwift Games are held, Zwift’s biggest racing competition to date with over 80,000 people taking part.
- June: The Grade expansion launches in Watopia, including a fresh take on FTP tests using “The Grade” climb.
- June: The $1,299.99 Zwift Ride Smart Bike launches.
- September: Zwift Ride Smart Frame goes on sale as a standalone item.
- September: Zwift Ready program launches, bringing virtual shifting to more trainers – Wahoo, JetBlack, Elite, VAN RYSEL and Zwift Hub.
- September: HUD update released, including a dynamic elevation profile, customizable data fields, and a power zone distribution bar.
Summing up
It’s been a journey and like the roads of Watopia, there have been many ups and downs, however, Zwift have ridden these to become one of the leading indoor cycling platforms. With expansion into hardware, they have made it easier to use the fitness application and it is no longer just for the diehard cyclist. Central to the success of the platform is the community aspect that has developed organically. There will always be a need for an indoor cycling training platform, so it’s safe to say that Zwift, or its next evolution, will be around for a few more years yet.
Editor’s note: Thanks to Zwift for providing details, including 2014 interview by Andrew Burke with CEO Eric Min, where quotes have been directly taken from.
