Zwift’s MMOG lets indoor cyclists compete affordably in virtual 3-D worlds

[From the Wall Street Journal’s Digits blog, where the post includes more images; more information is available from Zwift]

Zwift screenshot

Zwift Is Trying to Turn Indoor Cycling Into Virtual Reality

Sep 30, 2014
By Reed Albergotti

For serious cyclists, cold weather is a time of dread filled with numb fingers and foreheads. Cyclists who want to stay in shape often retreat to indoor “trainers” that turn road bikes into stationary ones. But there’s a big drawback: indoor biking can get boring.

That’s why Zwift, a London-based startup, is launching a “massively multiplayer online game” where cyclists compete against one another in virtual, three-dimensional worlds.

Zwift co-founder Eric Min is a serious cyclist himself, known in cycling circles for sponsoring major teams. He recently left the high-speed trading company he co-founded and was considering what new business to start. He also was wondering why the experience of indoor riding hadn’t improved much in years.

So Min settled on a simple goal: make indoor cycling better. A massive, online world – usually a videogame realm for dragons and wizards – could do the trick, he thought.

There have been other attempts to turn indoor bike riding into a videogame but many required expensive trainers that connected to computers. Zwift says its game is relatively inexpensive to play, requiring less than $200 in equipment.

To participate, riders need a trainer and basic wireless sensors that measure speed and cadence (how fast a person is pedaling). Many recreational cyclists already own these sensors, which come packaged with handlebar-mounted bike computers sold in local shops.

For more accurate data, Zwift’s gamers could use a power meter that measures the actual force cyclists apply to the pedals. Power meters are more expensive than basic sensors but prices have been dropping in recent years — one company plans to release a $400 model soon. Min says riders who own power meters might have a better experience, and they might be required for some online events in the future.

Zwift, which charges $10 a month for a subscription, said 1,000 people can sign up for the service Tuesday and anyone else this winter. Customers who sign up Tuesday can race one another around Zwift Island, the company’s first virtual landscape. A virtual Central Park may be next, the company says. It’s also working with bike race promoters to develop segments of actual courses.

Here’s how it works: Zwift riders stare at computer screens while riding on their trainers, controlling features like camera angles with a smartphone app. Riders can communicate with one another through headsets with a microphone – standard MMO gaming fare. Riders can compare performances, and Zwift says it might add rankings at a later time. It also hopes to integrate with other services like Strava, which tracks outdoor rides using a smartphone.

Min says he envisions Zwift becoming more than just a winter training tool. He imagines professionals taking part in virtual races, with spectators tagging along or watching using virtual reality headsets. (Zwift is funded by Min and several other investors, two who were early investors in Oculus VR, the virtual reality headset maker acquired by Facebook FB -3.25%).

One day, Zwift might allow a rider on an indoor trainer to virtually ride with riders outside on the road. For instance, they might be able to participate in the Tour de France live (albeit with a handicap so they can keep up with the world’s fastest riders). The company says that it plans to one day allow the entire game to be played on smartphones.

Min says Zwift is compatible with the Oculus Rift headset, but he says virtual reality may be reserved for spectators. It’s almost impossible to ride a stationary bike wearing an Oculus Rift. “You would fall off riding it,” he says.

This entry was posted in Presence in the News. Bookmark the permalink. Trackbacks are closed, but you can post a comment.

Post a Comment

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

*
*

  • Find Researchers

    Use the links below to find researchers listed alphabetically by the first letter of their last name.

    A | B | C | D | E | F| G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z