Zwift version 1.78 begins its phased rollout today. It includes the much-awaited Watopia expansion, plus a refresh to the HUD’s minimap, two more Training API partners, and more…
Watopia Expansion: Jarvis Returns!
The big news in today’s update is the opening of a loop of fresh tarmac in Watopia! But it’s not just any loop… it’s the loop that started it all. Here’s an intro from Jon Mayfield:
The expansion is basically 5km of new tarmac. It’ll make a great race circuit with its KOM and sprint segments each lap. There are six new routes available which make use of the new pavement:
- Deca Dash: 52.2km, 500m elevation
- Waisted 8: 30.7km, 144m elevation
- Loopin Lava: 18.3km, 212m elevation
- The Classic: 8.8km, 65m elevation
- Coast to Coast: 24.1km, 164m elevation
- Triple Twist: 24.3km, 201m elevation
Note: you can free ride any of these routes once you’ve updated to version 1.78. But also, Tour of Watopia stage 5 begins today, and it features three of the new routes: Deca Dash, Looping Lava, and Waisted 8.
The first time you enter Jarvis, be sure to have your sound turned on! Zwift has put together a super cool unveiling sequence, and it will only happen the first time you enter Jarvis. We recorded it for posterity:
We’ll be publishing more info on this expansion in the coming days, as well as creating official Strava segments for the new routes and leaderboard segments. (Strava limits us to 5 new segments per day, so… it takes a little while.)
Until then, you might want to check out Zwift’s homepage for this expansion.
New Minimap Route Profile
This update also includes the first phase of a promised minimap refresh. In Watopia only (for now), you will see a new route overview profile at the bottom of the minimap.
The profile clearly shows your full route, your progress, any leaderboard segment banners, and how far you have left to go to finish the route. It also shows a lap counter in events.
Two notable things from Zwift on this feature. First, they’re saying, “This feature will be rolling out to additional Zwift worlds over time.” Secondly, if you venture off your route or make a u-turn, the profile view will return to the legacy view instead of showing your route (since you are no longer on your route). Zwift says, “This is something that will be addressed in a future release.”
For more, see today’s video from GPLama:
CoachCat and JOIN.cc Integration
Two more partners have gone live with Zwift’s Training API. From Zwift’s update notes:
Workouts will now seamlessly sync from CoachCat (FasCat Coaching) and JOIN.cc. CoachCat is the industry’s most advanced AI-powered coach, which analyzes your data the moment you finish a ride and instantly provides coaching feedback. Use AI to optimize your training preparation, execution, and recovery. JOIN.cc is a highly adaptive AI-driven training platform designed to fit seamlessly into your busy life. With intuitive guidance, pro-level workouts, and a supportive community, you’ll have everything you need to reach your full potential.
We’ll talk about JOIN and CoachCat more in an upcoming post.
New Routes and Badges
Interestingly, not included in the release notes are four new route badges added to the achievement list:
- Petite Douleur (France): apparently our Rebel Route is being added to the game! Read our original writeup >
- London Flat (London): a brand new route we haven’t heard of. Watch this space for details ASAP.
- Outer Scotland (Scotland): another Rebel Route getting into the game. Read our original writeup >
- Tair Dringfa Fechan (Watopia): the winning entry for the ZRL round 2 design contest
None of these routes are available yet to ride in game, but them showing up in the achievement list means they’ll be arriving very soon.
Refreshed In-Game Emotes Experience
A late addition to the release notes, Zwift has refreshed the emotes experience in game, giving them a new look and having them show above riders’ avatars when triggered:
The Ride On emote now triggers a Ride On bomb as well, just like if you triggered it via the Companion app or Play controllers.
The rollout of this refreshed experience is limited, currently, but our guess is if all goes well, it’ll roll out to everyone in the next two weeks:
Email Opt-In Unlock
This is a fun one. Zwift has a “a fun email coming to everyone’s inbox” next month. (We aren’t allowed to say what it is, but trust us – you’ll want to see it. Because it’s all about you!) They want to make sure Zwifters have opted in to receive emails from Zwift, so you can receive this email.
To do so, visit zwift.com/settings/emails and enable the toggle.
As a thank you, you will receive the new Watopia Postal Service hat, inspired by Sinbad’s classic holiday character. (If you are already opted-in, you will get the hat automatically in your garage.)
More Release Notes
Zwift provided notes on additional tweaks and bug fixes in this update:
- After selecting an activity within a Challenge (like Cardio Crusher or Route Chaser: The Grade), you can now see the activity’s details before starting.
- Fixed an issue that could cause Play controllers to not automatically reconnect when starting Zwift.
- Fixed an issue that could cause your Strava connection to be unlinked from your Zwift account if Strava’s servers were unavailable.
- Fixed an issue that could cause the Pinarello Dogma F paint job icons in the Garage to be blurry.
- Fixed issues that could potentially occur with virtual shifting when using the Wattbike Atom.
- Fixed an issue that could cause the intersection selector to appear earlier than intended when descending the Radio Tower KOM.
- Windows
- iOS, tvOS
- Android
Discuss this update in Zwift’s forum >
Questions or Comments?
If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!
After all the advertisements, and suspense building and price hikes, that’s all we get? Just 5KM of new road? Shame on you zwift.
Shame on you Kevin.
Prices of everything go up. Why do people keep on complaining about this one? Let it go or go.
I’m definitely going on a bike today and hit the new road. Thank Zwift! Ride on!
I don’t mind the price hikes if it’s proportional to the service we get. It took zwift what, like 4 years of the community asking to finally give some garage sorting (and a very suboptimal one? I still think Zwift is the best out there and I will stay, but it doesn’t take away the feeling of disappointment. Ride on.
How about the prices of groceries, prices of housing, they sky-rocketed in comparison. Are you getting more out of those too? I’d swear the food is actually even worse these days.
The minimum wage where I live went up almost the same amount as the ‘price hike’, since the last time Zwift changed pricing. And that’s hourly.
We’re paying more because of inflation, that’s it.
They’ve had a decade.
The most obvious piece of software zwift should have developed by now is something that lets them create 5km of roads at more or less the press of a button. Perhaps given a heightmap or terrain map and a few parameters describing the kind of terrain you want (you’re going to want countryside, city, jungle, desert etc, use your imagination. Obviously city can be further divided by the styles of culture or architecture. You have to create the assets)
You know there are games out there doing procedural generation now – this should already exist in zwift. Of course the new kid on the block and less mature is AI, which zwift should now be looking at pairing with their procedural generated content creator software. They don’t have the latter? Well what have they been doing for 10 years? Not sitting there creating roads manually?
You know if you’re making a sim racing game you have to have the 10-20 real world tracks each with 2 to 4 layouts. That’s an expensive manual process to do because they generally have to look like the real tracks. You have to license the track and they used to send someone to take photos of everything. A developer in Brazil or the USA has to visit Europe to do most of that and vice-versa. They’ve automated it to some extent using lidar to capture the bumps in the track and everything. Sim racing is all about pixel perfect recreations of Brands Hatch or whatever. If you have an F1 game then you need all the F1 tracks, if you have a touring car game then you need all those tracks. The advantage though is that there’s relatively short amount of road you need to create. You don’t need hundreds of kms. Sim racers, in general, are happiest riding round and round in circles on a real world track saying “Ooh I felt that same bump leaving the pits when I did a track day!”
But if your primary focus is an imaginary fake island that doesn’t exist for cyclists to explore and ride around then you need lots of roads. Hundreds of kms. Zwift has thrown a lot of money away realising that you don’t really need those roads to be real – a good thing really because zwift’s cartoon graphics means none of their routes look real in any case. ‘This is in Scotland’ – well, no it isn’t.
A few real world climbs perhaps. But the climb portal stuff has shown that you can automate the creation of a climb and you don’t even scenery so that’s all the real world stuff they need.
But Watopia should be huge by now. It should have hundreds and hundreds of km of roads twisting and turning around. It should be possible to get lost riding around in watopia and to start a ride without needing a predefined route. Watopia should be big enough by now to explore. It isn’t.
The single premise zwift has compared with riding outside – there’s no traffic and you can ride anywhere – is lost because they don’t have anywhere to ride.
The obvious solution here is directly opposite to the sim racing problem. The solution should be to automate the creation of new roads and routes. They should be adding more than 5km a week let alone once every year with a self congratulatory hoohar with weeks of ‘ooh guess what’s coming!” and videos.
Then sure they might need a team to go in and tweak the output.
But that they think creating 5km of road is something worth shouting about is why eventually they are going to fail. Because their company has had hundreds of millions of investment but they’re delivering new content, bug fixes and improvements at about the rate of a team of 2 or 3 smart programmers. So even if the competition has less investment and fewer staff they are going to catch up and take over. They spent too much time making their offices look like Willy Wonka’s toy factory and not enough actually working.
Unless someone with a clue goes in carrying a sink and says “wtf are you all doing?”
I am very appreciative of any new Zwift content but, in Kevin’s defence, the fanfare seemed to be pointing to something massive or game changing – e.g. a new mountain or a track. Here’s hoping that they connect it to the Alpe soon. I’ll enjoy Jarvis in the meantime.
I didn’t fall for the advertisement. And the prices went up because of the years of inflation. I don’t get why people love to still complain about the prices. All the other life expenses sky rocketed, but Zwidt is the problem. Everyone’s wage went upuch higher in the years since the last price change. Why are people still triggered by it?
I’m on your side here. All this buildup for something we had 10 years ago. Pretty funny. Still worth the money to me but this is kind of funny. It feels like we got punked
I started some of my subscriptions at USD 9.99. Over time they are now USD 19.99 and I get absolutely nothing more for my money. Meanwhile, Zwift has added miles of new roads, lots of cool graphics, a bunch of climbs (one that qualifies as an in-game FTP test), and a whole lot more. That was without the price increase that had to come or the game would go away. Things are much better and continue to improve.
“Absolutely nothing”? Surely that’s an exaggeration.
How much more are you getting out of the prices of groceries and housing going up? I feel like the groceries are actually getting worse. But the few extra bucks monthly for Zwift is what the problem is?
Agree with you – a lot of build up for 5k of flat. Don’t agree with the shame comment, but they can certainly do better for $20 a month.
I totally agree with you, Kevin. It was hyped up like it was going to be a game changer, so I was hoping for something truly innovative, maybe even a velodrome or something cool. We ended up with 5km of dull, buttplug-shaped roads.
Do you have to be on this latest version to ride the new routes for stage 5 of the Tour of Watopia? I see it is needed to free ride, but wasn’t quite sure if I don’t get the update today will I not be able to do the Tour event I am planning to do.
I was on 1.77.2 and saw the events and was able to ride Loopin Lava. So you should be fine I guess.
As long as you are on 1.77 or newer you’ll be good.
I haven’t got the update yet, but can ride all the new routes. The segment names haven’t been updated (they say Mystery 01, rather than Jarvis Lap etc for the moment), and the new route profile on the minimap wasn’t there, but the actual roads (and the “big reveal”) was there.
Around 0:45 in the “The Big Reveal” Video above it seems that the camera angle is choose freely … is there a hotkey for that?
It may be the Drone view using the keyboard shortcut “0” key (zero). This allows freely moving the camera view to scroll around your avatar using the arrow keys and +/- minus keys.
Woha, thank you. Didn’t know that camera … not that fully free camera I’d like to have but quite good anyway.
A year in review coming to your inbox soon!
Haha it’s even less than I expected 😂 only a couple of km’s of new roads and long route turns out just to be another loopin’ round, the opposite of what I actually hoped for seeing that length 😅 still love it but this is pretty underwhelming
Today I took advantage of the first opportunity to drive the new route. Ok, it’s only 5km of new route, but the spectacle when you ride it for the first time was impressive. We’re also in our 10th year with Zwift, and I think adding Jarvis as an extension was more than successful. I’m also looking forward to new route badges.
This is for Zwift, not so much Zwiftinsider, but the toggle switch for the email is a little confusing, as if you push it left or right, both show “blue” and it isn’t completely clear if you have opted in or out of receiving emails.
If you don’t currently get Zwift emails, change it. Simple.
I can’t imagine any email from Zwift will be that interesting, it’s not like they will restrict a new feature to people who get the email.
Functional, but not a great UI, I think is the point.
Heh, that button is a great metaphor for zwift software development.
Even this idea that you have to have an announcement that you’re going to send everyone an email is ridiculous
So… does anyone know which direction is “enabled”? Left or right? The text also goes from grey to black. I assume when text is black and slider is right that emails are enabled?
Right is enabled, checked the source.
Worst UI I’ve seen in a long time.
I hope that they will soon add the display of the incline in the companion app, because I like to drive with the hub switched off and would still like to know when I can expect an incline in the near future so that I can shift gears in time.
Indeed
Do we know if they fixed the disappearing pacer bots causing the multiplier to reset?
I’ve noticed the pacer bots keep resetting the drops multiplier (even when I’m sticking with the pacer) since the last update. I updated to the new version and still had the same problem during my ride today.
Yes, same, was riding with a pacer for about 80 mins the morning, staying close but it kept resetting every few minutes, never even reached 1.4x
One of the funny situations where I’m both excited and disappointed at the same time over the same thing. Excited because Jarvis is back, disappointed because only the original Jarvis is back without anything extra. That’s a little underwhelming.
Big news for me is the upcoming Trainer Road integration though. That’s very exciting.
Just wanted to point out that while 1.78 is rolling out, you CAN ride Jarvis and the new routes while on 1.77 …
I rode the B an C courses today, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Will there be an update to the Watopia Map poster in the future?
The Classic route could make a fun Tiny Races route, either whole lap (as race 4) or finishing at the KOM banner…
Surprised it’s not this weekend!
Exactly what I was thinking!
So, the hat is some type of punishment?
🙂
I guess it is, since it clutters your garage if you never want to wear it.
It’s taking me back to Myst. So cool.
Myst. That’s a throwback!
Hehe those should be Zwift islands, especially the one with the rope ladders in the air above the swamp
Omg I’ve been trying to remember the name of this game for soooooo long, honestly the best game I have ever played. Also kind of gave me nightmares 😂
Man, for all the epic build up, to only get one 5km loop just felt like a jip.
A little Easter egg: the first time you ride to Jarvis, you see the “Jarvis unveiled” animation, but if you ride off and then back on in the same ride, the second time you won’t see the animation, and you’ll be riding on Jarvis inside the stone shrouds!
I rode Waisted 8, then continued on back to Jarvis to check it out more closely, and that’s what happened to me.
Interestingly if you’re like me still waiting for 1.78 to roll out to you the postal hat will still appear in your garage but with a purple missing texture for the thumbnail.
Love the mini-map update. I’ve always found it really frustrating that you don’t get your whole route profile shown anywhere. Looking forward to seeing this.
Are we going to get blue riders on course again?
Eric,
Have you heard any rumblings about new metrics for the Upper-Left box? It seems like adding some new measures (like avg cadence, avg HR, HR Zone, etc) would be an easy win for the Zwift team.
General cycling/running = 12
Running: 11 running achievements, 2 Extra credit (hidden until achieved), 28 route badges = 41
Cycling: 21 cycling achievements, 11 Extra credit (hidden until achieved), 179 route badges = 211
Total of 264 badges as of 13. nov. 2024
Thanks for tracking.
Is there an 11th Extra credit cycling badge? There used to be ten, these [https://zwiftinsider.com/extra-credit-badges/] 12 minus the two running badges
EDIT: Found it, “power to the portal” based on comment below, also here: https://zwifthacks.com/app/routes/
Yes there is; Repack Rush was included in the Extra Credits (check the comments in https://zwiftinsider.com/extra-credit-badges). But also check out the newest comment here fra oct 2024; https://zwiftinsider.com/route/repack-rush/ maybe they have deleted it.
“Power to the Portal” is not confirmed as a badge; when you tick it off for badges at https://zwifthacks.com/app/routes/ it doesn`t show.
Nothing wrong with the new road but Iike many I was expecting far more given the fanfare. It’s cool to have Jarvis back but 99.9% of current Zwifters, who have never ridden Jarvis or even know what it is, would be left wondering what the fuss is about.
Looking forward to the map poster update!
Started the Waisted 8 route as a Tour of Watopia Stage 5 free ride, unfortunately it glitched and was not actually rideable. The westernmost lobe with the Jarvis segments was bypassed and not even available.
There are also 4 new route badges: london flat, outer scotland, petit doulsun
and “Tair Dringfa Fechan” Route Details (Watopia) | Zwift Insider
is there a way to manually update zwift? i know it says phased rollout but just wondering when the mini map feature will be available. i don’t car about new maps for now
The minimap does not highlight friends anymore….
Will there be an option to turn off those new emotes ? Screen has been cluthered enough already, so hope we can turn that off.
I found a hidden badge at the moment: Power to the Portal – 18.5km, 102hm, 350XP
Where do you see that?
I found route on Zwiftpreferences and then the XP on Zwifthacks
“Power to the Portal” is not confirmed as a badge; when you tick it off for badges at https://zwifthacks.com/app/routes/ it doesn`t show. Do you have any other info?
It’s mentioned here:
Zwift route: Watopia » Power to the Portal | What’s on Zwift?
OK. But it`s a “no badge route” according to https://zwifthacks.com/app/routes/ so I trust that 🙂
Maybe the same construction as Alpe du Zwift, only points or something. There are even more routes with points now with the portal: Climb Portal – Volcano, and Climb Portal – Mont Saint-Michel
Yes maybe. It might be a warm-up route before the Climb portal in Watopia
“Power to the Portal” Route Details (Watopia) | Zwift Insider 🙂
Returning after summer, just to find out my Zwift Click (virtual shifters) won’t work, anymore… Not sure which upgrade caused that, but it was working pretty good before I hit the Outdoors (Apr/May). I’m riding the HUB, upgraded to HUB ONE last year with the COG and Zwift Click… While using Companion Clicks won’t even connect! Got better luck with Bluetooth, however, though it shows Controllers connected, it won’t shift the gears, at all… Dos anybody have the same problem or I’m missing something out…🤔
I experience the same problem with my Play controllers. Problem began after v. 1.78. I’ve never had any troubles before (had them since beta, now it’s almost impossible to connect. Latest firmware, companion updated, etc. Zwift can find the controllers but when it connects, it’s just stuck in 8th gear. Sometimes possible to shift down (7-1) with the left controller, but not up with the right one despite both showing white (constant] light. Very annoying.
Yes, I’m still with you and I’m still DISAPPOINTED 😞 Though Zwift Customer Service came back to me and showed me the difference between connecting through Bluetooth and/or Companion the result is always the same: if connected by Bluetooth the Click won’t even showing in HUD display, which means I CAN ride, but ONLY on “fixed wheel” 👈NO gear at all! Now, if I use Companion as a “Bridge” the Click are there but it acts EXACTLY as you described: either STACK on default gear #8 ⚙️ or… if it moves it ONLY MOVES DOWN to Gear #1 with NO way to go… I’m SO disappointed with those new features 😪
@Eric Schlange
Any intel from other sources about this issue?
/Axel
No 1.79 update this week?
They pushed it to next week due to holiday scheduling.
I use zwift on my iPhone and iPad. I have lost my ability to sort in the garage. Just updated to .79 and it’s still not working. I had it for a short time with .77. Is it just me or a known issue?
Anyone know if LeCoach.app (AI Cycling Coach built on Intervals) will also get a direct integration with Zwift?