Zwift should have a mode to allow use on machines without graphics cards. Some type of 16 bit interpretation of Zwift Island would be sweet. (Like the old Road Rash video game) Also, this would open up your market to many more customers with laptops which often don’t have a video card. It runs on my machine but is very choppy. I’ve had other friends with similar issues.
Zwift is trying to revive the PC market.
Or a cut down version to run on tablets / smartphones. They don’t have the graphics capabilities of a good PC, but they don’t really need them either, as you don’t need the fancy graphics to get a good ride experience from Zwift.
Not everyone has a PC but most people have a decent smartphone these days.
It would get way more people on the courses and introduce them to Zwift, in time they can upgrade to the full PC version.
I get it, many people are either reluctant or don’t have the means to invest in a dedicated gaming machine to just run Zwift. Does Zwift possibly lose those potential customers? Probably yes.
What is Zwift? It’s an online cycling simulator and training tool where you can ride and interact with people from all over the world in real-time in a visually rich 3D world. Zwift has the ability to totally immerse you and make you forget that you and your bike are bolted to a trainer, confined to some room indoors. That is the beauty of Zwift.
I’ve done 3-4 hour sessions on Zwift, going from one group ride to another, throwing in a custom workout, and just riding along. It’s a virtual world but there is a known human element behind each avatar and rider that makes the world of Zwift more believable, more real. I for one would have a very tough time competing these multi-hour sessions without Zwift. Staring at the wall, just listening to music, watching a video, or staring at some Twitch broadcast isn’t the same as riding and interacting with real people in Zwift.
If Zwift were to make an “8-bit” version or something much less than what Zwift is today, it would be essentially impossible to have the same immersive experience.
Right now, Zwift can’t be all things, for all people, for all hardware and platforms. Could they, one day? Perhaps, given enough time and resources. Until then, RideOn and let’s be thankful we have many choices today with Zwift being one of those choices 