Zwift probably figured out that people avoided the slow rolling gravel/dirt of other worlds, still wanted that look though so they created a new sand surface with the look of dirt but the rolling resistance of pavement.
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sand is a nightmare to ride through IRL… unless you have a fat tire bike… oh no… will Zwift introduce fat tire bikes?
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I find very annoying all those dirt road routes, 95% of the bikes you see around are road bikes so just pave that roads. If i want to use the MTB there are MTB specific routes and i’d pick those ones.
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There really isn’t that much dirt in Urukazi. Most of it is tarmac, wood planks, and sand.
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sand is even worse, wood plank a nonsense. why should i go into a woodplank with a aero bike? or why should i pick up a MTB or gravel to go on tarmac downtown?. personal opinion but given the number of people commenting on this i believe i’m not the only one
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i think they’re just wasting a lot of time on useless monumental graphic design. We need roads on places where there are plenty of opportunities to create some new. It would be even much easier and faster because no one need statues or caves or fancy scenario. We just need some good tarmac, few hills/mountains/flats and there you go
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Go ride Turf N Surf and tell me it’s not good. 
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i would be nicer if it was tarmac. Doesn’t mean there has to be no dirt or sand they just need to isolate them on the routes they provide. My issues is selecting a road and finding myself with 4-5 different kind of road it drives me crazy when you are at 35km/h you jump into some grass/stone/whatever and you lose 10km/h. Still like but since there was a new release i just wish the road surfaces were more consistent with the route selection
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I didn’t even notice my speed varying with the surface. I’m not saying it didn’t … but I didn’t notice. 
also depends on the bike, on the dirt if you select a gravel bike you’re faster.
It frustrates me a little on the Temple route in watopia which i’d love otherwise so ometimes i swap the bikes before the tarmac ends.
Justo hope they’ll pave MT Fuji when they’ll release it because it would be a shame climbing on a dirt road
Anyway have fun 
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Then why is there sand in the first place?
Again, I’m quite disappointed with the new addition …
Fun. Cycling along a virtual beach is fun.
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I covered all the new Urukazi roads this morning, no complaints except this one: why is the elevation of Urukazi 70m below the rest of Makuri Islands? The 70m climb from Urukazi to the Neokyo Harbor is particularly incongruous.
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I don’t understand the hate for different road surfaces 
It is just virtual speed and it effect everyone the same (It may impact heavier more).
now you ride your bike 2 minutes more. 
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I don’t mind it it just seems weird that there is no effect on the resistance. if things slow you down it would make sense for it to be harder to pedal (in my opinion) so it is more realistic. Otherwise why does the resistance increase up hills? why not just slow you down?
I’m very very pleased there is no dust though - that is one of my main gripes with gravel!
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The new roads all behave as paved roads, the sand and dirt don’t slow you down in Urukazi. Did you miss that fact?
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Eddies in the space-time continuum
Can we make the jungle useable again and make the same change there?
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As I stated above: It’s not just the new surfaces, it’s that the new world is boring on a technical or topographical standpoint. And also as I said earlier: Most smaller maps (e.g. France, Innsbruck, …) have much more variety than the whole Makuri World.
Why would I need sandy/dirty/wodden roads if they are nearly flat … we already have fuego flats.
Zwift is for sure the leading training plattform but as much as it is leading it’s also the one with only two major climbs. I really like Zwift for making it possible to do very long rides without having to switch routes but it only works on watopia and france if you want include climbs.
Makuri Island on the other hand it mostly flat and only the graphics change.
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I’m not sure, but I think it seems like the Mech Isle Loop climb is actually dirt and slower than the tarmac - I was leapfrogging with a rider on a gravel bike, they were consistently in lead on that surface, and I was on the paved and wooden bits.