Yes rowing in future works…
Skining would be nice to (have a SkiERG) but first rowing on Zwift.
Was close to release and then they just NO!
Release what you have, please
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I would love some sort of accommodations for rowing as well.
Even if the avatar and routes are still for cycling, it would be great if Zwift could take the rowing data directly for the wattage output and then log the rowing data with the end of the workout. Without that being natively supported by Zwift, I have to stream the rowing data through RowedBiker (great app!) and then manually enter my rowing data into Strava (since it’s very different effort than cycling).
FWIW, I use a WaterRower connect VIA Bluetooth through RowedBiker app.
Keep up the great work on Zwift!
Wouldn’t it be nica if it was possible to have a rowing section in Zwift ?
The rowing ERG’s are connectible just als de cycling rollers.
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Rowing was on the agenda and nearly launched but the whole project is now binned.
You can actually simulate it using a 3rd party app with a compatible rower.
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I know we have cycling and running, but why not rowing! I think it would be really cool to row in Zwift’s Worlds! We could row in the open ocean or in the Jungle lake of Watopia, the lake in NYC, the huge ocean of Makuri, in the new upcoming Scotland world, and on the long river in London etc. I just checked and every world has at least SOME WATER. (Look closely and you’ll see Yorkshire even does!) I also tried EXR rowing but the problem with that is that is has VERY limited route options!
I think this would be a AWESOME FEATURE!
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You must be new here. 
Rowing has been requested many times. And there was a time when Zwift were (supposedly) very close to making it a reality. However, those plans were scrapped, and replaced with a ‘no plans to ever add rowing to Zwift’ narrative.
So, don’t hold your breath.
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They were close to launching it then bailed at the 11th hour - you could even see the start/finish gates in the water around Watopia. Some details of it in here:
TL;DR: rowing is an exceedingly small market with deeply negative ROI. When I figured this out, I gave up the rower and bought a bike and smart trainer. I wanted to gamify my indoor fitness and a rower wasn’t cutting it.
But the galling part is we’re led to believe most of the work was pretty much done. That’s certainly the impression Eric Min gave, and the video above shows there was a route in game.
Of course, I can’t speak for other ergers, but I didn’t need a lot. Just to be able to connect my PM5 directly to Zwift and have a route or two to row in game, while still earning Zwift XP and Drops.
Yes, there’s RowPro but that’s a very different system (and additional cost).
There’s EXR, but again it’s a separate system and additional cost.
Heck, as I’ve noted previously I’d even make do just with a “RowBike” model and use the standard cycling routes.
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I suspect they realized that was just the beginning of their work. Once you open that door, well, now you have a whopping total of “four” rowers who demand new content every release, which comes along with it a tonne of programming and testing requirements.
I’m perhaps being a bit hyperbolic - they could treat it like running and just say “here you go!” with a single “Watertopia” loop.
Counterpoint though: there are MILLIONS of runners compared to those “four” rowers - back to ROI.
I would genuinely like to see rowing but not at the expense of the even an hour of dev time on the rest of the game. (witness all the game-breaking issues with v. 1.33.0 - staff working late into the night to push 1.33.1 to PC, Android and Mac)
You mean there are “millions” of runners. Do we actually know how many people run on Zwift? I mean, it’s free sure, but how many actually have a treadmill at home?
Maybe some use treadmills in gyms. But the same could happen with people using ergs in gyms (assuming they are recent enough to have a PM5 for example).
I don’t know why you say “four” rowers. It’s not that much of a minority activity. Look at Concept2 Logbook | Search Rankings for example, and more than 10,000 people have logged a 2k this year, and 12,000 people logged a 30 minute distance in 2022. Of course those are only the people who bother to log their rows with the C2 logbook.
Objection! Supposition. If rowing the same loop every time is the alternative to starting at the PM5 screen every time, I’d still take the former. And really I think it’s likely to be much less effort to tack a rowing route onto a new map than it is a cycling route. No elevation to worry about for example. Much less scenery to think about (other than the land that will already be designed for the cyclists). A simple coastal loop, slight modification of some terrain to add a river and some bridges perhaps.
“Even an hour”. Really? Even if that hour was all it took to get it out of the door? I’m sure yuo exaggerate for effect, but I’m sure we could all say the same about some aspect of Zwift we don’t personally care about or benefit from. I’d rather they looked at rowing rather than “even an hour” of dev time on running, for example. 
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A Rowcycle? Looks like a handcycle, but with a sculling shell?
IF this did happen (which I REALLY want it to), some route options could be the Jungle lake in Watopia and if you want to row a long distance (like 50K) there’s been that huge open water area in Watopia for a while! (In fact: all of Watopia’s days) C’mon Zwift! P.S: to make it not so boring they could make it a big river with a new island so you’d be rowing alongside some scenery!
Rowing on Zwift works perfectly fine. See this article on zwiftinsider.com for instructions on how to make it work.
I’ve been rowing on Zwift for about three years now (I push my cycling avatar with the watts of my Concept2 rowing machine). Just reached level 40 with rowing only. It is SO MUCH fun with the dynamics of Zwift cycling: I can join group rides, aim for route badges, join challenges, push myself in races, deal with pack dynamics and route profiles … well, you all know it. Time flies, and I often have to force myself to stop a ride (and can’t wait for the next one).
Okay, the rowing machine is a “dumb“ trainer. I don’t feel inclines, I have to monitor the little profile window very carefully. And I cannot use chat for obvious reasons. And I have to stop when I want to drink. And I cannot win a sprint because it’s just not possible to create those huge watts on the rower. But it’s still SO MUCH fun!
I tried EXR. Soooo boring compared to Zwift. And I’m very sure that “real“ rowing on Zwift would also be very boring. The cycling dynamics and - maybe even more important - the large number of cyclists around you - are the game changer.
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Then why didn’t they do it! I would have loved it!
Zwift hates rowers. Quod erat demonstrandum
I hadn’t put 2 & 2 together until now.
Level 40 (killed me to get to 39 on a bike)
3 challenges in a month and racing in WTRL and all on a rower. 
Row On
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Well, sure, there are workarounds to enable it, but I wouldn’t call it “perfectly fine”.
I’ve used RowedBiker and PainSled, but it’s a hack.
It also isn’t really legitimate for racing for example, since both apps enable the rower to artificially increase their power, not to mention the “Cruze mode” option in RowedBiker that means you can lock power and continue to move even when not rowing for a while (not to mention banking power with “Cruze Reserve”).
Personally, the cycling dynamics are not what I want when on the erg. I’d rather be on water. The rear view mode of the Zwift camera would offer the option of moving backwards through the world, but it doesn’t really work on the bike. I don’t mind too much about the other cyclists.
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I think adding rowing would be a fun addition to Zwift (not controlling a bike, but courses out in the water, like they were going to do)
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Like this… the white would be roads cyclists and runners could go on and the red is rowers only (similar to how there’s running only routes) and the areas that go over current land (for ex: the red on the desert sand) would become rivers or tunnels under roads and then the places (like in the top left corner of the map) there would be added land so that way it would become more of like a river so people don’t get bored by seeing that they’re out in the middle of water for 50K
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