Xbox is now the first gaming console to offer carbon-aware game downloads and updates. According to Xbox, the change creates opportunities for gamers to make better choices to reduce environmental impact while gaming.
Some of the energy-saving options include an update to the shutdown power option, an “Active hours” setting, and optimizing updates and downloads to run at a time when the console can use the most renewable energy.
“We not only hold ourselves accountable to the carbon emissions in the production and distribution of our products, but to the emissions created with the use of our products in the homes of our fans as well,” Technical Program Manager, laine Hauglie, said in a statement. “So, the way we design our hardware and software to be more efficient and optimized for renewable energy can have a big impact.”
These updates are part of their greater plan announced back in March to boost sustainability efforts across hardware, software, waste reduction, and collective action.
“We are constantly looking at the ways in which we can innovate, learn, and improve upon our measures, as well as continue collaborating with industry partners and game developers,” Hauglie said.
There are specific ways gamers can help their own carbon footprint when gaming. These include choosing the energy-saving settings on your Xbox, choosing automatic updates, and shutting down the console sooner when inactive.
A journalism graduate from the University of North Texas, Allyson loves writing about games almost as much as she loves playing them.
