While it’s easy to focus on things like exclusives or hardware features when looking at consoles, platforms like PlayStation and Xbox might surprise you when it comes to initiatives focused on their latest offerings.
For the Xbox Series X|S, one of Microsoft’s goals is to make the Xbox more sustainable. This approach applies to the Xbox Series X|S console itself, how it works, and how Xbox manages its internal processes such as manufacturing and politics.
But what is the Xbox Series X|S, a sustainable gaming console? Let’s find out.
1. Xbox Series X|S consoles use power-saving power modes.
One of the ways your Xbox Series X|S console provides green gaming is through its power saving mode.
By allowing you to adjust power settings on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox has also expanded the power saving options. This power saving mode allows you to fine-tune the control of the console and its many functions in terms of power consumption as follows:
- Allowing your Xbox Series X|S to shut down completely instead of sleeping.
- Support for low power automatic updates.
- Reduced overall power consumption by a factor of 20 when the X|S series is powered off.
All in all, these factors combine to save money on energy and reduce your home’s power consumption, and in particular the amount of power your Xbox Series X|S uses.
In turn, with the Eco Power Mode for Xbox Series X|S, you reduce the power consumption of your Xbox and ensure a greener experience with your console. This means your Xbox will require less power to keep you playing, saving you money and reducing your environmental impact.
2. Xbox Series S is the first console produced by PCR-Resin.
In addition to internal software or power modes, the look of your Xbox can also contribute to sustainability. If you own an Xbox Series S, you own the first console to use PCR resin in the design.
PCR resin, or post-consumer recycled resin, is a substance created from recycled plastic from materials such as water or beverage bottles. These resources are then recycled to produce plastic pellets for manufacturing.
In the case of the Xbox Series S, PCR resin is used to make the body of the console and several internal components. In addition, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has given the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles a 97 percent recyclable rating.
This is P2. OECD product recycling means you can recycle 97% of the materials used to make Xbox Series X|S into future products. As such, the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S are easily recyclable, which means they don’t end up in e-waste landfills.
So while the use of PCR resin in the Xbox Series S makes it an environmentally friendly gaming console, the Xbox Series X isn’t far behind as much of the console can be recycled when it reaches the end of its life.
A versatile aspect of your Xbox Series X|S that helps reduce your own carbon footprint is the introduction of automatic, green updates for your games, apps, and even the Xbox Series X|S console itself.
As announced by Xbox Wire for the Xbox Series X|S February 2023 update, the latest Xbox consoles will prioritize updating their operating system, your games, and other installed apps when your respective power grids draw less power. This means that these updates will be made during non-business hours or during maintenance periods.
The move helps ease the burden on your energy supplier, especially since Xbox has sold more than 18.5 million consoles, according to an Ampere Analysis report. It also saves money, as many electricity providers offer lower rates during off-peak or maintenance hours. Xbox also indicates that these periods allow the use of low-carbon energy sources for electricity supply.
Photo Credit: XboxSo the new feature not only prioritizes periods when fewer carbon-based energy sources are used, but also coincides with periods that can save you money on energy overall, with current off-peak rates if supported by your provider.
As an example of how Xbox delivers a green gaming experience, low carbon updates offer a way to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on energy.
4. Xbox strives for sustainability
In addition to your Xbox Series X|S and its features, Microsoft and, by extension, Xbox have developed a specific sustainability plan to help ensure that your Xbox game console complies with environmentally responsible principles and goals.
Specifically, Xbox lays out its core sustainability goals in several key points that help drive these practices across many aspects of its platform. Here are the key points:
- Reduce your carbon footprint to become carbon neutral by 2030.
- Achieve Microsoft’s goal of being a zero waste company by 2030.
- Engage fans, organizations, developers and the industry in your mission to reduce the impact of games on the environment.
Photo Credit: XboxWhile these goals may seem arbitrary, Xbox has released sustainability-focused system updates for its Xbox Series X|S consoles, whether through eco-power settings or automatic updates that reduce carbon emissions. So there is reason to believe in Xbox and its desire to release games that last.
In addition, Xbox is implementing detailed and helpful ways to manage your privacy and online safety on Xbox Series X|S consoles. So in terms of unifying the relationship between Xbox and its player base, Xbox has a lot of experience with that, which makes its sustainability claims all the more interesting.
5. Xbox controllers use recycled materials.
As with the X|S series consoles, Xbox brings you a sustainable gaming experience with its Xbox Wireless Controllers and Xbox Design Lab controllers.
Like the Xbox Series S console, Xbox Wireless Controllers are 30% PRC polymers on the outside and 50% on the inside. While it only started with the Daystrike Camo and Electric Volt controllers, it only makes sense that Xbox would use PCR footage in future projects.
Photo Credit: XboxSo simply owning Xbox Wireless Controllers already allows you to support sustainable and sustainable gaming. In addition, the Xbox Design Lab controllers offer 15 customizable colors for their outer shells, which also include PCR resins.
It might even inspire you to design your controller in the Xbox Design Lab. But if you don’t have design ideas yet, check out our list of Xbox Design Lab controller design ideas. You’ll get a controller designed the way you want it, while still supporting Xbox’s sustainability goals.
With Xbox Series X|S consoles sustainable manufacturing, low power consumption, and other policies, you’re helping to represent environmentally responsible practices when playing on Xbox. And as Microsoft continues to work towards a sustainable future, Xbox can continue to make its platform even more sustainable.
But even beyond sustainability, Xbox provides you with other helpers, such as healthy gaming, so you can meet your gaming needs while continuing to represent environmentally responsible practices.