MICROSOFT’S Xbox Series consoles are the first ever to offer carbon-aware game downloads and updates.
This year, Xbox started reducing its carbon footprint by optimizing updates and downloads to run at a time when the console can use the most renewable energy.
One year prior, Windows Update became carbon-aware for computers running on Windows 11. But now, Xbox consoles also made the jump.
Microsoft explains that when a console is plugged in, and connected to the Internet, Xbox will schedule game, app, and operating system updates for your console at times during the nightly maintenance window which results in lower carbon emissions.
This happens because a higher proportion of electricity is coming from lower-carbon sources on the electric grid.
For example, instead of your Xbox waking up during the maintenance window between 2 and 6 am, the console will wake up at a time when it can use the most renewable energy in your local energy grid.
Microsoft says this decreases fossil fuel dependency and CO2 emissions, and could even potentially save customers money on their electric bills when gaming.
This update is only currently available to customers apart of Xbox Insiders, a program that gives Microsoft gamers special deals and perks.
Xbox Insiders will now notice that their Xbox Series consoles are automatically updated to default on the energy-saving power option.
This one-time update to your power settings will reduce the power consumption of the console while it is off. It does not affect any game’s performance, gameplay, or your console’s ability to receive overnight updates to the system, games, or any apps.
Using their new energy-saving mode can help reduce power consumption by up to 20 times more than compared to the console’s default sleep mode.
In sleep mode, instead of turning off, the console remains on in a low-power setting, consuming more electricity but providing several advantages.
Sleep mode supports automatic updates for the console, games, and apps, and is necessary to use features like remote wake-up and fast boot, which allows the console to start up more quickly and can even be woken with a recognized voice.
In energy-saving mode, however, the console is completely powered down to conserve energy, resulting in the lowest possible power consumption.
Despite being fully shut down, it still supports automatic updates for the console, games, and apps, however, it can take up to 45 seconds to start up when it is finally powered back on.
“Every small step we take has a larger collective impact,” said Microsoft in a statement.
“Choosing energy-saving can have a real, meaningful impact. For example, for every 2 consoles that switch to energy-saving for one year, we will save the equivalent amount of carbon removed by 1 tree planted and grown for a decade.”
Another energy setting update that rolled out to Xbox Insiders, a new energy setting update known as “Active hours.”
For those who choose the Sleep power option, you can now set your console’s active hours, meaning that during these hours, your console will start quickly and be available for remote wake.
But once the active hours end, the Xbox will then fully shut down, drawing only 0.5 W of power compared to 10-15 W while active.
“We can’t do this alone,” the company says on their website.
“We must work together with our players, developers, studios, and the industry if we’re going to help reduce gaming’s impact on the environment.”
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