Retailing behemoth Wal-mart is asking videogame companies to start thinking about how they can make games more environmentally friendly.
A recent "green gaming summit," including companies like Microsoft, Sony, Electronic Arts and Activision, centered around "packaging, power consumption and education" in the videogame industry, with an eye to reducing the environmental impact of videogames at various levels. Joe Muha, the games buyer for Wal-mart subsidiary Sam's Club, said the company urged developers to begin "developing software and hardware that allows us to save the game so we do not have to leave it on [and] would allow us to turn it off during a meal break or overnight without losing our place."
"Additionally, some clever programming would allow the console to go into a lower power, standby mode when not in use," he added. Changes in "coding and power usage design" to reduce the power consumption of consoles during media playback were also encouraged, while switching product packaging from plastic boxes to cardboard "would be like taking almost 4000 cars of the road in terms of equivalent greenhouse gas emissions," the company said.
But such initiatives would be focused primarily on future generations of consoles, rather than current hardware. "Focusing on the next generation of consoles would allow the machines to be built from the ground up to use less power while providing an even better experience," Muha said.
"There is no reason that we cannot make such a difference," he continued. "We believe that games are an important and worthwhile part of our lives. They can enrich our experiences, allow us to relax and explore while challenging our skills mentally and in some cases physically. The goals of sustainability and the gaming experience are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, they should more forward on the same track."
Walmart, the Elephantine Hypermarket that builds huge waste driven sites all over the green areas, and puts stupid restrictions on everything it can...whilst selling cut-price drivel to gullible consumers wants game companies to be more environmentally friendly; and only in the next wave (64 bit consoles?)
Isn't that like George Dubya telling Switzerland to cut down on knife crime?
"developing software and hardware that allows us to save the game so we do not have to leave it on [and] would allow us to turn it off during a meal break or overnight without losing our place."
Most games do (or should) allow that. Its the player that usually chooses to leave the machine on coz they cba to sit for a couple seconds to make sure it turns off (same with PCs)
Cousin_IT: "developing software and hardware that allows us to save the game so we do not have to leave it on [and] would allow us to turn it off during a meal break or overnight without losing our place."
Most games do (or should) allow that. Its the player that usually chooses to leave the machine on coz they cba to sit for a couple seconds to make sure it turns off (same with PCs)
Yeah, this shows how little this guy knows about games. I believe regularly being able to save games has been around for about 20 years on PC, and since the PS1/Sega Saturn days for consoles.
MrBliss: Yeah, this shows how little this guy knows about games. I believe regularly being able to save games has been around for about 20 years on PC, and since the PS1/Sega Saturn days for consoles.
Actually the first game with a save feature was The Legend of Zelda for the NES
The only thing in my opinion that needs to change is Nintendo's encouragement to leave the Wii on 24-7 by making the damn thing a pain in the ass to turn all the way off.
MrBliss: Yeah, this shows how little this guy knows about games. I believe regularly being able to save games has been around for about 20 years on PC, and since the PS1/Sega Saturn days for consoles.
Actually the first game with a save feature was The Legend of Zelda for the NES
Sorry, you could save games on the old Star Trek game on the 380Z's. That was 1982 I believe. And there were a couple of adventure games on the ZX81 where you could save your progress.
MrBliss: Yeah, this shows how little this guy knows about games. I believe regularly being able to save games has been around for about 20 years on PC, and since the PS1/Sega Saturn days for consoles.
Actually the first game with a save feature was The Legend of Zelda for the NES
Sorry, you could save games on the old Star Trek game on the 380Z's. That was 1982 I believe. And there were a couple of adventure games on the ZX81 where you could save your progress.
MrBliss: Yeah, this shows how little this guy knows about games. I believe regularly being able to save games has been around for about 20 years on PC, and since the PS1/Sega Saturn days for consoles.
Actually the first game with a save feature was The Legend of Zelda for the NES
I meant when saving became a regular feature, available on pretty much every game. The use of memory cards with the PS1 is what really kicked it off for consoles.
MrBliss: Yeah, this shows how little this guy knows about games. I believe regularly being able to save games has been around for about 20 years on PC, and since the PS1/Sega Saturn days for consoles.
Actually the first game with a save feature was The Legend of Zelda for the NES
Sorry, you could save games on the old Star Trek game on the 380Z's. That was 1982 I believe. And there were a couple of adventure games on the ZX81 where you could save your progress.
I'm a fool! Teach me your ways master!
Heh. Nah, I think your NES version was the first time that there was hardware specifically for saving. My versions were saving that information off to disc/tape.
Wait... Does no one see the contradiction here? Wal-Mart, the company that imports toys painted with Lead based paint, is trying to make the WORLD BETTER? Sounds more like they want to charge more for "ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY" merchandise.
Heh. Since the industry ditched the outsized cardboard boxes in favor of the DVD boxen, there's really not much further they can go, except...digital distribution? Is that what you're looking for, Walmart?
And I'll pay attention to his other suggestions after he's maybe logged a few hours of game time.
*clears throat* Excuse me, if you don't mind... PUBLICITY STUNT
Thank you. EDIT: This only rings truer when you read what he said about saving games.
This coming from the company that get's all it's store brand, and most of it's other merchandise, from China. I'm not saying China is to blame, we outsourced the jobs over their.
So, if you don't mind again HYPOCRITE The whole lot of us.
I almost died laughing when I realised what that guy had said about saving your game progress. I nearly didn't notice it because I was reading quickly... but, wow.
Booze Zombie: I almost died laughing when I realised what that guy had said about saving your game progress. I nearly didn't notice it because I was reading quickly... but, wow.
Yeah, that was pretty funny. He actually thinks i'll leave my Xbox on for weeks while I complete GTA IV.
This is what happened to me when I first got my Playstation 1 I got FF7 for it and didn't have enough money for a memory card. So I just had to keep my playstation on. I think I left it on for 2 months straight at one point, where I went on holidays and I was on the 3rd disc. There was no way I was turning it off.
Well, yeah, it's a publicity stunt but I remember Greenpeace...or the Greens party or something Green running an awareness campaign on high-power consumption in relation to gaming, and they make a good point.
Think about the manufacturing process and the raw materials that go into the units, and then the packaging, and the the shipping energy, the energy used by gaming stores, then finally consider the juice we use by simply playing every day.
However I don't drive, so I consider myself carbon neutral whatever I do.
Hey Joe: Well, yeah, it's a publicity stunt but I remember Greenpeace...or the Greens party or something Green running an awareness campaign on high-power consumption in relation to gaming, and they make a good point.
Think about the manufacturing process and the raw materials that go into the units, and then the packaging, and the the shipping energy, the energy used by gaming stores, then finally consider the juice we use by simply playing every day.
But with that argument, just about every manufactured product wastes just as much, if not more, energy.
Even the current DvD style cases for computer and videogames is a bit much, I don't get why they don't reduce if further, to say just over the maximum size of the disk. That still leaves plenty of room for artwork, system requirements and other miscellaneous info.
World of Warcraft much as I love it so is pretty bad for this. You know the game time cards? The thing is the size of a credit card. And they -still- put it in a full DvD sized case. Skk...
Mr.Pandah: Maybe its because if you leave them out on store shelves in such small disk cases SOMEONES GONNA STEAL EM ALL NOM NOM NOM
Umm...but the cases are in most cases (is that a pun?) empty, so, yes...it could technically make them easier to steal. But, who wants a collection of stolen game packaging?
It always used to bug me how much paper and other materials game companies wasted just in packaging. I think the height of this was Nintendo's N64 games which came in a box three times as big as the cartridge, a cardboard liner inside to hold the game in place, the game's manual, plus a crapload of other miscellaneous paperwork including advertisements for their magazine.
This isn't about the gaming industry though. This is about Walmart offering being an advocate for the environment. I used to work for Walmart, and I can tell you the word "hypocrisy" would be a gross understatement in this situation. The amount of garbage thrown away by a store in a single day rivals that of a small town.
I expect to see Scott Peterson become a marriage counselor by the end of the day.
Hey Joe: Well, yeah, it's a publicity stunt but I remember Greenpeace...or the Greens party or something Green running an awareness campaign on high-power consumption in relation to gaming, and they make a good point.
Think about the manufacturing process and the raw materials that go into the units, and then the packaging, and the the shipping energy, the energy used by gaming stores, then finally consider the juice we use by simply playing every day.
But with that argument, just about every manufactured product wastes just as much, if not more, energy.
How many manufactured products use as much energy as an XBOX when they're on? Even on standby they use a huge amount, I think from memory it's almost as much as a TV or maybe even more.
Hey Joe: Well, yeah, it's a publicity stunt but I remember Greenpeace...or the Greens party or something Green running an awareness campaign on high-power consumption in relation to gaming, and they make a good point.
Think about the manufacturing process and the raw materials that go into the units, and then the packaging, and the the shipping energy, the energy used by gaming stores, then finally consider the juice we use by simply playing every day.
But with that argument, just about every manufactured product wastes just as much, if not more, energy.
How many manufactured products use as much energy as an XBOX when they're on? Even on standby they use a huge amount, I think from memory it's almost as much as a TV or maybe even more.
From CNET - TVs: Average plasma: 350 watts Average rear-projection: 212 watts Average LCD: 213 watts
Other A/V gear: PlayStation 3: 197 watts Xbox360: 187 watts Average PC: 78 watts DirecTV HR20 DVR: 33 watts Wii: 19 watts Slingbox: 9 watts Wireless router: 7 watts
Take that PS3! Sorry ^^' But I'm glad my love the PC came third highest. :D Haha, but the Wii beats them all, lowest power consumption of the gaming platforms.
Wal-mart Calls For Greener Gaming
Retailing behemoth Wal-mart is asking videogame companies to start thinking about how they can make games more environmentally friendly.
A recent "green gaming summit," including companies like Microsoft, Sony, Electronic Arts and Activision, centered around "packaging, power consumption and education" in the videogame industry, with an eye to reducing the environmental impact of videogames at various levels. Joe Muha, the games buyer for Wal-mart subsidiary Sam's Club, said the company urged developers to begin "developing software and hardware that allows us to save the game so we do not have to leave it on [and] would allow us to turn it off during a meal break or overnight without losing our place."
"Additionally, some clever programming would allow the console to go into a lower power, standby mode when not in use," he added. Changes in "coding and power usage design" to reduce the power consumption of consoles during media playback were also encouraged, while switching product packaging from plastic boxes to cardboard "would be like taking almost 4000 cars of the road in terms of equivalent greenhouse gas emissions," the company said.
But such initiatives would be focused primarily on future generations of consoles, rather than current hardware. "Focusing on the next generation of consoles would allow the machines to be built from the ground up to use less power while providing an even better experience," Muha said.
"There is no reason that we cannot make such a difference," he continued. "We believe that games are an important and worthwhile part of our lives. They can enrich our experiences, allow us to relax and explore while challenging our skills mentally and in some cases physically. The goals of sustainability and the gaming experience are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, they should more forward on the same track."
Source: Develop
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