News/Commentary

‘What’s next?’ Xbox announces new ‘carbon aware’ console to ‘wake’ in conjunction with your local energy grid

January 24, 2023 | | Print Article

Microsoft Xbox is rolling out a new default setting that regulates the video game system’s power usage to fight climate change, forcing gamers to power down as part of the company’s campaign for “building a more sustainable future of gaming.”

“Xbox is working to reduce our environmental impact to help us reach Microsoft’s goal of being a carbon-negative, water-positive, and zero-waste company by 2030 by rethinking how we design, build, distribute, and use our products,” Microsoft’s Xbox Wire stated in a press release.

Xbox is focusing on carbon emissions “in the homes of our fans.”

“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,” the press release claims.

(Video Credit: Xbox On)

According to Microsoft, consoles will become “carbon aware” via a software update.

“Being carbon aware means reducing carbon footprint by optimizing updates and downloads to run at a time when the console can use the most renewable energy,” Xbox elaborated.

“This decreases fossil fuel dependency and CO2 emissions, and could potentially save you money,” the press release pointed out.

New energy-saving features are being automatically applied as well by Xbox.

“Starting today, Xbox Insiders will notice that their Xbox Series X|S consoles automatically update to the Shutdown (energy saving) power option,” Xbox Wire noted. “This one-time update to your power settings will reduce your power consumption while your console is off, and will not affect performance, gameplay, or your console’s ability to receive overnight updates to system, games, or apps.”

“With Shutdown (energy saving) selected, Xbox One consoles will experience a slower boot time,” the press release added.

“Microsoft is rolling out an update to Xbox consoles starting today that will automatically switch them to a power-saving Shutdown mode, instead of the usual energy-hungry Sleep mode,” tech website Ars Technica announced.

For most consoles, “sleep mode” means that the machine puts out minimal energy but is still able to download, charge peripherals, and keep users’ games open to where they last left off.

“Your console will wake up at a time when it can use the most renewable energy in your local energy grid,” Microsoft claims, stating that all gamers will soon be able to update their systems so that the “Xbox console is carbon aware.”

“Every small step we take has larger collective impact – and choosing shutdown (energy saving) can have real, meaningful impact. For example, for every 2 consoles that switch to Shutdown (energy saving) for one year, we will save the equivalent amount of carbon removed by 1 tree planted and grown for a decade,” the press release states.

“We can’t do this alone. 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,” Microsoft implored in its press release.

If users want their Xbox consoles to boot up with the usual response time, they will have to set “active hours” in their system settings. If they don’t, the console will automatically enter the eco-centric power-saving mode.

Not everyone was thrilled with the new “features.”

“This decision was most likely made on one of the company’s private executive jets,” video producer and podcaster Lauren Chen tweeted.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) warned that the woke mob is coming after gamers, “First gas stoves, then your coffee, now they’re gunning for your Xbox.”

Young America’s Foundation nailed it, “Lol now the woke brigade is after video games all in the name of climate change.”

“They want to take your guns. They want to take your gas stoves. And now they want to take your Xbox. What’s next?” Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) bluntly wrote.

And others really hate it:

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Republished with permission from American Wire News Service

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