With more than 3.2 billion people worldwide actively playing video games and 40% of US adults owning dedicated gaming consoles,11,15 the carbon footprint of gaming consoles is more relevant than ever.
This article explores the environmental impact of the world’s most beloved gaming devices, also taking a dive into the video game industry’s footprint as well as the profound impact of electronic waste.
Continue reading to learn how to reduce the negative effects of gaming.
Examining the Carbon Footprint of Gaming Consoles
Companies around the globe are being urged to take a closer look at their carbon emissions, or carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e),33 as human activity, manufacturing, consumption, and so forth have created a global warming crisis. Carbon footprint analysis of a product examines and aggregates all of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) produced over the course of the product’s life cycle.37
Every company should be undertaking this task to better appreciate their own environmental footprint.
However, understanding the carbon footprint of gaming consoles is trickier than one might imagine because carbon footprint calculation requires knowledge of all of the direct and indirect emissions leading up to and proceeding from the production of a product.
To better explain how this works, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discusses the three scopes of emissions defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (see “Scope 1 and Scope 2 Inventory Guidance” and “Scope 3 Inventory Guidance”).34, 22, 23
The following is a summary of the three scopes:22,23
- Scope 1: Scope 1 emissions are the direct emissions caused by company operations. Typically, this includes mobile combustion of fossil fuels by company vehicles, stationary combustion of fossil fuels by company facilities, and fugitive emissions from air conditioning, fire suppression systems, refrigeration, and industrial gases.
- Scope 2: Scope 2 emissions are the indirect emissions from electricity that is purchased from a third party. These emissions are indirect because they are produced by a different company, usually through fossil fuel combustion, but the use of electricity by the manufacturer perpetuates the production.
- Scope 3: Scope 3 emissions are the hardest to measure as they encompass all of the upstream and downstream indirect emissions of a source. These emissions are often called “value chain emissions.”
An example of upstream emissions would be those produced by the mining of raw materials. An example of downstream emissions would be those produced by consumer use of a product.
So what does this look like in terms of gaming consoles? The table that follows breaks down the carbon footprint of gaming consoles into three categories, or scopes, of emissions.
| Identifying Scopes 1, 2, and 3 Emissions For Gaming Consoles | ||
| Scope 1 Emissions | Scope 3 Emissions | |
| Upstream Emissions | Downstream Emissions | |
| Emissions from fuel combustion by company vehicles transporting parts and goods | Purchased goods and services include food, appliances, office supplies, etc. that are not used directly in the manufacture of consoles | Transportation and distribution of finished consoles to retailers or customers. Transport is often international. |
| Emissions from fuel combustion by company facilities to power boilers, furnaces, heaters, dryers, etc. | Capital goods include the procurement/processing/manufacture of raw materials to make consoles. Includes machinery, metal mining, plastic synthesis, etc. | Consumer use of consoles. Includes operational energy and electricity usage as well as potential repairs. |
| Fugitive emissions from leaks and vapors from refrigerants, coolants, fire suppressants, and industrial gases | Transportation and distribution of parts and products by non-company vehicles. Includes transport of raw materials. | Consumer use of consoles. Includes operational energy and electricity usage as well as potential repairs. |
| Scope 2 Emissions | Employee commuting to and from the factory to manufacture consoles | End-of-life treatment of consoles. Emissions produced by waste management companies or directly released into the atmosphere from improper disposal. |
| Emissions produced by third party manufacture of electricity | Business travel for development/promotion of consoles | |
| Disposal and treatment of waste generated in console manufacturing | ||
* Scope 3 emissions in this table are not comprehensive. The table is meant to highlight the most relevant areas.1
Unfortunately, life cycle analyses for gaming consoles aren’t consistently conducted or published. Microsoft is an exception, and the company has conducted and published reports for their last two generations of consoles.
Microsoft published an “Eco Profile” on its original eighth-generation console, the XBox One, as well as the later models, the XBox One X and XBox One S. For the Xbox One, Microsoft calculated a lifetime carbon footprint of 1,114 kg of CO2e, roughly the same as driving 2,850 miles in a gas-powered passenger vehicle.
According to their report, approximately 82% of the carbon emissions resulted from consumer use of the product.16
The XBox One X footprint is slightly smaller at 1,075 kg of CO2e, 86% of which Microsoft attributes to consumer use of the product.31 The carbon footprint of the XBox One S is much smaller at 693 kg of CO2e, 80% of which is attributed to product use.30
Microsoft reports smaller carbon footprints for its newest gen consoles, the XBox Series X and XBox Series S.
For the Series S, the carbon emissions are approximately equal to 559 kg of CO2e.17 The Series X, the larger of the two models, has a carbon footprint of 825 kg of CO2e.18
Sony has been less quick to disclose environmental impact analyses for their gaming consoles, so consumers are left to rely on third-party studies of these products.
One such study determined that the manufacture and transport of the PlayStation 4 was responsible for 89 kg of CO2e.7 This number does not include the environmental impact of purchased goods and capital goods or other scope 3 emissions such as consumer use, end-of-life, and so on.
The Nintendo Switch is, by far, the most popular handheld gaming console. Unfortunately, there is not an official life cycle assessment for the Switch available at this time.
Some aspects of this console that differ from the PS5 and XBox Series X/S is that the handheld console is portable and includes controllers. This means that the Switch includes a battery for the console and additional batteries for the controllers which increase its manufacturing footprint.
For Xbox and PS5, controllers are purchased separately, carrying their own carbon footprints.13
It is notable that the consumer appeal of Nintendo’s consoles and games is not typically reliant on bleeding-edge graphics and processing speeds. Thus, Nintendo games and consoles do not require the same amount of operational energy to play, nor does the technology become obsolete as quickly.
A Look at Gaming Consoles
This is the age of video gaming, as many parents can attest. The variety and sheer number of video games available for consumption are incredible, and it is easy to see how this contributes to the plastic and electronic waste problem in the country and across the globe.
But what about the consoles on which the games are played? Don’t they also play a role in the climate crisis?
Gaming consoles are electronic systems that enable consumers to use a controller to play video games on a digital display. Often, these consoles connect to the home television screen or another type of monitor.
Some consoles are designed to be all-in-one, handheld versions equipped with their own screen. Many video game consoles also have the added advantage of functioning as a home entertainment system for people to play music and movies or stream TV shows.29
Although various companies have dominated the video game market through the years, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony are the big names today. Each of these companies have their designated console brand.
American company Microsoft’s gaming console line is marketed under the brand name Xbox. Sony, a Japanese digital entertainment company, owns the console brand PlayStation.
Nintendo is an extremely popular Japanese video game company.29 The companies compete with each other by carrying console-exclusive games, access, and accessories.
Microsoft
Since Microsoft introduced the first XBox in 2001 as part of the sixth generation of gaming consoles, there have been three other generations of XBox consoles released with various updates and modified versions between. The ninth generation is currently in progress.
Xbox also offers a cloud gaming service called Xbox Game Pass Cloud Gaming.32
Sony
Sony was on the gaming scene several years before Microsoft caught up. The first Playstation console was released in 1994/95, as part of the fifth generation of consoles, competing against Nintendo and retired console brand, Sega.
The line took off from there, spurring the creation of a variety of stationary and portable consoles.21
PlayStation also offers a virtual reality console: PlayStation VR released in 2016 and PS VR2 released in 2023. Various other accessories such as PlayStation TV, PlayStation Eye, and many more are also available.
Nintendo
Nintendo is a Japanese company dating back to 1889 when it specialized in playing cards, but it found its niche in the video game industry in the 1970s, releasing its first gaming console in 1977. Nintendo has been highly successful ever since with a long list of exclusive games and characters.26
| Gaming Console Products and Release Dates for Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox | |||||
| Nintendo | Playstation | Xbox | |||
| Year | Home Console | Handheld | Home Console | Handheld | Home Console |
| 1977 | Color TV-Game | ||||
| 1980 | Game & Watch | ||||
| 1985 | Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) | ||||
| 1989 | Game Boy | ||||
| 1990 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) | ||||
| 1995 | PlayStation (PS) | ||||
| 1996 | Nintendo 64 | Game Boy Pocket | |||
| 1997 | Game Boy Light | ||||
| 1998 | Game Boy Color | ||||
| 2000 | PS One
PlayStation 2 (PS2) |
||||
| 2001 | GameCube
Panasonic Q |
Game Boy Advance | Xbox | ||
| 2003 | Game Boy Advance SP | ||||
| 2004 | Nintendo DS | PS2 Slim | |||
| 2005 | Game Boy Micro | PlayStation Portable (PSP-1000) | Xbox 360 | ||
| 2006 | Wii | Nintendo DS Lite | PlayStation 3 (PS3) | ||
| 2007 | PSP-2000 | ||||
| 2008 | Nintendo DSi | PSP-3000 | |||
| 2009 | Nintendo DSi XL | PS3 Slim | PSP Go | ||
| 2010 | Xbox 360 S | ||||
| 2011 | Wii Family Edition | Nintendo 3DS | PSP-E1000 | ||
| 2012 | Wii U
Wii Mini |
Nintendo 3DS XL | PS3 Super Slim | PlayStation Vita (PCH-1000) | |
| 2013 | Nintendo 2DS | PlayStation 4 (PS4) | PCH-2000 | Xbox 360 E
Xbox One |
|
| 2014 | New Nintendo 3DS
New Nintendo 3DS XL |
||||
| 2016 | NES Classic Edition | PS4 Slim
PS4 Pro |
Xbox One S | ||
| 2017 | SNES Classic Edition | New Nintendo 2DS XL | Xbox One X | ||
| Nintendo Switch | |||||
| 2019 | Nintendo Switch Lite | ||||
| 2020 | PlayStation 5 (PS5) | Xbox Series X
Xbox Series S |
|||
| 2023 | PS5 Slim | PlayStation Portal | |||
This table demonstrates how the video game industry is constantly evolving and illustrates the rapidity with which gaming consoles are replaced for upgraded, revised, or simply newer models. The video game consoles produced by these three leading companies will feature throughout the remainder of this article.
What Is the Biggest Contributor to the Carbon Footprint of Gaming Consoles?
Reports from different companies give varying accounts of the largest contributors to the carbon footprint of gaming consoles.
For example, Microsoft declared that 75% of the carbon footprint of Xbox consoles is due to the fossil fuel-derived energy used by consumers to power the gaming systems.6 Microsoft’s eco profile for the Xbox One X reports that 86% of the console’s carbon footprint was attributable to consumer use of the product.31
Another important determinant of the largest contributor to the carbon footprint of gaming consoles is the type of gaming the console is used for. In other words, if a gaming console is used primarily to play hardcopy games or offline local games, it is more likely that the manufacturing of the console will be responsible for a larger percentage of its overall footprint.
(Image: ELLA DON38)
If the console is used primarily for online gaming and cloud play (streaming), however, a larger proportion of the carbon footprint will be attributable to the consumer use sector because of the energy required to power the data centers that support and are, in effect, the cloud.3
Of the 3,283,722 tonnes of CO2e Nintendo reports for its 2023 carbon footprint, a whopping 2,947,917.4 tonnes are attributed to “Purchased Goods and Services” and an additional 36,771.1 tonnes are attributed to “Capital Goods.”
Remember from the table in the previous section that “Purchased Goods and Services” refers to any items purchased by the company that aren’t used directly in manufacturing. This category would include furniture, vending machines, refrigerators, office computers, and so on.
The “Capital Goods” category refers specifically to materials used to manufacture the products. This would include the mining of metals, plastic production, manufacturing machinery, and so forth.
Although these categories are not further broken down, it is apparent that most of Nintendo’s emissions are generated upstream by the goods the company purchases.19 Note that Nintendo is a vast company that produces consoles, accessories, games, toys, and much more, so upstream materials collection would be across all of those products.
How Do Gaming Consoles Compare to PCs in Terms of Their Environmental Impact (PC vs Console)?
The vast majority of gamers use one of three types of devices for their video game play: smartphones, PCs, and consoles, with smartphones being the overwhelming leader. While these are the most popular apparatuses for gaming, tablets, smart TVs, virtual reality headsets, and arcade games are alternative ways to play.
Comparing PC vs consoles in terms of their environmental impact is useful to gain some insight into relative carbon load.
According to PlayStation’s energy efficiency reports, playing a downloaded game produces less emissions than a hardcopy (disc) game or streaming.
Per the company, the 0.05 kg of CO2e produced on average for every hour of gameplay for a digital download game is also almost half the 0.09 kg CO2e produced by a gaming PC for a comparable time frame. This is partly because PC gamers may rely more on streaming (see next section on ‘Cloud Gaming’).20
Lifespan is another important consideration when comparing electronic devices. Video game consoles are replaced about every 5 years on average, as this is about the point in time when the technology becomes outdated.9
Well-made gaming PCs, properly maintained and updated, can last up to 7 years.5 This is a potential margin of 2 years reduction of waste and resources with the gaming PC.
A typical desktop PC may generate between 700 and 800 kg of CO2e per year, across all scopes of emissions.2 It can be assumed that a gaming PC generates significantly more CO2e due to a more complex graphics processing unit (GPU).
The Xbox One X Eco profile reports 1075 kg of CO2e from the console’s entire life cycle.
Divided out across 5 years of the product’s estimated lifespan, it comes out to approximately 215 kg of CO2e per annum. This is the equivalent of charging more than 14,000 smartphones or driving more than 500 miles (see the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator).31,35
In other words, it seems likely that PCs, and gaming PCs in particular, are more harmful to the environment than gaming consoles.
What About the Carbon Footprint of Cloud Gaming?
Cloud gaming is a newer way to play games where the user streams the game and all of its contents remotely. Cloud gaming requires neither download nor game disc as all of the game’s memory is stored in the cloud.
On the surface, this seems like the ideal method for gaming. However, according to one source, the energy expense of cloud gaming on a console is 156% higher than offline gaming!3
According to PlayStation’s environment reports, cloud gaming is more energy efficient than digital downloads for games that are likely to be played for less than five total hours. For games that will require a bigger time commitment from gamers, digital downloads are likely the way to go.20
The reason? All of this data is not being stored in a literal cloud.
The figurative ‘cloud’ is a series of energy-intensive data centers: enormous buildings full of enormous computers that constantly receive, encode, store, and transfer data. The energy required just to run these computers is enormous, but the energy required to run the cooling systems that prevent the computers from overheating is highly concerning too.
In other words, as long as data is being stored and transferred in data centers powered by fossil-fuel-derived electricity, cloud gaming is not going to be an environmentally friendly alternative. However, some big-name companies, such as Google, are already making significant headway into shifting their data centers to exclusively renewable energy.25
As this transition takes hold and more data centers make the switch, the scales are likely to tip back in favor of cloud gaming.
What Is the Carbon Footprint of E-Waste (Electronic Waste)?
Electronic waste, defined as any type of product that has either a battery or an electrical plug, is a tremendous problem in today’s world. E-waste contains hazardous materials and substances that are exceedingly harmful to the environment and human health.
Improper disposal of electronic waste not only increases global CO2e emissions but also impacts local habitats and ecosystems and endangers human wellness by leaching toxic substances into soil and waterways.12
According to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR),12 more than 62 million metric tons of electronic waste are produced annually, as of 2022. The organization claims that this amount of e-waste would fill enough 40-tonne trucks to stretch around the globe.
Appallingly, less than 25% of the e-waste produced each year is recycled properly, resulting in tons of bulky plastic, steel, aluminum, and even rare earth metals winding up in landfills. The UN estimates that 45 million kg of plastics with toxic flame retardant added and 58 thousand kg of mercury are disposed of improperly, typically landfilled each year.12
The e-waste problem is growing at an incredible pace. It is projected that an astounding 852 metric tonnes (Mt) of CO2e emissions resulting from e-waste will be released in the year 2030.24
What Is the Carbon Footprint of Video Game Companies and the Gaming Industry as a Whole?
The video gaming industry was worth a whopping $184 billion dollars in 2023, thanks to more than 3 billion active games around the world. And the industry continues to grow rapidly!10,14
Researcher and author, Ben Abraham, has figured that the emissions produced by the industry each year are comparable to those generated by the entire country of Slovenia per annum. His sustainability analysis suggests that the creation of video games alone may have been responsible for as much as 15 million tons of CO2e in a single year (2020).14
In the United States alone, gaming is estimated to produce more than 24 million Mt (metric tons) of CO2e every year.8
Though there are no accurate, comprehensive estimates for the entire industry footprint, some gaming companies have published their carbon footprint for the sake of transparency and improvement. Nintendo published its carbon footprint for the years 2021 through 2023.
Across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, the company generated approximately 3,283,722 tonnes (3,283 kilotons) of CO2e in 2023. The overwhelming majority of these emissions are attributed to purchased goods and services, or in other words, primarily the sourcing, processing, and manufacture of raw materials.19
The French gaming company, Ubisoft, reports that their total carbon footprint for the year 2023 was 145 Kt (kilotons) of CO2e emissions, of which more than half was attributable to the use of the sold products.28
Video game companies have been late in addressing their role in climate change, but they are beginning to cotton on to the fact that the industry is not on a sustainable trajectory. Several leaders in the industry are taking steps to reduce their carbon emissions and overall environmental impact by shifting to renewable energy, changing the way their products are packaged, and improving product efficiency.
Tips For Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Gaming Consoles
Research into the carbon footprint of gaming consoles makes it apparent that this is a dire matter that can no longer be ignored. To address this growing problem, video game companies and consumers must join forces to combat the adverse environmental impact of gaming consoles.
The vast majority of emissions from gaming consoles are produced during the manufacturing and consumer use phases of the console’s lifespan. This means that the primary onus for action and change falls first to the part of the video gaming companies, themselves.
Many companies/developers are already enacting changes to reduce their carbon footprints, and these are some of the steps that can make the biggest impact:14
- Conduct a life cycle assessment for the company as a whole and for each individual product
- Use the data from the assessment to identify the major contributors to carbon emissions
- Use renewable energy sources for internal operations
- Monitor and improve the energy efficiency of machines (consoles)
- Collect user energy data and provide feedback to gamers to engage each individual
- Ensure labeling of all console components for proper recycling
- Include recycling instructions with every device
- Eliminate plastic packaging
- Support electronic waste recycling efforts and source raw materials from recycled goods
- Conduct supply chain analysis to ensure materials and goods are being purchased from ethical and environmentally conscious companies
- Partner with data centers that are run on clean, renewable energy sources
- Engage in restoration efforts for the natural world
Remember that as much as half (or more by some estimates) of the carbon footprint of consoles may come from the consumer use segment. This means that gamers are not beyond accountability for gaming emissions, and they too have the power to effectively reduce the footprint of gaming consoles through gaming offset programs.
The following strategies, implemented at the level of the individual consumer, can make a big difference:3,4
- Avoid replacing consoles every few years
- Avoid purchasing every available accessory
- Purchase only those games they are certain to play
- Try not to demand or expect bleeding-edge graphics
- Buy digital, rather than physical, copies of games
- Turn off the device or enter standby mode when not in use
- Choose energy-saving features in the settings
- Unplug the console entirely when away for extended periods
- Clean the console regularly to eliminate dust
- Do not keep in direct sunlight, as console overheating can cause damage and more energy use
- Repair before replacing
- Consider rehoming devices when upgrading
- Find out where to recycle electronic waste and how to do so properly
The video game industry continues to grow and evolve rapidly. Although the mode of playing and devices used change over time, it is clear that the demand for cutting-edge gaming isn’t going anywhere.
This article explores some of the biggest contributors to the carbon footprint of gaming consoles and offers some guidance to ameliorate this pressing issue.
Frequently Asked Questions About Carbon Footprint of Gaming Consoles
What Is a Carbon Footprint?
What is a carbon footprint? The carbon footprint of a given source is the amount of carbon equivalent emissions that source is responsible for generating, either directly or indirectly (see Carbon Footprint Factsheet | University of Michigan Center For Sustainable Systems).36
Every person, animal, group, item, and even activity has its own, unique carbon footprint. In other words, the carbon footprint of a source is the total amount of atmospheric pollution (greenhouse gas (GHGs)) for which that entity is responsible.37
Can Anyone Learn How To Calculate Carbon Footprint Manually?
Yes, anyone can learn how to calculate carbon footprint manually, and this type of undertaking can really help individuals appreciate the magnitude of humanity’s environmental impact and also understand the nuances of carbon footprint analysis. Note that accurate calculations are dependent upon the quality and completeness of the data.
How Do Carbon Emissions Calculators Work?
There are many carbon footprint or carbon emissions calculators available online now, and many of these are free. These calculators work by providing a monthly, annual, or lifetime estimate of CO2e emissions released into the atmosphere based on data inputted by the user.
The user must answer a series of questions about things such as electricity usage and gas mileage and residential location, from which the calculator can produce an estimate.27
Learn More About Carbon Footprint of Gaming Consoles
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Carbon Footprint of Cloud Storage: Calculate Emissions of Data Centers
Calculate Emissions by Country: View Carbon Footprint Data Around the World
Business Carbon Footprint Calculator: Find Your Company’s Eco Footprint
Carbon Emissions Calculator: Includes a Free Report With Carbon Offsets
Carbon Footprint of a Laptop vs MacBook vs Desktop Computer vs iPhone
Carbon Footprint of iPhone by Type (Footprint of Charging vs Making Phone)
References
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