Games need to be built with energy-saving 'game suspension' function, says retail giant
Retailing giant Walmart is putting pressure on the games industry to start developing and manufacturing games with environmental issues in mind.
Reporting on their Check Out Blog, the buying team at the retailer said it recently held a 'green gaming summit' with the likes of Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, Electronic Arts and Activision. Up for discussion were "packaging, power consumption and education".
According to the firm's Joe Muha, games buyer at its US chain Sam's Club, the retailer has suggested that developers should use their coding smarts to start "developing software and hardware that allows us to save the game so we do not have to leave it on would allow us to turn it off during a meal break or overnight without loosing our place. Additionally, some clever programming would allow the console to go into a lower power, standby mode when not in use."
Walmart said it also wanted to start "working with console manufacturers on coding and power usage design can reduce the power consumption when we use our devices for media playback".
The retailer also suggests publishers should switch to cardboard packaging instead of plastic boxes as that "would be like taking almost 4,000 cars off the road in terms of equivalent green house gas emissions"
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Such thinking, however, was targeted more at next-gen hardware, added Muha: "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."
Added Muha: "There is no reason that we cannot make such a difference. 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 move forward on the same track."
Or we focus our efforts on downloadable games and cut out Walmart altogether...
I'll believe that Walmart is going green the day I believe Bush's case for going into Iraq.
These are both sophisticated Republican operations with 24/7 spin machines.
But, the machines already do have power saving???
Also most games allow you to save anywhere now, and few games that don't should just because it's annoying.
What next, Walmart? Cans should be made out of materials that can be recycled? Pen lids should have little holes in so people don't choke on them? Where would we be without them?
Lets do something useful instead. Shops shouldn't have superpowered airconditioning to get people into their shops. Products shouldn't use three times more packaging than they need. Products should be locally sources so they don't need to be transported or probably use cheap labour.
Supprisingly, Wal-Mart is going green. There are plenty of stories out on the web about it. One should research what they are saying before posting comments such as these. Just search for "Wal-Mart Sustainability" and see what they are doing. Oddly, they are winning over a lot of environmentalists.
The comment about just downloading games is spot on. Soon we will not have to buy games from retailers. There's really no reason to have boxed games anymore.
Jimbo, it's simply a marketing strategy to Wal-Mart; it's all about finding ways to 'feather' consumers towards their store by playing psychological games.
It has **nothing** to do with Wal-Mart and Co. being genuinely interested in being truly green.. why do think packaging is currently the way it is? It's because - according to retailers (inc. the likes of WM) - that's what sold the goods. Using less packaging now is the same thing, a simple, cold hearted marketing strategy wrapped around 'environmentalism'.
