Microsoft today announced a new update to Xbox Series X | S and Xbox One that will be released first to Xbox Insiders users and then get to all the others: the new update aims to make the console Carbon Aware, that is, able to regulate its energy consumption in order to have a tangible impact on the production of CO2, carbon dioxide, by energy producers.

But what does it mean specifically? First, once installed, the update will put all Xbox Series X consoles into full sleep (power saving) mode| S: this is a change that will be made only once and those who want to can put the console back into fast boot mode, but today there is really no need. Microsoft's new consoles are in fact able to control and install game and system updates even when they are completely turned off (thanks to nightly "awakening" cycles), while running games remain always active thanks to the Quick Resume feature. And, thanks to the internal SSD, the console boots from the complete shutdown is now very fast. There is therefore no reason to remove the console from the power saving mode, which will benefit both the environment and your electricity bill.

But what's bigger news is that Xbox is now the first gaming console to offer carbon-conscious game downloads and updates. Here's how it works.

Being carbon conscious means reducing carbon footprint emissions by optimizing updates and downloads so that they run at a time when your console can use the most renewable energy. When your console is connected to the Internet and regional carbon dioxide intensity data is available, Xbox will schedule game, app, and system updates for your console at specific times during the nightly maintenance window, which can reduce carbon emissions because more electricity comes from low-CO2 sources on the power grid.

For example, instead of waking up during the nightly maintenance window at a random time between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., the console will wake up at a time when it can use most of the renewable energy from the local power grid. This reduces dependence on fossil fuels and CO2 emissions and could potentially lead to economic savings. For now, this feature is only available to Xbox Insiders using power off, but soon all Xbox players will have the ability to update their Xbox console to be carbon conscious.

Obviously this novelty is important if thought on the scale of all the consoles distributed in the world: every small step of this type has a greater collective impact and the choice of shutdown (energy saving) can have a real and significant impact. For example, for every 2 consoles that switch off (save energy) for a year, you will save the equivalent amount of carbon removed from 1 tree planted and grown for a decade. This is based on an average of Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles in power off (power-saving) mode for 20 hours a day for a year.

Improved sustainability with "active hours" and sleep
Another power settings update that will begin rolling out to Xbox Insiders today is the new "Active hours" setting. For those who select the Sleep energy option, you can now adjust the console's hours of activity. Your Xbox will launch quickly and be available for remote wake-up during selected active hours. When the Xbox's active hours are over, the console shuts down completely and consumes 0.5W compared to 10-15W when active.

Xbox Series X|S active hours will be automatically turned on and scheduled based on when the console was previously used. Xbox One consoles will have the ability to configure hours of activity, which will by default be "always on" unless changed.