Xbox Series X/S consoles can now download updates in Energy Saver mode

Microsoft has said that Xbox Series X/S consoles can now download system and game updates in Energy Saver mode.

The news was announced as part of a wider update on Xbox’s sustainability efforts, which are working towards it being carbon negative, water positive and zero waste by 2030.

The news means players no longer need to leave the console in Standby mode—which consumers about 20 times more power than Energy Saver—in order to download updates when the system’s not in use.

Energy Saver mode has also been made the default option when new owners first boot up the system.

Microsoft said it has embedded an “enhanced power monitoring system” in a small number of consoles designed to help it identify the best ways to introduce future power saving improvements.

The company is also incorporating more post-consumer recycled resins into its products. It began doing this with a console for the first time in late 2021.

“At a minimum, 28% of the mechanical component plastic by weight in the updated Series S console is post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin,” said Dave McCarthy, corporate vice president of Xbox operations.

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Xbox has also converted its gift cards from plastic to paperboard, which it claimed cuts over 500,000 kg of plastic annually.

It said that Azure datacentres, which power Xbox Cloud Gaming, will shift to 100 percent renewable energy by 2025 too.

And by 2030 it said it will design Xbox products and accessories, and all Microsoft product packaging, to be 100 percent recyclable.