I follow a convenient sustainability line.  It is convenient for me to turn my consoles and gaming PC off when I'm not using them, thereby saving energy.  

Would I hypothetically buy a PS3 versus a Xbox 360 if the PS3 used less packaging and energy?  Well not solely on those merits.  
I choose consoles based on my peers, content availability, and console capabilities.  I build my gaming PC based on price per performance, noise, and aesthetics.  

Now, green-ness might skew where I purchase the console and games, if one retailer used less packaging than the other.  I'm astounded by the wasted packaging that most PC software comes in.  Some major software providers (ehem...Microsoft...ehem) even have hard plastic cases that seem to serve no other purpose than to annoy me when purchasing them knowing that I will probably have to throw the pretty beveled package into a landfill.

Thanks Guy. You may have noticed that we removed ALL of the plastic keepers at Sam's Club last November. We use a great solution in club via the photo center to help control shrink while being sustainable! Our Members seem to love it and the sales back that up. Hopefully, you too are buying more games at Sam's Club!! We have more work to do, but this is a step in the right direction. We have some new prototypes that will be hitting clubs in the upcoming months. We will announce some of those here.

>"Switching to cardboard packaging would be like taking almost 4,000 cars off the road in terms of equivalent green house gas emissions."

 

NONONONONONO!!!  Joe, what are you doing to me!

I *HATE* when games that I spend $20-$50 *or more* come in crappy little cardboard sleeves that damage the disc contained inside over time.  CDs and DVD simply do not travel well in cardboard sleeves and really don't store well in them.

Nintendo *finally* switched to plastic cases for their handheld games - and I couldn't be more thrilled.  They look so nice on my shelf together.

Look, if I want to go "green" with obtaining my media (Games, movies, music), I'll just download them.  No packaging (cardboard, plastic or otherwise), no fuel wasted to ship the disk to the stores - just pure, downloaded goodness.

Do not take away my plastic cases.  I'll be very upset.

Please don't take away my plastic cases. It is impractical to ship discs in this fashon, and cardboard boxes get flattened all the time, resulting in a very ugly shelf.

This article can't be serious. -shakes head-

First off, I don't know of anyone that leaves their game console on 24/7/365. Because technically, it's not even possible. The game system would over heat before 2 weeks went by (talking from a 360 or PS3 P.O.V.). Second, people need to stop picking on the video game industry, why don't you go take care of some things that really matter like actually IMPROVING cars instead of modifying very little details from the video game industry.

Cardboard boxes? Seriously? Give me a break. If you did that you have no idea how many gamers would be severly angered. As a gamer, I know I don't want my games comming in a cardboard box where it can be easily crushed, thus damaging the game. Which then leads to a waste of money on my part because they put the game in a CARDBOARD BOX.

Yes games use up a lot of plastic but I see my games as a collection, as prized possessions like a house or a car. I have them in their boxes on shelves together looking neat and tidy and nice.

 I take pride in having them look nice and having them in a cardboard box only for a mishap like water or slight pressure destroying the case absolutely pisses me off. Plus the glue sometimes unsticks (My Oblivion Pc game case has done this) making the cardboard case slowly come apart.

I totally agree! Being able to save your game would be a great innovation that would revolutionize the way games are played. Though 1986 has been a slow year for video gaming, I've heard that Nintendo is toying with the idea and may have a save battery ready for The Legend of Zelda when it releases next year on August 22, 1987. Look forward to it!

What? Are you crazy? I'd like to get the game home to play it without it being crushed. I'd also like something to keep it in. If they start coming in cardboard, people will just buy generic plastic cases to put them in. That means you'll have created more waste now that everyone is tossing out the cardboard and putting them in actual cases.

If you really want to go green, encourage more digital distrobution. There is NO physical material traded there.

 "I *HATE* when games that I spend $20-$50 *or more* come in crappy little cardboard sleeves that damage the disc contained inside over time."

If games came in cardboard boxes they would cost a lot less so you wouldn't  be spending to much on them.

That said cardboard boxes for gaming systems don't work because the discs are too delicate. Even if you compare cardboard vs plastic in handheld gaming. The plastic has been considered HUGELY beneficial to the consumer. Most of us don't throw them away we actually keep them to store the games. The cardboard packages in older handheld games are the one that get thrown out consistently because it's near impossible to maintain them.

Two very important points need to be addressed in this article. 1)"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[sic] our place." 

Admittedly you can't save instantly in most games on a home console like you can with a handheld or a PC game but game consoles for over 3 generations have had save functions. I have to wonder if those present are familiar with 'memory cards' which are common devices used to store game save data that have been used since at least Dec 94 in the original Playstation.  

2)"If we left one of a sample of our next generation consoles on 24/7/365, we consume as much energy as TWO refrigerators in that same timeframe!" & "Additionally, come clever programming would allow the console to go into a lower power, standby mode when not in use."

This point iterated twice seems to imply that gaming consoles are a major power drain in the household. To address them in reverse order any current generation system (Xbox360, PS3, Wii) has a low power mode which it will engage if left idle. Since this idle mode kicks in automatically leaving a game system on for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week would be unlikely to match the power consumption of two refrigerators. Perhaps if the console was being used for the entire duration but outside of the occasional marathon sessions for charity this is a rare event. This would be analogous to measuring the power consumption of a refrigerator with the door ajar without regard to the fact that with the door properly closed the power consumption drops drastically.

The idea of using cardboard for packaging is laughable. Gamers everywhere (me included) would revolt. It'd be anarchy.

And also... almost EVERY SINGLE GAME to come out in the past 12 YEARS has had a save feature. And the "clever coding" that would allow consoles to dim screens? Go leave yyour 360 on for more than five minutes. Watch clever programming work it's magic.

Please. Get your facts straight. We don't like you as it is, Walmart.

Cardboard cases defeat the purpose of a case-- to protect the contents inside. Cardboard is easily susceptible to damage from ripping, tearing, water, etc. With something as fragile as an optical disc, cardboard cases do not work as well as plastic. I hate it when CDs or DVDs use some sort of "unique" cardboard case as I know I will have to baby it to keep it protected.

I don't throw away my cases, so they're not clogging up a landfill-- they're protecting the game/music/movie that is inside of them.

I will purchase fewer games if they come in plastic cases, especially if they cost as much.

If WalMart pushes for cardboard boxes for video game software and movie discs I will no longer purchase anything at WalMart.

Those plastic cases are great!  They're much better than the crappy cardboard boxes VHS titles came in and one of the things I love most about my BluRay and PS3 titles is the smart, sturdy, high quality plastic cases.

Digital distribution is obviously the  most environmentally friendly solution.    There would be no more plastic packaging, and no need to cut down trees to make cardboard packages.  Cardboard packages don't work well for media storage, anyway.

As far as making software that allows you to "save the game," well that's been around for quite a while!  20 years or so, LOL.  All the current consoles all have standby (or shutoff) modes as well.

The final point of reducing power consumption while improving the experience is impossible.  Computer graphics processors still have a long way to go before they can produce truly realistic looking games.  Graphics will continue to require bigger and better processors that will need larger amounts of electricity to operate.

As for reducing power consumption during media playback, that's a great idea, but I'm not sure how feasible it is.  Playing back HD movies is incredibly processor intensive, so it's not like you can turn off the GPU or CPU and it will still work.  So they'd have to add more chips which would drive the cost up and have some negative environmental impact itself.  With the high prices of the 360 and PS3 already slowing the adoption rate of next-gen machines and the fierce level of competition in this industry, I'm not sure how good an idea it would be to drive prices up even further.

1st - the plastic cases aren't just there for looks, they are there to protect a $60 investment. cardboard can be corrosive and degrade over a period of time (especially in a humid climate) so that would be a horrible method of storage for $60 media.

2nd - Most games WILL save to a storage device (like a hard drive, memory card, or right to the game-cart for DS titles). I don't know why anyone would leave their console on instead of saving the game.

3rd - So you encourage buying an additional product to play Movies. Wouldn't that add more waste found in production of electronics?

4th - Who leaves their console on 24/7? That's pointless. Read the manual, they have on/off buttons.

5th - Instead of worrying about plastic cases and power consumption during "movie time" ... How about Wal-Mart encourages local City/County goverments to institute Emissions checks for automobiles. That alone would knock out about 100 times the amount of pollution caused by everything listed in this article. Although I can see why Wal-Mart wouldn't want E-Check, how would 50% of their employees get to work then?

@J. Richard Cook, Jr.

I agree that media should be packaged secure and snug in whatever container they are in, but I think that can be done with small paper and plastic sleeves attached through a light adhesive to an external cardboard package.

Gaming media can be poorly packed in plastic or other materials.  Just because those materials are "harder" doesn't make them more secure.  Case in point: The Halo 3 Case and Scratched DVD Issue.  I bought one of those packages and my game DVD was swimming inside the metal and plastic case, but luckily wasn't scratched.

The suggestion regarding cases would be a huge step backwards and do nothing for the perceived problem. The users will still need to buy plastic cases for their VERY EXPENSIVE AND DELICATE discs. Offsetting this to the consumer is just passing the cost AND environmental effect. Also, by substituting it for cardboard, you'd be removing more carbon-scrubbing plants from the environment.

"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, come clever programming would allow the console to go into a lower power, standby mode when not in use."

Seriously?  Have you played a video game?  Ever?  Do you not understand that THEY ALREADY DO THAT?

Please, please at least pretend to research the topic before you post about it.

Why don't you complain about DVD , HD-DVD , or BluRay since all 3 combined make up a considerably larger impact on the enviroment.

You should also make up your mind on witch is worse for the evo Cardboard (ie cutting down trees) or Plastics (Toxic additives)

In addition to my previous comment

I Agree with you on the power comsumption issue ALL consoles should have a power saving mode such as stand by.  What you fail to relise is that smaller processer dies ( 65 & 45 ) are comming out for after every revision of consoles. This brings their wattage (and power consumption) down also and in turn makes for a more eco friendly console.

also most of my friends and I never throw away game cases those are for storage and easy access. I still have Sega Game cases on my shelf.

WOW, lots of feedback here. We appreciate all of it. A few things:

1) We are not making such a switch at this time. It is something we are looking at. There are other things we are looking at as well. Before anything like that would happen, be certain that there will be plenty of testing to ensure that the games are secure and safe. There will be no damage to software.

2) We are not looking at thin PeeCee cardboard boxes. I obviously did not explain that well.  What we have seen is a very durable paperboard. It looks promising, but again, there are no plans to make this happen without a lot of testing. As for dimensions, the profile is exactly the same as an current plastic box. It would look fine on your shelf.

3) All of the comparisons were provided as examples. Some of us DO leave our consoles on for extended periods of time.

4) Henry - Not true. Some may have the ability to save the game at certain levels, but as a gamer, we may not always be able to save ANYTIME we like. This could happen.

5) Also at Henry - again, not true. We have not seen a low power mode on the PS3. The Xbox has one, but it ships in disabled mode. How many of us have changed the setting?

6) Scotty - Not true as well. My PS3 has been on for weeks at a time. Folding at home is a pretty popular download.

Everyone, this is very promising that there is such a response. We clearly have some education to do here as an industry. My eyes are becoming wide open and there is a lot of room for improvement.

WOW, lots of feedback here. We appreciate all of it. A few things:

1) We are not making such a switch at this time. It is something we are looking at. There are other things we are looking at as well. Before anything like that would happen, be certain that there will be plenty of testing to ensure that the games are secure and safe. There will be no damage to software.

2) We are not looking at thin PeeCee cardboard boxes. I obviously did not explain that well.  What we have seen is a very durable paperboard. It looks promising, but again, there are no plans to make this happen without a lot of testing. As for dimensions, the profile is exactly the same as an current plastic box. It would look fine on your shelf.

3) All of the comparisons were provided as examples. Some of us DO leave our consoles on for extended periods of time.

4) Henry - Not true. Some may have the ability to save the game at certain levels, but as a gamer, we may not always be able to save ANYTIME we like. This could happen.

5) Also at Henry - again, not true. We have not seen a low power mode on the PS3. The Xbox has one, but it ships in disabled mode. How many of us have changed the setting?

6) Scotty - Not true as well. My PS3 has been on for weeks at a time. Folding at home is a pretty popular download.

Everyone, this is very promising that there is such a response. We clearly have some education to do here as an industry. My eyes are becoming wide open and there is a lot of room for improvement.

As long as the game was secure and safe I do not care what the case is made of. I would not be opposed to a smaller case (I have often thought of all the wasted space in the case, I could fit a lot more on my shelf if they were the size of the disc like the old PSOne cases).

As far as the leaving the console on 24/7/365 and power consumption. What are the numbers for, power use while gamming, power use while idle, power use while listening to music, power use while in second OS, power switch on but system off (red light on on the ps3, or yellow on the wii). All these things will consume different amounts of power over the same amount of time. I hate when people push meaningless numbers at me. That being said a “hibernate mode” for consoles would be great. Something along the lines of the windows version where everything in active memory is written to the hard drive and the system is in essence shut down, and then restored to its previous state would be something I would use.

The overheating again depends on load on the system as well as air circulation around the system. Ive had 12 hour hand off sessions on the 360 without problem, and I’ve had the Wii overheat in under 90 minutes (just examples, not a specific comment on any system in particular). But my bet is if you were playing a rapid refresh game such as a FPS for 2 weeks without sleep, unless you keep your system in the fridge it would have overheated by then.

@ GamerGuy: The Halo 3: CE didn't ship in a plastic case, it shipped in a metal case.

@ Wolfkin: You don't really, really think they're going to make games cheaper just because they changed the packaging.  Nintendo switched from GBA games in cardboard boxes to plastic cases for DS games and the prices didn't go up.  In fact, Nintendo's been releasing several 1st party $20 titles on the DS - something that never really happaned with new titles on the GBA.

@Joe: I don't care what kind of cardboard boxes are designed, they're simply not going to hold up as well as plastic cases over time.  Look at it this way - most people, when they buy a game in a plastic case, they keep the game in the case.  When most people buy a game in a cardboard box, they throw away the box.  Which one of these creates more waste?

Now, if you want to talk about getting rid of those blasted blister packages that controllers and such come in, let's talk.  *those* are just waste - Japan gets awesome little cardboard boxes for all their accessories.  Can we look into that instead?  I'll meet you halfway here. :)

Even hardpressed cardboard is not as nice as the quality flexible plastic used in today's gamecases. 

Keep the current cases.  They're excellent and most people don't throw them out, they last for years (I have plastic DVD cases over 12 years old that are still perfect) and add to the feel of a quality product.

Cardboard packaging? This seems to me like another way that Walmart is trying to cut corners in manufacturing, not like any kind of seriously helpful environmental initiative. If Walmart decides to waste their and my time with this, consider my shopping days at their stores over.

Hey, here's a great idea - let's make plates and bowls out of cardboard instead of ceramic and microwavable-safe paper. Why's that silly? Because like plates, my game and DVD cases spend their time ON THE SHELF! People use their plastic cases! Walmart, why don't you use your monopolistic influence to steer Washington to adopt more stringent fuel economy regulations so those '9,000 cars' run cleaner?

Anyway, I know there's no way in hell that you'll run this comment Joe, so I hope you enjoyed it. I'm not worried about the issue though, since within a decade digital distribution will have carved a giant chunk out of all retail game business - and that's a truly green solution to this problem.

I completely agree with the plastic case backers here.  As a collector I really can't stand cardboard cases - they get beat up, torn, and discarded most of the time. 

I can honestly say that if WalMart and company pushed for cardboard game cases those stores would cease getting any of my business.

Richard, wait until you see the boxes before passing judgement. We may have an example coming out later this year. There would be no reason for a Member to throw it away just because it is cardboard. We saw 2 great examples. As I said earlier, NOTHING will be released without extensive testing. 

Just as a history lesson, the OLD(er) gamers like me will remember that the Atari 2600 games shipped in cardboard. Those were NOTHING like what we are looking at today. Hold tight, keep an open mind and when/if it does hit club shelves, then we can all discuss.  

We HAVE eliminated a LOT of plastic at Sam's club. No keepers, none of the next gen consoles ship in blisters etc...