Study Claims Physical Games Emit 100x More Carbon Than Digital

A new report from French carbon accounting firm Greenly reveals that purchasing physical copies of video games is vastly more carbon-intensive than opting for digital downloads. The study, The Carbon Footprint of Gaming, highlights that manufacturing and shipping physical discs and packages can generate up to 312 tonnes of CO2 for every one million games, compared to just three tonnes for the same number of digital downloads.​

Manufacturing and Waste Drive Impact

Physical games require rare earth metals, plastics, and significant energy for production and global transport, resulting in landfill and excess waste. Cloud-based gaming also presents environmental concerns due to energy-hungry servers, but the ultimate footprint falls short of the emissions from manufacturing and shipping physical games. Even manufacturing game consoles, especially those utilizing advanced chips, adds to the carbon load, with conventional game systems in the US alone consuming nearly four terawatt hours of electricity each year.​

Handhelds and Sustainable Solutions

On the positive side, handheld consoles emerged as the greenest gaming option. The Nintendo Switch, for example, is estimated to emit just 13.8kg of CO2 annually, due in part to less-intensive manufacturing compared to larger consoles. Digital consoles, such as Microsoft's energy-saving Xbox Series models made with recycled materials, are also being recognized for their sustainable features. 

Greenly suggests expanding second-hand game retail and trade-in programs, incentivizing low-carbon downloads, and highlighting the electricity usage of games at purchase as further ways to empower conscious consumers.​

Moving Toward Greener Gaming

Study author Stephanie Safdie told Gamesindustry.biz that while physical games may still be less carbon-intensive than their console counterparts over some lifecycles, the long-term environmental cost, from manufacturing to waste, should not be underestimated. 

With physical sales declining and digital downloads now representing the majority of game purchases globally, the report encourages companies and players alike to support trade-in programs, optimize consoles for energy efficiency, and consider energy usage ratings when selecting games and platforms.​