The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has revealed plans to make gaming greener by 2010.

The organisation's Energy Star plan has been regulating use of home appliances since 1992. Now a new draft has emerged, which includes plans to encompass modern home gaming consoles.

Version 5.0 of the Energy Star plan addresses the power consumption rates of Wiis, Xbox 360s and PS3s, calling for an auto-off function, a sleep mode, and low-energy network settings in all consoles produced after July 1, 2010.

According to the drafted plan: "It is EPA's hope that this approach will give game console manufacturers design lead time, while also ensuring Energy Star qualified game consoles will offer consumers significant energy savings."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a133057/environment-agency-orders-green-consoles.html

Does anybody think this will actually happen?!

There's no reason for it not to happen. It could be done with a simple firmware update and would help to reduce the cost of running a console. It could also have helped the 360 last year when RROD was still an issue

rrod is still as issue scottie.

Yeah, all that stuff could probably be done in a software update.

Does the Wii need it? It runs at about 20 watts if i remember right. Which is like nothing. And the PS3 and 360 power usage is coming down as well so maybe it isn't needed.

I actually would like an auto-standby I leave my PS3 on to update and feel bad :(

This is completely insignificant. If the consoles don't do it now, it's not hard to make them do it.

Action should be taken I believe. I think we should reduce power consumption to the best of our ability. Not only is it better for the environment, but the user will be saving money as well. And considering that it would probably only take a firmware update, why not? Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo should take action.

(Also, Woohoo! 500th post! ^_^)

This sounds like a sensible plan for helping the environment and saving users money. I wonder sometimes how long it will be till all electrical appliances use just 1 or 2 watts.

Most of it has been on the new PSP firmware (low power wireless mode sleep funtion etc.), and the PS3 now has auto off for the controllers, and a switch-off after download mode, so not too much further to go to be compliant I'd guess

I feel where they really should be looking is the device manufacturing process as well as the power generation process being greener.

A factory or power station pumps out more crap and uses far more energy than a console IMO. of course, when added together the devices made in the factories may use more power ;)