A Climate Handbook for Game Companies by Game Companies

Impact during game development and production – in the office

Sort garbage (and recycle where possible)

Turn off computers when leaving the office

Use second-hand furniture like Raw Fury

Buy local and/or organic food

Choose green energy

Measuring brings action, like Embracer

Impact during game marketing 

Create policies to minimize travels for sales and marketing conferences

Choose sustainable marketing material

Demand sustainable choices from conferences 

Work with influencers who have a sustainable mindset

Impact during gameplay

Optimize your game to require less energy while playing

Incorporate an ‘eco-mode’ where players can choose a less energy-demanding way to play

Nudge and encourage players to turn off devices after use

Impact during game development and production – transportation

Incentivise climate-friendly commutes, e.g. by supplying free public transportation passes 

Establish policies to reduce traveling between offices

Shift to more climate-friendly means of transport, i.e. choose train over plane when possible

Impact during game distribution

Choose carbon neutral hosting services

Shift to sustainable packaging

Choose sustainable shipping options

Impact of hardware end-of-life

Make sure your games support older versions of hardware or devices, so players can keep playing them on existing hardware

Help players make the right decisions when discarding used hardware

Put pressure on hardware producers to make use of long-lasting, eco-friendly and easily recyclable or upcyclable materials.

Donate your own used hardware to people or organisations in need

Raise awareness in the industry

Speak publicly at events about what you do to reduce carbon emissions

Create guides for others to read and follow, like UKIE

Publish articles in industry media

Open-source your process, work tools and conclusions

Inform and influence consumers

Incorporate green nudges into your games

Have a sustainability mindset in the ideas phase

Consider an eco-version of your game

Develop climate educational games within your universe of IP

Use your skills to help educational institutions teach sustainability (such as NASA’s climate kids)

Raise awareness in the community

Campaign to turn devices off after use

Give influencers the tools to talk about climate change issues related to playing games

Write about climate issues and share with your community

Provide your community and its influencers with the tools and knowledge to make the right choices