With the update, Xbox consoles can be “carbon-aware” to know when to download and update games by connecting to the Internet and checking regional carbon intensity data. Microsoft says it will schedule updates during the nightly maintenance window for times that result in lower carbon emissions because more available electricity comes from lower carbon sources.
While the blog post encourages gamers to “pick what works best for you,” Xbox has yet to implement the one-time switch that pushes users to the “Off (power saving)” setting that uses Significantly less power compared to keeping it in Sleep Mode all the time. It means a slightly longer boot process when you turn on your system, but Microsoft will also be adding new active hour settings that will put your system into fastboot sleep mode during times when you’re most likely to be gaming or want to access him remotely.
You’ll also be able to start using the Google Home app as a touch remote for Xbox consoles starting today. Remote functions include turning consoles on/off, browsing, play/pause, the ability to record game clips, and volume controls.
Finally, the February Xbox Dashboard update also includes a small home UI tweak to allow you to hide game art on the home screen. Microsoft has also added a quick way to view recent parties on the dashboard and this is rolling out slowly for a “random subset of users” initially.
Correction, 7:14 p.m. ET: An earlier version of this story said that the unique power switch and new active hour settings are rolling out, in fact they have not yet been released generally, the sustainability options in the February update are the new “aware” downloads of carbon”. We are sorry for the mistake.
