A report from the Natural Resources Defense Council states that over the course of a year, the consoles of the most recent generation will have dedicated more energy use to streaming and other functionalities than actually playing video games. The NDRC is actually pointing a finger at the Xbox One specifically, which is often brought out of standby with voice commands. In order to accomplish this, the Xbox One must be constantly available to “listen” to users. This uses up electricity 24/7.
Sony’s console takes some of the blame as well, as the NDRC reports that the charging methods of the Playstation 4 are insufficient when it comes to powering their controllers. When compared to the Xbox One and Playstation 4, the Wii U is seen as more efficient. However, it drains far more energy in the home when compared to other appliances.
The NDRC’s director of high-tech energy efficiency, Pierre Delforge, led this study. He states that “Gamers shouldn’t be locked into higher electric bills for the lifetime of their consoles just because manufacturers haven’t optimized the performance of their products.”