Good Nintentions

Umbra on video games

Posted by Bricolage at 12:08 PM on 25 Jan 2006

Yesssssss! Shot that sucker right in the -- damn, is it blurb-writing time already? It just so happens that today's topic will bring joy(stick) to the hearts of all gamers. A rabid video-game fan wonders how to align his hobby with his green principles, and advice maven Umbra Fisk tells him he can have his Quake and beat it, too.

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A few other ideas

Just brainstorming off the top of my head:

Buy secondhand. A lot of gamers are rabid about upgrading, playing only the latest games, etc. You can get games secondhand as soon as a few weeks after they come out, and most major game stores have used sections for at least consoles. (Because of piracy control, secondhand computer games are dicier to find, but local buy/sell/trade forums may carry them.) You can also buy very high-end video cards second-hand six months or so after their release and still get great performance. Consoles obviously take longer.
Choose greener distribution methods. Many games these days have direct-download options. It's much less wasteful than buying a disc case, disc, box and having it physically shipped (either to you or to the store you bought it at).
Write to software companies about their packaging. Most games don't even come with manuals anymore. Games sold in a jewel case are functionally identical to games sold in a big box with a jewel case in it, except that the box is waste. If you're writing to them anyway, request a direct-download option.
Play older games! You can really extend the life of both your software and hardware if you're willing to play older games. New consoles will come out soon and new PCs and Macs are coming out all the time. New game software requires upgrades. But of the zillions of console games out there and the zillions of PC and Mac games out there, how many have you played? Instead of just buying the new hardware to buy the new software, try exploring other games for your existing hardware that you haven't played. This obviously goes hand-in-hand with the tip about buying secondhand. Both of these options also save you money.

by Maize at 1:47 PM on 25 Jan 2006

Oh good god.

While I laud the person who wrote this letter for his intention to live a green life, I have to wonder why Umbra is answering this question. Isn't it Umbra who freaks out every once in a while about people focusing on the little things instead of asking her questions about big, world changing things we could be doing.

Video games are big and world changing?

PLEASE, Grist, Umbra, someone, PLEASE get some consistency down there and decide what is okay to send in to ask about. I mean, is it okay for me to ask you questions about issues and choices I face in my life everyday, or is the choice to re-use or recycle my office products too small for you?

www.charlesredell.com www.tripletake.org

by axis42 at 3:35 PM on 26 Jan 2006

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