Sustainable game development is no mere PR issue for the industry. Increasingly, the public recognises the need for one of the biggest, fastest growing industry and culture sectors to become greener. The basis for this is extensive research that could benefit the industry greatly.
The policymakers of the gaming market are looking for more sustainability in the games industry. Electricity cost, heat produced by server centers and agglomeration of people in big cities are issues touching every aspect of life and production, but especially digital industries like gaming. The games industry especially not only connects with these issues themselves, but also intersects with other industries struggling with sustainability, like AI and automotive. These policymakers therefore are looking for methods of making game production greener, while at the same time using the power of games as a cultural medium to heighten consent for watershed moments like shifts in production. We took a deep dive into two initiatives by policy makers, one on EU level, one on a German Federal level.
The European Union is a forerunner when it comes to sustainability in industry branches. In their most recent research budget for the coming negotiations around a Green New Deal in the EU, a specific branch is reserved for gaming.
