Assassin’s Creed Studio Is Experimenting With Cardboard Packaging To Reduce Its Carbon Footprint

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Assassin's Creed Studio Is Experimenting With Cardboard Packaging To Reduce Its Carbon Footprint

Highlights

  • Gamers can look forward to Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin’s Creed Shadows in the second half of 2024.
  • Ubisoft is exploring cardboard packaging instead of plastic to reduce carbon footprint in the industry.
  • The gaming community’s response to Ubisoft’s eco-friendly move has been mixed, with some skeptical about the impact.

As a long-time fan of Ubisoft and a passionate advocate for sustainability, I’m thrilled to hear that the publisher is taking steps towards reducing its carbon footprint in the gaming industry. The announcement about exploring cardboard packaging instead of plastic for physical game releases is a commendable initiative that aligns with my personal values.

In the second half of 2024, avid gamers can look forward to satisfying their appetites with the launches of Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Despite some concerns over potential gaming exhaustion from massive open-world games, Massive Entertainment, the developer behind Star Wars Outlaws, assures us that this Star Wars title will offer more than just another open-world adventure.

These days, Ubisoft’s name comes up in conversations within the community, bringing both positive and negative reactions. Criticisms have been directed towards their latest game, Shadows, as well as their decision to include a new requirement in the 20th Anniversary edition of Beyond Good & Evil. Moreover, Ubisoft’s recent announcement about reducing their carbon footprint has sparked debate among gamers once more.

Ubisoft Is Exploring Cardboard Physical Releases Instead Of Plastic

In Ubisoft’s most recent annual report of 356 pages (I appreciate you sharing that, Game File), various subjects were addressed detailing the publisher’s upcoming projects. Notable mentions include CEO Yves Guillemot receiving his first salary increase since 2019, the corporation’s stance on generative AI implementation, and an optimistic announcement about the investigation of eco-friendly materials for retail game boxes.

Ubisoft is considering using cardboard packaging for its physically sold games as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic, aiming to lessen the company’s carbon emissions and contribute to fighting climate change within the gaming industry. This shift begins with Skull and Bones being packaged in this new way.

In the year 2023, the publisher made the decision to use cardboard for the packaging of the physical PC edition of their action-adventure game, set to be released in February 2024. As stated in the report, this switch to cardboard reduces the emissions produced during manufacturing by half as compared to plastic packaging. This change marks an initial effort towards investigating eco-friendly design options and minimizing the usage of plastic.

Ubisoft opted for a digitally sold version of Skull and Bones for PCs as the norm, but only made this edition available in certain countries like Germany for testing this new approach. You can still purchase a physical, cardboard box alternative from Amazon’s Ubisoft Store for those who prefer it. This change brings back a sense of nostalgia, reminding us of earlier gaming eras when PC games came with cardboard packaging instead of being digitally downloaded.

As an avid fan, I’d like to share that Ubisoft is consistently on the lookout for innovative ways to create more eco-friendly packaging. However, bringing these ideas to life takes time and effort.

It was unsurprising that Ubisoft’s announcement of eco-friendly packaging didn’t sit well with the gaming community. Some critics accused the company of prioritizing profits over the environment by reducing manufacturing costs. One comment sarcastically suggested, “Let’s protect the environment by chopping down more rainforest to produce cardboard boxes instead. That should really help combat climate change.”

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2024-07-15 14:38