Frequenty Asked Questions

The Games Consoles Voluntary Agreement (GCVA) / Voluntary Agreement (VA) was drafted by the games consoles industry, in consultation with various stakeholders, such as the European Commission, EU Members States, the UK government and civil society organisations (CSO), as a voluntary commitment to further improve the energy and resource efficiency of games consoles. Also referred to as the Self-Regulatory Initiative (SRI), the GCVA provides a more effective alternative to mandatory legislation. The European Commission formally recognised the GCVA on 22 April 2015. The VA is continuously updated and the latest version can be found here. It is flexible enough to adapt to new technologies in a timely manner and serve as a template for similar harmonised rules throughout the world. It enables the games console industry to proactively develop integral and innovative energy and resource efficiency solutions that allow for the evolution of gaming technology without degrading the level of performance of the games console and the gaming experience for the consumers.

In addition, the Games Consoles UK VA v1.0 was presented and adopted at the UK Steering Committee meeting in November 2021, which resulted in the official recognition by the UK Government. The latest version can be found here.

• Microsoft Corporation
• Nintendo Co., Ltd.
• Sony Interactive Entertainment

The objective of the GCVA is to further improve the energy and resource efficiency of games consoles through improved design. It sets out the parameters to which the Signatories commit to achieve rapid and effective implementation of the requirements defined in the VA while continuing to invest in and develop innovative gaming experiences.

The GCVA defines a games console as a computing device using a dedicated console operating system whose primary function is to play video games. Games consoles typically include hardware architecture features and components, such as System on a Chip (SoC), system memory, video architecture, optical drives and/or hard drives or other forms of internal memory. Games consoles operational modes generally include Active Gaming, Media Playback, Navigation and the relevant regulatory low power modes such as Off, Standby, Networked Standby or another equivalent condition. Products falling within the scope of the GCVA are those that:

• Typically utilize either dedicated handheld or other interactive controllers designed for enhancing game playing (rather than the mouse and keyboard used by personal computers)
• Are equipped with audio visual outputs for use with external televisions or video projectors as the primary display
• Are mains powered with either internal or external power supply units

What products are not in the scope of the GCVA?

• Games software
• Console peripherals and accessories (e.g. controllers, camera and motion sensing input devices)
• VR headsets
• TV, monitors and displays (Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2021)
• Computing devices already under existing vertical regulations (Commission Regulation (EU) No 617/2013; Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1670)

The GCVA provides a detailed list of commitments that sets requirements for Signatories which aim to further improve the energy and resource efficiency of games consoles, they place on the European market. 

Energy savings are realised through power caps that apply to navigation and media play modes, and implementation of a power management system, which automatically powers down a console after a set period of time when it is not in active use (see ‘HOW MUCH ENERGY IS THE GCVA ESTIMATED TO SAVE?’).

The Signatories also commit to meeting various resource efficiency requirements, such as provision of out-of-warranty repair services and spare parts for an extended time period. Last but not least there are various information provision requirements via the console operating instructions (on-screen, hardcopy or online) both for energy and resource efficiency aspects.

The GCVA also provides a standardised test methodology to ensure that console compliance can be uniformly determined. 

Signatories are required to periodically review the GCVA in order to keep up to date with the latest technical and legal changes in the European Union.

Yes. The GCVA offers a viable alternative to vertical (product group specific) regulation, and it is intended to supplement, but does not replace, applicable horizontal (applying to all product groups) laws, directives and implementing measures currently in effect.  

The GCVA undergoes regular reviews and updates. Additional power cap requirements may be introduced in future revisions.

There are currently the following power cap tiers in the GCVA:

• Tier 1: As of 1 January 2014
• Tier 2: As of 1 January 2016
• Tier 3: As of 1 January 2017
• Tier 4: As of 1 January 2019
• Tier 5: As of 1 January 2020
• Tier 6: As of 1 January 2021
• Tier 7: As of 1 January 2024

The GCVA is open to extending membership to new entrants that manufacture products that are in scope of the GCVA.

Media Playback is the “mode in which there is decoding and playing of video files, from the games consoles’ own optical discs and streaming media players”. It involves reading and decoding stored or streamed digital video data. During the decoding process video, data is  converted back into a viewable format for playback on a screen (connected television or monitor). This is performed by software and/or hardware, using the same coding specification that was used for encoding (compressing) the video. Decoding is handled automatically by the media players, typically using hardware resources (like an SoC) for processing.

Detailed information on the power consumption of the various games consoles is available here and on the website of each of the Signatories. Since the introduction of the GCVA, power caps for media playback modes have been reduced several times, which has been a key driver of energy efficiency in games consoles.

Navigation is defined as the “mode in which no other mode is engaged, and the games console is displaying a menu of functions (the “Home Menu”). Unlike a simple computer menu, navigation mode is by design a function that provides an active display which invites the user to interact with the various other functions provided by the console.

When in navigation mode, games consoles may be rendering animated graphics with avatars and real time information and maintaining on-going internet-connected activity. This involves various background operations including active processing and writing to and reading from memory while waiting for and responding to user input. In other words, navigation mode is a functional, not a static list.

Detailed information on the power consumption of the various games consoles is available here and on the website of each of the Signatories.

The power caps for navigation mode, as in the case of Media Playback, have been reduced several times since the introduction of the GCVA – a key driver of energy efficiency in games consoles.

The GCVA supports and observes the Commission Self-Regulation Measures Guidelines, as they contribute to the credibility and provide a roadmap for the development of existing and future voluntary agreements. In its attempt to provide a more standardised and consistent process to set up and maintain voluntary agreements, the Commission Guidelines can be a helpful aid for industry to develop a voluntary agreement that meets regulators and stakeholders’ expectations. Alignment with the Guidelines increases the certainty that the GCVA is fit for purpose and provide enough flexibility in order to accommodate the different industries, as these vary considerably in nature and thus their processes and outcomes will also differ.

In 2015, the European Commission has originally estimated the total energy savings to reach more than 1 TWh per year (link here). Subsequently, the European Commission’s independent review estimated that over 6.64 TWh of energy use was avoided in 2020 alone for ultra-high definition capable consoles, through the use of energy efficiency technologies and power management driven by the GCVA, far exceeding initial targets.

In the same report, the independent consultant estimated that “the Self-Regulatory Initiative (SRI) will achieve an energy saving of around 54.42 TWh, which corresponds almost to Portugal’s energy consumption (54.4 TWh) in 2023” over the lifetime of UHD consoles in Europe (further information here).

APD must be triggered within 20 minutes of user inactivity for all operational modes other than media play. APD time limit for media play is longer, at four hours, to allow for the uninterrupted completion of both disc-based and streaming media content lasting longer than 20 minutes.

Games console must comply with the requirements of Commission Regulation (EU) No 2023/826 (in the EU) or (EC) No 1275/2008 (in the UK), which already sets out requirements for off mode, standby mode, and networked standby energy consumption of electronic devices – these are collectively known as non-active modes.

Consoles may use several energy-saving technologies, examples include:

• Efficient power supplies
• Power supply output power reduction
• Die shrink (based on predicted trends inefficiency and performance of PCs per transistor)
• System-on-a-chip architecture
• Power scaling of CPU and GPU
• Hardware and software performance scaling and power management techniques
• Advanced power management technologies to reduce on-idle power
• Default Automatic Power Down (APD) features
• APD with saving of in-game progression
• Low power mode functionalities (such as USB charging of peripherals, downloads and updates).

A study investigating the potential for developing a performance benchmark for games consoles with the aim of providing a suitable metric for measuring energy efficiency was conducted in 2017, led by Professor Jon Koomey (expert on energy efficiency of computing). The study concluded that:

“The dynamic nature of consoles creates extreme complexity.  It is unlikely that meaningful metrics for comparing gaming performance can ever be developed for game consoles and gaming PCs. The complexity of these devices makes it difficult to define computational output in a way that can be accurately, consistently, and correctly compared across game consoles or between consoles and PC gaming machines. Without consistent computational benchmarks, it’s unlikely that a benchmark for active gaming will ever be good enough on which to base efficiency regulations or utility incentives to promote more efficient products.”

In addition, a study conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) supported the above conclusions and highlighted that the VA approach was a more effective driver of console energy efficiency than mandatory measures.

The GCVA includes various commitments to improve resource efficiency. These include:

– Commitments to support product life extension, by providing the various valuable information to consumers (either provided with the console itself, onscreen, in hardcopy, or online), such as:

• Explanation on how to keep the consoles in good working condition (e.g. how to keep the product dust free, how to install system updates, how to remove trapped disks, etc.)
• How to delete personal data (e.g. if the consumer wishes to send the console for reuse)
• Options available (if any) to consumers to upgrade the performance of their consoles (e.g. installing a bigger hard drive)

– Provision of a refurbishment or out-of-warranty repair service, for a minimum period of five years after the end of the manufacturing of a games console model, with additional commitments to improve product recycling at the end-of-life, supported by the following requirements:

• Technical documentation made available to authorised repair centres
• Spare parts made available to authorised repair or refurbishment centres 
• Maintenance and refurbishment made possible by non-destructive disassembly of the key components
• Accessing components enabled by documenting the dismantling operations needed to access the targeted components
• Informing consumers of end-of-life processing, refurbishment and out-of-warranty repair options available within the operating instructions of each games console (with instructions either provided with the console itself, onscreen or hardcopy, or online).
• Provision of spare parts (excluding parts that are protected by or are within an encryption system and some other critical components) to independent professional repairers and consumers.
• Marking console plastics parts >25g, indicating their resource composition (exceptions apply, see section 3.2 of the GCVA) and essentially eliminating the usage of halogenated flame retardants from games console external plastic enclosure parts.

The EU and UK GCVA are governed by the VA Steering Committees, which include the Signatories (the three games consoles manufacturers) and respectively the European Commission and the UK government. The Commission and the UK government supervise the implementation of each new version of the respective GCVA. An Independent Inspector tests all new console models placed on the market or a randomly selected existing model every year, gathers data from each company, and verifies compliance with the Signatories’ commitments under the GCVA. A third-party Administrator provides administrative support necessary for the effective running of the GCVA. Steering Committee meetings are held twice yearly in order to:

• Evaluate the GCVA effectiveness in achieving its objectives; and
• Discuss current and future developments that may influence console energy consumption and resource efficiency with a view to agreeing to a course of action or revising the GCVA.

The GCVA establishes that non-compliance may occur in the following cases:

• The completed Product Compliance Report has not been submitted on time, or the Signatory failed to correct missing or incorrect information in the submitted Product Compliance Report.
• The completed Product Compliance Report indicates that more than 10% of the games consoles placed on the EU or UK market during the applicable Reporting Period do not comply with commitments as set out in the GCVA.
• The Independent Inspector concludes that the Signatory is non-compliant with the GCVA following a compliance investigation under conditions described in Annex C of the VA.

The Independent Inspector will notify any Signatory considered to be non-compliant by 31 March of the following Reporting Period to seek to redress the cause of the non-compliance or within three months of initiating its compliance investigation when such investigation is conducted, unless the Independent Inspector and the affected Signatory mutually agree on a different timeline.. Opportunities should be provided to discuss the circumstances of the case and, if possible, resolve the cause of non-compliance.

A Signatory, who failed to initiate sufficient corrective action within three months after the formal notification of non-compliance, or who remains non-compliant with the GCVA twelve months after the formal notification shall forfeit its status as a Signatory of the GCVA. The Administrator shall inform the respective Steering Committees in writing within one week of receiving notice from the Independent Inspector of the Signatory’s non-compliance and that a condition of exclusion has been met. This event shall be recorded in the Steering Committee meeting minutes and shall be made public via the GCVA website within seven days of the meeting taking place.