If you're a diehard gaming traditionalist, you may want to rethink your stance when it comes to game manuals. A new "environmental initiative" is underway at Ubisoft that will end the bundling of paper manuals with the publisher's games. The company will instead provide digital in-game manuals for all titles on the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360. The new paperless project will commence this holiday with the launch Shaun White Skateboarding.
Ubisoft said its internal data shows that producing one ton of paper used in its game manuals consumes around two tons of wood from 13 trees, with a net energy of 28 million BTUs – the average heating and energy for one home per year. In addition to ditching paper booklets, the company has teamed up with Technimark to release the industry's "most environmentally-responsible DVD case" (made from 100% recycled polypropylene) for all of its future PC titles in North America.
"Green" talk aside, the developer believes going digital will allow it to create more robust manuals as well as provide players with easier and more intuitive access to game information.