> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://devdocs.xbox.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Halo Infinite case study

> 343 Industries dropped pause-menu resolution to 1080p for a 15% power saving with no visible impact, then explored 2.5D menus for ~30% additional savings.

**Studio:** 343 Industries<br />**Contributors:** Alex Le Boulicaut (Producer), Spencer Kopach (Senior Tech Artist), Andrew Nolan (Graphics Engineer), Trista Patterson (XBOX Director of Sustainability)

343 Industries was **XBOX's first pilot** for A/B experimentation on energy consumption and carbon emissions in game development. Using PIX Power Monitor, the team established a baseline (XBOX Series X at 4K/60 FPS: \~92% GPU, 67.5% Power Load) and iterated from there.

## Armor Hall menus

The team profiled the Armor Hall in four stages.

### Stage 1: 4K @ 60 FPS (baseline)

* Average GPU: 96.2%
* Average Power Load: 67.5%

### Stage 2: 4K @ 30 FPS

* Average GPU: 49.2%
* Average Power Load: 42.2%
* **Power savings: 37.5%**

Framerate drops were considered too visible on non-VRR displays and required additional development time — the team moved on to resolution.

### Stage 3: 1080p @ 60 FPS

* Average GPU: 34.7%
* Average Power Load: 43.5%
* **Power savings: 33.6%**

UI stayed at native resolution to protect legibility and accessibility.

### Stage 4: 1080p @ 30 FPS

* Average GPU: 27%
* Average Power Load: 30%
* **Power savings: 55.6%**

Baseline Power Load 67.5% → 30% — more than halved.

<Note>
  343 shipped **resolution reduction only** for the Armor Hall — lowest risk to the player experience with meaningful savings.
</Note>

## Gameplay pause menu

During investigations the team realized the pause menu still rendered a full 4K image behind the blurred settings overlay — assets the player couldn't see. Lowering the pause menu to 1080p produced:

| Scene                          | Power draw  | Total AC power |
| ------------------------------ | ----------- | -------------- |
| Pause menu at 4K/60 (before)   | 64% GPU+CPU | 185 W          |
| Pause menu at 1080p/60 (after) | 55% GPU+CPU | 165 W          |

**15% power saving** with a change invisible to the player.

## 2.5D menus

As part of a broader menu overhaul, 343 tested a 2.5D approach: a 2D backplate with camera-correct perspective plus a 3D character in the foreground.

### Merits

**Pros**

* Minimal components; easy to upgrade.
* Full support for UGC characters.
* 2D backplates author in Unity, Unreal, Maya, or any DCC.
* Backplates can be authored in-house or outsourced.
* Load times improve.
* Lower power draw for players.

**Limitations**

* 3D avatars must be lit to match the 2D backplate.
* Background cannot support motion.
* No DOF on UGC avatars (bake DOF into the backplate instead).

### Power savings (versus a locked 3D baseline of 64.8%)

| Internal resolution | Frame rate | 2.5D Power Load | Notes                                                                    |
| ------------------- | ---------- | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 2400 × 1800         | 60 FPS     | 47.5%           | Dropping internal res prior to upscale + lower FPS delivers most savings |
| 1920 × 1080         | 30 FPS     | 26.3%           | Even at locked higher res, 2.5D provides significant savings             |
| 1920 × 1080         | 60 FPS     | 35.8%           | Dropping internal res prior to upscale delivers more savings             |

Locking the resolution upper limit and switching to 2.5D delivered **\~30% savings**; further reducing internal resolution unlocked more.

### Development cost

* **8 people** required for evergreen support (11–17 fewer than the previous 3D setup).
* Total time to completion: **3–4 weeks**.
* Estimated time cost saved: **2–3 months**.

## Takeaways for other studios

* **Start with resolution.** Lowest player-visibility risk in still or minimally animated scenes.
* **Look for hidden rendering waste.** 343 was rendering 4K behind a blurred pause overlay.
* **2.5D menus can reduce both team and hardware cost.** Fewer people to maintain them and lower GPU load.
* **Protect UI accessibility.** Keep UI on its own buffer at native resolution.

## Related case studies

* [Call of Duty](/build/game-principles/sustainability/case-studies/case-studies-cod)
* [Fortnite & Unreal Engine](/build/game-principles/sustainability/case-studies/case-studies-fortnite)
* [The Elder Scrolls Online](/build/game-principles/sustainability/case-studies/case-studies-elder-scrolls-online)
* [Energy Efficiency Essentials](/build/game-principles/sustainability/energy-efficiency-essentials)


## Related topics

- [Sustainability case studies overview](/build/game-principles/sustainability/case-studies/case-studies-overview.md)
- [Gears of War: Reloaded case study](/build/game-principles/sustainability/case-studies/case-studies-gears-of-war-reloaded.md)
- [The Elder Scrolls Online case study](/build/game-principles/sustainability/case-studies/case-studies-elder-scrolls-online.md)
- [Fortnite & Unreal Engine case study](/build/game-principles/sustainability/case-studies/case-studies-fortnite.md)
- [Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II & Warzone case study](/build/game-principles/sustainability/case-studies/case-studies-cod.md)