Ubisoft has announced they are to become environmentally friendly by eliminating paper manuals in exchange for the on disc digital type. This move is the first of its kind in the video game industry, and will begin with the launch of Shaun White Skateboarding this autumn.

The move will not only benefit the environment, it will also benefit the player having the manual directly in the game itself. Ubisoft says this will "offer the player easier and more intuitive access to game information, as well as allow Ubisoft to provide gamers with a more robust manual."

Ubisoft has revealed that their data shows that producing one ton of paper used in thier game manuals consumes an average of two tons of wood from 13 trees, with a net energy of 28 million BTU's (equivalent to average heating and energy for one home/year), greenhouse gases equivalent of over 6,000 lbs of CO2, and wastewater of almost 15,000 gallons.

"Ubisoft is often recognized for making great games, but it's a special privilege to be the industry leader at saving trees," said Laurent Detoc, president of Ubisoft North America. "Eco-friendly initiatives are important to the global community and introducing in-game digital manuals on Xbox 360 and PS3 is just the latest example of Ubisoft's ongoing commitment to being a more environmentally conscious company."