diff --git a/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Debug/PixelArtDevControls.cs b/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Debug/PixelArtDevControls.cs
index a10bac7af..e110589d0 100644
--- a/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Debug/PixelArtDevControls.cs
+++ b/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Debug/PixelArtDevControls.cs
@@ -21,11 +21,33 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
 
         static PixelArtDevControls _instance;
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// OPT-IN EditorPref, mirroring `ProjectM/Boot Into Menu (Editor)`. This used to self-spawn into EVERY
+        /// scene — Game.unity included, not just DevSandbox — and <see cref="OnGUI"/> draws its toggle button on
+        /// every IMGUI pass BEFORE the `!_open` early-out. IMGUI dispatches at least Layout+Repaint per frame,
+        /// so it allocated continuously during normal gameplay and dominated allocation profiling until it was
+        /// found on 2026-08-13. Off by default; enable from the menu when you actually want to tune the look.
+        /// </summary>
+        const string EnabledPref = "ProjectM.PixelArtDevControls.Enabled";
+        const string MenuPath = "ProjectM/Pixel Art Dev Controls (Editor)";
+
+        [MenuItem(MenuPath)]
+        static void ToggleEnabled() => EditorPrefs.SetBool(EnabledPref, !EditorPrefs.GetBool(EnabledPref, false));
+
+        [MenuItem(MenuPath, true)]
+        static bool ToggleEnabledValidate()
+        {
+            Menu.SetChecked(MenuPath, EditorPrefs.GetBool(EnabledPref, false));
+            return true;
+        }
+
         [RuntimeInitializeOnLoadMethod(RuntimeInitializeLoadType.AfterSceneLoad)]
         static void Bootstrap()
         {
             if (_instance != null)
                 return;
+            if (!EditorPrefs.GetBool(EnabledPref, false))
+                return; // opt-in only — see EnabledPref
             var go = new GameObject("~PixelArtDevControls") { hideFlags = HideFlags.HideAndDontSave };
             DontDestroyOnLoad(go);
             _instance = go.AddComponent<PixelArtDevControls>();