The global fascination with artificial intelligence shows no signs of waning.
According to reports from Insider Gaming, the dramatic surge in RAM prices fueled by the AI revolution could potentially derail the launch schedules of next-generation gaming consoles.
Sources close to the matter indicate that high-level strategic deliberations are already taking place regarding how this memory shortage will impact future hardware roadmaps.
The broader gaming industry is increasingly anxious about component availability and its consequences for large-scale manufacturing at competitive retail prices. This volatility doesn’t just threaten the next generation; it could also trigger price hikes for current-gen hardware, such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, as early as 2026.
In recent months, the cost of RAM modules has skyrocketed due to insatiable demand from AI developers. As interest in machine learning and neural networks remains at an all-time high, this supply-demand imbalance is expected to persist, likely driving prices even higher in the long term.
This trend leaves console manufacturers in a precarious position. While hardware has traditionally been subsidized to maintain an accessible entry point for consumers, the upcoming generation—already projected to be more expensive than its predecessors—now risks reaching price points that are prohibitively high for the average gamer.
Source: iXBT.games