Switch 2 Cartridge Manufacturer Exits the Market

Macronix, a longtime Nintendo supplier, is gradually scaling back ROM memory production and ending development of new ROM chips, a move that could affect the future of physical cartridges for Switch and Switch 2.

Industry analyst David Gibson reported the shift after reviewing the company’s latest financial results. Macronix makes memory chips for game cards for both generations of Nintendo consoles.

ROM products accounted for just 5% of Macronix’s revenue in the third quarter of 2026, down from 26% in the same period a year earlier. ROM chip sales fell 39% year over year, although they rose 9% from the previous quarter.

Macronix’s chairman attributed the decision to limited production capacity. The company plans to focus on producing NOR and eMMC memory. None of its planned investment of 37.8 billion New Taiwan dollars will go toward ROM production. All of it will go toward eMMC and NAND development. The third quarter will also be the last in which Macronix reports ROM sales separately.

Gibson believes Switch 2 cartridges will not disappear immediately because Nintendo has other suppliers. He says the situation could, however, accelerate the shift toward digital distribution and Game-Key Card. Digital sales accounted for 61.5% of sales from April through June, up from 59.3% a year earlier.