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The recent memory shortage hasn’t just been an issue for mobile and PC manufacturers. The gaming industry is also struggling as Valve, Sony, and Nintendo face higher memory costs and tighter supply. The crisis is driven primarily by AI data centers consuming a massive share of global DRAM and HBM output. Industry reports indicate that overall DRAM prices have surged around 70% since late 2024, with relief not expected until 2028.
On Tuesday, Valve updated the Steam Deck’s website to say that the OLED version of the handheld gaming PC will be available only intermittently in some regions due to memory and storage shortages. That explains why US buyers haven’t been able to purchase the Steam Deck OLED over the past few days—and now that Valve has discontinued the 256GB LCD Steam Deck, the device is hard to come by overall.
Sony is still working on its next-generation PlayStation, but the lack of RAM is already affecting its plans. Reports say Sony is debating a later PlayStation 6 launch window, with a high chance of launching after 2028 and possibly even stretching to 2029. The PS6 is rumored to feature 30GB of GDDR7 RAM on a 160-bit bus with 640 GB/s of memory bandwidth, nearly doubling the PlayStation 5’s 16GB GDDR6. If recent DRAM prices hold, Sony would either have to launch the new console at a very steep price or take a loss.
And while the Nintendo Switch 2 has maintained its $449.99 launch price in the US, analysts told Bloomberg last month that Nintendo might have to raise the cost of the console. Bloomberg’s own industry analysts think the Switch 2’s price could go up by as much as 15%, landing at around $517.
With industry experts expecting the memory crisis to continue for a couple of years, manufacturers need time to increase their production capacity. Unfortunately, many future shipments of memory have already been booked under hefty contracts.
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