AI is plundering memory, and the shortage is burning through gaming consoles! Rumors suggest PS6 and new Xbox may be delayed in their release.

AI demand causes memory prices to soar, triggering the most severe shortage in 20 years. Next-generation consoles like PS6 may be delayed until after 2028 due to high costs.

AI Devours Memory, Next-Gen Gaming Consoles May Be Delayed

Gaming media outlet Insider Gaming recently reported that the explosive growth of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has caused memory (RAM) prices to skyrocket, impacting the gaming hardware industry and potentially delaying the release of the next generation of gaming consoles.

The report reveals that some console manufacturers are internally debating whether to postpone the launch of their next-generation consoles, originally scheduled for 2027 to 2028.

Memory Prices Surge Multiple Times in Short Term, Console Manufacturers Face Dilemma

As the AI development boom shows no signs of slowing down in the short term, the memory shortage crisis may continue to be an industry bottleneck.

In the past, console manufacturers could usually gain market share by subsidizing hardware costs, but with the significant increase in memory acquisition costs, the expected retail prices for next-generation consoles—already higher than their predecessors—may become prohibitively expensive in the future.

Console makers hope that memory manufacturers will expand infrastructure and increase capacity during this period, thereby bringing prices back to reasonable levels. However, regardless of the final decision, the gaming hardware market is likely to face rising prices in the coming years.

Image source: Pixels Library AI Devours Memory, Next-Gen Consoles May Be Delayed

Memory Supply Chain Warning: The Most Severe Shortage in 20 Years

Faced with the AI industry competing fiercely for memory supply chains, experts and industry leaders are issuing warnings.

Cameron Crandall, Manager of Data Center SSD Business at Kingston, directly warned that NAND flash memory costs are soaring, and forecast that this price increase will continue into 2026, advising consumers with upgrade needs to purchase as soon as possible.

Taiwan’s major memory module manufacturer, Innodisk, Vice President of Business, Chen Bo-shou, revealed in an interview with CommonWealth Magazine that this is the most serious shortage he has encountered in his 20 years in the industry.

He analyzed that, in the past, memory shortages were mostly caused by stockpiling for specific mobile phone brands, factory accidents, or technological transition periods, but this time it is a structural shortage caused by the emergence of AI demand.

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Gaming Console Prices Rising, Sales Hit 30-Year Low

Joost van Dreunen, Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, pointed out that memory accounts for about one-fifth of the total components cost of a personal computer, which poses a heavy blow to manufacturers.

He predicts that in the next one or two years, the prices of gaming consoles may increase by another 10% to 15%, and as memory prices climb again in 2026, PC prices could rise by as much as 30%.

Data from market tracking firm Circana shows that in November 2025, consumer spending on gaming hardware decreased by 27%, and unit sales hit the weakest performance since 1995 for that month. Meanwhile, the average selling price of new gaming devices reached a monthly record high.

Analysts point out that due to tariffs increasing manufacturing costs and the lack of blockbuster game titles driving sales, the average console price has continued to rise this year. If consumer spending further tightens, console manufacturers may have to consider delaying new product launches to avoid poor sales.

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