Sport Consoles Will Seemingly Get Even Extra Costly… Once more

If you happen to had been on the fence about shopping for a shiny new console or ready for the brand new hotness, you shouldn’t maintain out a lot hope for the way forward for gaming {hardware}. The value of RAM and SSD storage has grow to be so untenable that present consoles might get costlier whereas future units will solely get additional delayed.

That is turning into clear throughout the board. AI knowledge facilities have sapped up RAM and NAND supply, a lot in order that even main tech giants can’t simply supply reminiscence anymore. Over the weekend, Bloomberg reported, based mostly on a number of nameless sources near Nintendo, that the corporate was presently “considering” elevating the price of its $450 Switch 2. Lower than a 12 months in the past, Nintendo followers had been complaining about how the Japanese recreation maker’s newest handheld console price $150 greater than the original Switch.

Japanese buyers had been already antsy in regards to the skyrocketing value of DRAM (dynamic random entry reminiscence) and the way that was impacting earnings on Nintendo’s newest {hardware}. Nintendo’s share value has already taken hits over the previous couple of months regardless of Change 2 gross sales numbers remaining positive all through the top of 2025. Analysts told IGN that the sequel Change was nonetheless promoting effectively regardless of slowing gross sales numbers in comparison with the hand-held’s June launch. Nintendo spiked the cost of the unique Change and Switch OLED in 2025 resulting from Trump’s tariffs. It stored the Change 2 value regular whereas it hiked prices on peripherals as an alternative.

Valve’s upcoming Steam Machine can also be caught up within the morass of the continuing RAM scarcity. Valve delayed the PC/console hybrid and stated it needed to “revisit” its launch date and value level. It doesn’t appear to be Valve has managed to supply extra RAM for its {hardware}, both.

The makers of Half-Life slapped its Steam Deck OLED listings with an “out of inventory” sticker on its store page since final month. On Sunday, Valve printed a observe to the web page studying, “Steam Deck OLED could also be out of inventory intermittently in some areas resulting from reminiscence and storage shortages. The Steam Deck LCD 256GB is no longer in production, and as soon as offered out will not be accessible.”

Present-gen consoles will rely extra on upscaling

Earlier than the RAM state of affairs worsened, Valve had hinted its console might price near a PC of comparable specs, which might have meant a price ticket as excessive as $800. Valve must closely subsidize its {hardware} to deliver it anyplace near inexpensive. Nintendo needs to be much more value aware than both Sony or Microsoft (especially with Xbox, which is in freefall). The corporate constructed its model on its lower-end {hardware} that may outshine the competitors due to unique first-party video games from beloved franchises like Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon.

Players might must buckle down with present {hardware}. Bloomberg additionally cited extra nameless sources when it claimed Sony might push the long-rumored PlayStation 6 launch all the best way to 2028 and 2029. That might not be as massive of a bummer because it sounds. Regardless of the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X having launched in 2020, they nonetheless have extra to offer due to further software program efficiency enhancements. The Change 2 is proving itself graphically capable regardless of its lower-end GPU specs and minimal energy draw. That’s principally due to Nvidia’s DLSS (deep studying tremendous sampling) upscaling. There are mounting rumors that recommend Sony might launch a PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) update that would drastically improve efficiency—particularly on PS5 Pro items.

The PlayStation 5 could also be simply over 5 years outdated, however it’s removed from nearing the top of its life. Sony is launching a monitor, fight stick, and—doubtlessly even an enhanced remote/game streaming player to maintain the PS5 {hardware} rolling. The Change 2 now has extra equipment, just like the Virtual Boy recreation, accessible to start out out 2026. The best choice gamers have now’s to stay with what they’ve and hope that when the AI bubble pops, it doesn’t take the world financial system with it.