Report: Sony and Nintendo mulling hardware delays and pricing due to RAM shortage
Sony could delay the next-generation PlayStation console in response to a RAM shortage being driven by rampant investment in AI technology.
According to a new report from Bloomberg, Sony is considering pushing back the launch of its next console to 2028 or 2029 as a result of the disruption. People familiar with the matter explained the move would derail the company's plan to sustain user engagement between hardware generations.
Meanwhile, Nintendo could also increase the price of the Switch 2 in 2026 to cope with component shortages and price hikes. The latest rumblings come after Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa was decidedly noncommittal when asked about the prospect of increasing hardware pricing.
"If this rise in component prices lasts longer than expected and runs through the next fiscal year and beyond, it may put pressure on profitability. If the situation deteriorates significantly, we will carefully assess market trends and respond," he said during a recent earnings Q&A.
"As for any future change in the price of Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, no decision has been made at this time. Any decision to change the price will be determined comprehensively, taking into consideration not only profitability, but also other factors like the platforms installed base, sales trends, and the market environment."
Sony and Nintendo representatives didn't respond when approached for comment by Bloomberg.
As noted by Bloomberg, execs across the consumer electronics industry have warned that a dearth of key components will likely impact profitability. Apple boss Tim Cook said the shortage will squeeze iPhone margins, while Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing said the "structural imbalance between supply and demand is not simply a short-term fluctuation."
Meanwhile, one analyst who tracks the semiconductor industry told Bloomberg that memory chip prices are going to become "parabolic"—resulting in manufacturers seeing dollar signs at the expense of the rest of the sector.
