Global shortage of memory chips is causing major headaches. ‘RAMmageddon’ Could Delay Next PlayStation
Sony’s next PlayStation console could be arriving later than expected, and the culprit is the booming demand for AI memory. A global shortage of dynamic random access memory (DRAM)—the chips that power everything from smartphones to cars—is reverberating across the tech world, forcing companies to make tough decisions. Sources tell Bloomberg that Sony is considering pushing its next PlayStation launch to 2028 or even 2029, disrupting its usual hardware release cycle. Meanwhile, Nintendo, which recently fueled interest with the Switch 2, is reportedly eyeing a price increase for that console next year.
The shortage is largely driven by the AI boom. Tech giants including Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta are investing hundreds of billions of dollars into data centers packed with Nvidia AI accelerators, each requiring vast amounts of high-bandwidth memory (HBM). To meet this demand, memory manufacturers like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron are prioritizing HBM production over standard DRAM for consumer devices, creating a structural gap in supply. Some DRAM prices spiked roughly 75% in a single month.
The ripple effects are being felt across industries. Apple warns that memory constraints could squeeze iPhone profit margins. Cisco cited the shortage for a disappointing earnings outlook that sent its stock tumbling. Chinese smartphone makers like Oppo are scaling back shipment targets, and laptop manufacturers report that suppliers such as Samsung are renegotiating contracts quarterly instead of yearly. PC builders describe “panic buying” and soaring system prices after Micron discontinued its Crucial consumer RAM brand. Analysts predict the crunch will drive laptop prices up by around 15% and smartphones by about 10% this year, according to PCMag.
Experts warn that the worst may be yet to come. Bloomberg notes that construction of the massive AI data centers announced by tech giants is only beginning. Suh Young-hwan, who operates three DIY PC stores in Seoul, says the market isn’t likely to stabilize soon. “Unless Steve Jobs rises from the dead to declare that AI is just a bubble, this trend is probably going to continue for a while,” Suh says.
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