[News] NVIDIA Reportedly Plans No New Gaming GPU in 2026 Amid Memory Tightness, First Time in 30 Years

NVIDIA could delay the launch of its subsequent gaming GPU as reminiscence provides stay tight. According to The Information, sources say the corporate doesn’t plan to launch a brand new graphics chip for gaming this yr, as a deepening international reminiscence scarcity is pushing NVIDIA to prioritize its restricted reminiscence capability for AI accelerators.

If true, the report notes this is able to mark the primary time in almost three a long time that NVIDIA has gone a full yr with out introducing a brand new gaming GPU. In addition, the report says the corporate is claimed to be scaling again manufacturing of its present GeForce RTX 50 gaming GPUs as reminiscence shortages persist.

As the report signifies, NVIDIA has delayed each a deliberate refresh of its RTX 50 gaming GPUs—code-named “Kicker”—and its next-generation gaming GPU. The next-generation chip, broadly referred to as the RTX 60 collection, had beforehand been focused for mass manufacturing by late 2027, and is now additionally anticipated to face delays.

In response to the reported delay, a NVIDIA spokesperson mentioned the corporate continues to ship all GeForce merchandise and is working carefully with suppliers to maximise reminiscence availability, the report provides.

Gaming GPU Pause Highlights NVIDIA’s AI Shift, With Broader Impact Beyond Gamers

The firm’s reported resolution to delay new gaming chips could also be comprehensible. As the report notes, the speedy rise of AI chips has considerably decreased the significance of gaming GPUs to NVIDIA’s monetary efficiency. Gaming GPUs accounted for about 8% of whole income within the 9 months to October, down from roughly 35% in the identical interval in 2022.

The report additionally highlights the margin hole: NVIDIA’s compute and networking section, which incorporates AI chips, posted working margins of about 65% over the interval, in contrast with roughly 40% for its graphics enterprise, which incorporates gaming GPUs.

Notably, the impression could lengthen past avid gamers. As the report factors out, the absence of a brand new NVIDIA gaming GPU this yr might additionally disappoint a broader set of customers. According to the report, with U.S. export controls limiting entry to NVIDIA’s most superior AI chips, universities, tech startups, and expertise models at China’s state-owned enterprises have more and more relied on the corporate’s newest gaming GPUs to coach and run AI fashions.

Persistent Memory Shortages Cloud Outlook for Smartphone Chipmakers

Beyond Team Green’s rumored gaming chip delays, reminiscence shortages proceed to weigh on different chipmakers. Analysts cited by Reuters say constrained reminiscence provide is prone to stress smartphone gross sales for a while, dampening demand for chip corporations equivalent to Qualcomm and chip structure designer Arm Holdings.

Among main smartphone chip designers, Qualcomm is seeing comparatively weak demand as prospects battle to safe enough reminiscence to ship completed merchandise, prompting the corporate to forecast current-quarter income under market expectations, the report says. Arm additionally faces headwinds, with Reuters noting that stalled cell processor gross sales might weigh on its royalty earnings.

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(Photo credit score: NVIDIA)