RAM crisis could reshape how games are made

At this year’s Game Developers Conference a persistent worry threaded through conversations: a global RAM shortage driven by surging AI demand. The spike in memory costs hung over discussions of projects such as Xbox’s Project Helix and raised broader questions about how rising prices could affect how games are built.

AI data centers require large amounts of memory, and a small number of manufacturers are prioritizing specialized parts for those buyers. With more chips spoken for, supply tightened and prices rose—earlier this year, PC Gamer shared data showing RAM has increased by as much as 300% in some cases.

Scaling production is difficult because RAM manufacturing depends on scarce materials and expanding capacity takes years, and some developers expect the squeeze could last roughly two years. Game creators were split on the immediate impact.

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