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One of Nintendo's Switch and Switch 2 cartridge manufacturers is exiting the business, which could make physical games more expensive
Eurogamer.net • • general
Key Points:
- Macronix, a key producer of ROM memory for Nintendo Switch cartridges, announced it will exit the ROM business by the end of Q3 fiscal year 2026, shifting focus to NOR flash and eMMC memory chips.
- ROM products now represent only 5% of Macronix's sales, down from 26% a year ago, prompting the company to reallocate manufacturing capacity.
- Nintendo also sources ROM memory from Rohm Co., but losing Macronix as a major partner may strain supply and increase cartridge prices.
- The supply pressures could encourage more publishers, including Nintendo, to adopt Game-Key Cards that do not require physical cartridges, reducing costs.
- This shift reflects broader industry impacts from a global AI-driven memory and storage shortage, which has led major manufacturers like Micron to exit the consumer memory market.
