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

NVIDIA may delay the launch of its next gaming GPU as memory supplies remain tight. According to The Information, sources say the company does not plan to release a new graphics chip for gaming this year, as a deepening global memory shortage is pushing NVIDIA to prioritize its limited memory capacity for AI accelerators.

If true, the report notes this would mark the first time in nearly three decades that NVIDIA has gone a full year without introducing a new gaming GPU. In addition, the report says the company is said to be scaling back production of its current GeForce RTX 50 gaming GPUs as memory shortages persist.

As the report indicates, NVIDIA has delayed both a planned refresh of its RTX 50 gaming GPUs—code-named “Kicker”—and its next-generation gaming GPU. The next-generation chip, widely known as the RTX 60 series, had previously been targeted for mass production by late 2027, and is now also expected to face delays.

In response to the reported delay, a NVIDIA spokesperson said the company continues to ship all GeForce products and is working closely with suppliers to maximize memory availability, the report adds.

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

The company’s reported decision to delay new gaming chips may be understandable. As the report notes, the rapid rise of AI chips has significantly reduced the importance of gaming GPUs to NVIDIA’s financial performance. Gaming GPUs accounted for about 8% of total revenue in the nine months to October, down from roughly 35% in the same period in 2022.

The report also highlights the margin gap: NVIDIA’s compute and networking segment, which includes AI chips, posted operating margins of about 65% over the period, compared with roughly 40% for its graphics business, which includes gaming GPUs.

Notably, the impact may extend beyond gamers. As the report points out, the absence of a new NVIDIA gaming GPU this year could also disappoint a broader set of users. According to the report, with U.S. export controls limiting access to NVIDIA’s most advanced AI chips, universities, tech startups, and technology units at China’s state-owned enterprises have increasingly relied on the company’s latest gaming GPUs to train and run AI models.

Persistent Memory Shortages Cloud Outlook for Smartphone Chipmakers

Beyond Team Green’s rumored gaming chip delays, memory shortages continue to weigh on other chipmakers. Analysts cited by Reuters say constrained memory supply is likely to pressure smartphone sales for some time, dampening demand for chip firms such as Qualcomm and chip architecture designer Arm Holdings.

Among leading smartphone chip designers, Qualcomm is seeing relatively weak demand as customers struggle to secure sufficient memory to ship finished products, prompting the company to forecast current-quarter revenue below market expectations, the report says. Arm also faces headwinds, with Reuters noting that stalled mobile processor sales could weigh on its royalty income.

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(Photo credit: NVIDIA)