The death of physical games could be getting closer as Macronix, one of Nintendo’s key ROM chip suppliers for Switch and Switch 2 game cartridges, is reportedly shutting down its ROM business to focus on manufacturing NOR and NAND flash chips to supply data centers, multiple reports claim. Storage is already becoming expensive, and Macronix’s move may force Nintendo to increase cartridge prices, produce more Game-Key cards, or lean more towards digital purchases.
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"Nintendo's main memory chip maker is quitting the Switch business," MST Financial David Gibson reports on X. "Macronix, which makes the ROM chips in Switch 1 and Switch 2 game memory cards, is phasing out that business. There will be no new ROM products, and Q3 is the last quarter it reports ROM sales separately.
1/4 Nintendo's main memory chip maker is quitting the Switch businessMacronix, which makes the ROM chips in Switch 1 and Switch 2 game memory cards, is phasing out that business. There will be no new ROM products, and Q3 is the last quarter it reports ROM sales separately.November 4, 2026
He notes that Macronix ROM sales in Q3 of this year dropped to 5%, compared to last year’s 26%. 8 billion capital expenditure is allocated to NOR and NAND Flash, leaving none for ROM as the company shifts its manufacturing capacity to supply AI needs — Taipei Times corroborated the report, stating, "At the same time, Macronix is gradually phasing out of ROM production, Wu said.
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