PS6 and Xbox Project Helix to Face Memory Shortage: Crisis to Last Until 2028

The global RAM shortage, which is already affecting electronics and console prices, could last until at least 2028, posing challenges for the future PS6 and Xbox Project Helix.

Representatives from Micron and Samsung warn that a return to normal prices is not expected anytime soon: contracts for 2027 are already being concluded at higher rates. The main reason is the artificial intelligence boom, due to which data centers and companies training language models are consuming huge volumes of HBM and server DRAM.

Memory manufacturers are shifting capacity to more profitable corporate orders. Samsung expects HBM to account for about 30% of all DRAM manufacturers' silicon wafers in 2027, up from 20% previously.

Micron's new factories will not be operational until 2028 at the earliest, and reaching full capacity will take additional months. Moreover, more than 75% of the company's planned production for 2027 has already been sold out.

The problem also affects ordinary consumers: PCs and the current PS5 and Xbox Series X|S have become more expensive, and manufacturers are increasingly offering weaker memory configurations for more money.