Nvidia delays next-gen graphics cards until 2028 as AI chips take priority over gaming GPUs

Nvidia Shifts Focus From Gaming GPUs to AI Chips

Nvidia is delaying its next-generation RTX 6000 series graphics cards until 2028, according to a report from The Information 2

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. Mass production was originally slated for late 2027, but the global memory shortage caused by the race to build AI data centers has derailed those plans 1

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. This marks a three-year stretch without releasing a new gaming GPU generation since the RTX 5000 series was announced in January 2025. The company has also shelved the RTX 50 Super series, which missed its expected debut at CES 2026, with managers blaming the pause on the memory crunch and a strategic shift toward prioritizing its lucrative AI chip business 1

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In response to the report, Nvidia told PCMag that demand for GeForce RTX GPUs remains strong and memory supply is constrained, adding that the company continues to ship all GeForce SKUs while working closely with suppliers to maximize memory availability 1

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. This represents the first time in three decades that Nvidia won't launch new gaming chips in a given year 2

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Memory Shortage Driven by AI Demand Reshapes Priorities

AI demand has driven the current memory chip shortage, throwing the consumer electronics industry out of balance 2

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. The global memory shortage has been widening for months, partly because memory makers have shifted production capacity toward high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and other components that serve AI workloads 4

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. This trend has driven up prices for consumer-oriented memory like GDDR and DDR, making it harder and more expensive for companies like Nvidia to secure enough supply for gaming-focused GPUs while meeting booming data center demand 4

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Facing these supply constraints, Nvidia is essentially brushing off the gaming demographic that once defined its business 2

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. In the first nine months of 2022, Nvidia's gaming GPUs made up 35 percent of its total revenue. During that same period in 2025, only around 8 percent came from gaming components 2

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. The profit margins tell an even clearer story: AI chips deliver 65 percent margins compared to 40 percent for graphics cards 2

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Price Increases and Supply Issues Impact PC Gaming Market

The effects of the memory shortage can already be seen in existing RTX 50 series cards. Prices for the more powerful RTX 5070 Ti and up have all been increasing, while other models are simply out of stock amid reports that supplies have dried up 1

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. An RTX 5070 Ti now costs more than $1,000 while an RTX 5080 demands $500 or more than the original price 3

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. With the shortage expected to last into 2028, PC builders probably won't see relief any time soon 1

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Nvidia has reiterated that it is still shipping all GeForce SKUs but blamed memory supply for any current supply hiccups. What Nvidia is not saying is it needs to make more room for production of its AI training chips—the reason the company has catapulted into the most profitable business in the world 3

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. The memory crunch is expected to hit all kinds of consumer electronics, leading to price increases and lower memory configurations 1

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. On Wednesday, for example, Valve said it needs to delay and reprice its console-like Steam Machine 1

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What This Means for Gamers Looking Ahead

For the gaming audience, a 2026 without new Nvidia GPUs reshapes upgrade planning and pricing for the entire PC gaming market 4

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. Nvidia's gaming lineup may rely on existing RTX 50 cards longer than expected, and premiums on current GPUs could remain high as buyers wait for the next real jump in performance 4

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. A little more than a year ago, Nvidia did not think of itself as a gaming company, nor is it a "technology company," as CEO Jensen Huang put it in a 2025 Q&A. Nvidia is an AI company 3

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Huang told Taiwanese outlet UDN that TSMC will need to increase manufacturing by 100% in the next 10 years "just to meet Nvidia's demand" 3

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. This suggests the tension between AI and gaming priorities will persist well into the future. If the AI bubble bursts, Nvidia should hope there are still enough gamers left who can afford whatever new, ultimately expensive GPU comes their way 3

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. For now, the traditional rhythm of GPU releases is being disrupted, and gamers may find themselves holding onto current hardware longer than they anticipated 4

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