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December 19, 2025, 5:02 PM EST. Rising memory shortages are driving up costs for RAM and storage, threatening the viability of physical PC and console games. The Nintendo Switch 2 is at the center: while digital copies stay tied to a Nintendo account, traditional game cards (ROM) costlier to produce, and a controversial new option-game-key cards-store little data and require online downloads. Publishers prefer these cheaper cards, which can push up prices or even limit physical copies runs. ININ Games noted new, smaller cartridge sizes for Switch 2, enabling cheaper production for ports like R-Type Dimensions III. AI data centers' soaring demand further fuels memory prices, risking a future where physical copies become rare collectibles instead of standard formats.