Macronix, a longtime Nintendo hardware partner and a major ROM memory producer, plans to leave the ROM business. The chips are key components in Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 cartridges, and the withdrawal could add pressure to supply and costs for physical games.
Industry analyst David Gibson reported the decision on X, citing Macronix’s latest earnings call. The company intends to phase out ROM products entirely by the end of the third quarter of fiscal year 2026.
ROM products accounted for 5% of Macronix’s reported sales in the third quarter, down from 26% a year earlier. The company is redirecting manufacturing capacity toward NOR flash and eMMC memory chips.
Macronix is not Nintendo’s only ROM supplier: the company also sources components from Rohm Co., formerly Oki Semiconductor. Still, losing a major supplier could further constrain cartridge availability and potentially push prices higher.
Gibson also suggested that publishers, including Nintendo, could increasingly use Game-Key Cards, which do not contain a physical game cartridge and avoid its associated cost.
The report does not directly link Macronix’s decision to memory shortages, but it comes as manufacturers shift resources toward business areas with stronger demand. Macronix’s move could add pressure on Nintendo as it continues to support physical games. Last month, the company said it had no plans to abandon them, following Sony’s decision to end disc manufacturing in 2028.
Sources: Eurogamer.