3 Major Franchises Launch New Games on July 23 as GTA 6 Looms Over Fall Schedule

Q: How is the AI industry boom making your next video game console more expensive?

The AI boom is making consoles more expensive by driving up the price of the memory and storage chips they rely on. AI data centers need huge amounts of advanced memory, especially high-bandwidth memory, and chipmakers such as Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron are shifting production toward those more profitable AI parts. That leaves less factory capacity for the DRAM and NAND chips used in game consoles, handhelds and PCs. The result is a supply squeeze across consumer electronics. That squeeze is already showing up in prices. Industry reports cited by console makers say memory and storage costs have risen sharply, in some cases more than doubling or even climbing 2.5 times. Because consoles are typically sold on thin margins, manufacturers have less room than phone or PC makers to absorb those increases. They are passing more of the cost to buyers. That helps explain recent hardware price moves across the industry. Nintendo has raised the Switch 2’s U.S. price to $499.99 starting September 1, while Microsoft and Sony have also increased Xbox and PlayStation prices. In each case, higher component costs, especially memory, are a central factor. The pressure is unlikely to fade soon. Building new chip plants takes years, and analysts expect AI demand to keep absorbing a large share of global memory output through at least 2027. For consumers, that means the next console, and often its storage-heavy games and accessories, will likely stay more expensive than in past hardware cycles.

3 articles · Updated · Polygon · Jul 19

July 23 brings three marquee releases across major platforms: Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, Splatoon Raiders, and Halo: Campaign Evolved.
Avatar Legends arrives after a 3-week delay on Switch, PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X with 12 playable characters, online play, and a newcomer-friendly mode.
Nintendo’s Splatoon Raiders marks the franchise’s first true single-player game, launching on Switch 2 with island raids, loot collection, and upgradeable gear.
Halo: Campaign Evolved enters early access on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X as a ground-up remake tied to Halo’s 25th anniversary; up to 5 days of early access requires a premium pre-order.
The packed late-summer slate already includes big July launches, with publishers widely seen spacing releases ahead of Grand Theft Auto 6’s Nov. 19 debut.