Graphic by Dani Ramirez
Written by Jerry Chavez
Tech companies’ aggressive investment in artificial intelligence is contributing to hardware shortages and delays in the gaming industry. Companies like AMD, NVIDIA, and Google have been making hefty investments into RAM components for their AI endeavors, CBS reports.
Valve has recently released a statement on their platform concerning release date timing plans for its anticipated Steam Machine console, which The CI View has previously written about.
“When we announced these products in November, we planned on being able to share specific pricing and launch dates by now,” they said. “The limited availability and growing prices of these critical components mean we must revisit our exact shipping schedule and pricing.”
Valve said it still plans to release the console in the first half of 2026, though other news concerning RAM and GPU availability may have an effect on the Steam Machine launch window moving forward. The Information has reported that NVIDIA will not produce an updated RTX 50 graphics unit this year. In 2022, The Information noted that NVIDIA’s graphics processors sold 35 percent of its revenue within the first nine months of the year, which is better than their performance in 2025. In 2025, the sales for their similar products dropped to around 8%.
Due to a deal with OpenAI, AMD has expanded its investment into AI, meaning NVIDIA no longer holds the entire AI chip market. Yahoo Finance states that profits have risen over 119% for AMD stocks, rendering AI a highly profitable venue for GPU manufacturers. The arms race for AI between tech companies is having a massive effect on the gaming industry. Those who were waiting for the Steam Machine and RTX graphics cards may experience continued delays as manufacturers prioritize AI production. With the RAM crisis ongoing, it may be difficult for gamers on campus to gain access to high end PC gaming. For those interested in gaming but lack the resources for it, the esports lounge on campus can help with the wait.
