--- title: "Macronix Phases Out ROM Chips: What It Means for Nintendo Switch Cartridges" description: "Taiwan's Macronix is stopping the development of new ROM chips and shifting capacity to NOR Flash and NAND memory. The decision affects a long-time Nintendo Switch cartridge supplier and could impact the cost of physical games." date: 2026-11-04T23:00:51.904Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/macronix-phases-out-rom-chips-nintendo-switch tags: [macronix, nintendo-switch, rom-memory, flash-memory, cartridges] author: "Roman V., Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Macronix Phases Out ROM Chips: What It Means for Nintendo Switch Cartridges ![Nintendo Switch console, game cartridge, and Macronix and ROM chips with a crossed-out sign](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/04/macronix-svorachivaet-vypusk-rom-chipov-dlya-kartridzhej-nintendo-switch/macronix-svorachivaet-vypusk-rom-chipov-dlya-kartridzhej-nintendo-switch-1.webp) ## Key Points - Macronix is stopping new ROM chip development, focusing on NOR Flash, eMMC NAND, and 3D NAND. - Company revenue for the third quarter rose 195% to NT$24.237 billion, with NAND sales up 768%. - Macronix supplied memory for Nintendo DS, 3DS, and Switch cartridges for years; Rohm became the lead supplier for Switch 2. - The phase-out of ROM production could long-term increase the cost of physical cartridges and accelerate the shift to Game-Key Cards. Taiwanese company Macronix has announced the cessation of new product development based on ROM memory. The manufacturer intends to focus its resources on NOR Flash, eMMC NAND, and advanced 3D NAND technologies, gradually reducing production capacity for traditional microchips. For the gaming industry, this decision is notable because Macronix has supplied memory for Nintendo DS, 3DS, and the original Switch cartridges for many years, remaining one of the key component manufacturers for physical game editions. ### From ROM to Flash Memory: A Strategic Pivot The redistribution of resources within the company is driven by economics. For the third quarter, Macronix's revenue reached NT$24.237 billion, a 195% increase year-over-year. At the same time, ROM chip manufacturing revenue dropped by 39% over the same period, while NOR Flash sales surged by 158%, and NAND sales by 768%. Chairperson and CEO Miin Wu stated that demand for NOR Flash memory for data centers is extremely high, and clients are demanding increased production capacity. The company also expects further increases in memory chip prices and plans to invest over NT$30 billion in production development, including new capacities to be rolled out through 2028. ### Long-Time Nintendo Partner Shifts the Balance of Power The industry's transition to the Nintendo Switch 2 has already altered the vendor landscape. Rohm (Oki Semiconductor) has secured a leading role in producing cartridges for the new console, while Macronix's involvement in memory supply for the Switch 2 has not yet been confirmed. Thus, one of Nintendo's long-standing partners is gradually stepping away from the technology used in gaming cartridges for decades, although a complete halt to existing chip production is not yet on the table. ### Impact on the Gaming Industry and Prices The abandonment of further ROM development does not mean an immediate halt to the production of active chips, but in the long term, the decision could affect the availability and cost of traditional game cartridges. Analyst David Gibson notes that the departure of a major partner will increase pressure on already strained supply chains, which could make physical games more expensive. Against this backdrop, publishers are increasingly considering the Game-Key Cards format for the Switch 2 — cartridges containing a download key rather than a full copy of the data — as an alternative to more expensive media. Previously, Sony announced its intention to move away from physical media for PlayStation, while Nintendo, in turn, confirmed about a month ago that it has no plans to abandon physical games. ### Production Phase-Out Timeline According to industry sources, Macronix's ROM chip production is planned to be completely phased out by the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2026. This means that in the coming months and years, the market will observe how the reallocation of capacity toward server flash memory impacts supply chains for handheld console components. However, the cessation of physical Switch game production is not on the agenda at this stage. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Поставщик памяти для картриджей Nintendo Switch прекратит разработку новых ROM-чипов](https://www.goha.ru/postavshhik-pamyati-dlya-kartridzhej-nintendo-switch-prekratit-razrabotku-novyh-rom-chipov-4w3ADm) - Primary source: cessation of new ROM development, focus on NOR/eMMC/3D NAND, partnership with Nintendo, revenue NT$24.237B (+195%), eMMC NAND +768%, investments over NT$30B through 2028. - [ИИ-бум исподтишка ударил Nintendo — поставщик памяти для картриджей Switch переключается на серверные ...](https://3dnews.ru/1150869/iibum-ispodtishka-udaril-nintendo-postavshchik-pamyati-dlya-kartridgey-switchpereklyuchaetsya-na-servernie-chipi) - ROM revenue -39% YoY, NOR Flash +158%, NAND +768%; CEO Miin Wu statement on NOR Flash demand for data centers; expectation of price growth; context of Sony abandoning physical media. - [Macronix прекращает выпуск ROM-чипов для картриджей Nintendo Switch и Switch 2](https://the-geek.ru/news/macronix-nintendo-switch-2-rom-chips) - Complete phase-out by end of Q3 fiscal 2026; analyst David Gibson on supply pressure and Game-Key Cards growth; Rohm (Oki Semiconductor) as supplier; Nintendo not abandoning physical games. - [Чипы для картриджей Switch больше не будут развивать — Macronix сворачивает их выпуск](https://vgtimes.ru/gaming-news/173438-macronix-svorachivaet-vypusk-rom-chipov-dlya-igrovyh-kart-switch-novyh-produktov-ne-budet.html) - Confirmation of halting new ROM chip development and gradual production phase-out. ## FAQ ### Will Macronix immediately stop producing ROM chips? No, this refers to stopping the development of new products and gradually reducing capacity. According to industry sources, complete phase-out of ROM production is planned by the end of Q3 fiscal 2026. ### Did Macronix supply memory for the Nintendo Switch 2? Macronix's involvement in memory supplies for the Switch 2 has not been confirmed yet. Rohm (Oki Semiconductor) has taken the leading role in producing the new console's cartridges. ### Will this affect physical games for the Switch? In the long term, the decision could affect the availability and cost of traditional cartridges and accelerate publishers' transition to the Game-Key Cards format. However, Nintendo has stated it has no intention of abandoning physical games.