NVIDIA Won’t Release New Gaming GPU in 2026, The First Time in 30 Years

NVIDIA has announced that they won’t release a brand-new gaming GPU in 2026. This is the first time they have done so since the early 90’s.

Each year, NVIDIA usually released a brand new GPU, be it a new series or a refresh for the existing generation. Now, they are breaking the tradition.

The current landscape of computer parts prices has made it difficult for NVIDIA to release new GPUs in an affordable and sustainable manner.

What has happened?

Since the end of 2025, the prices for RAM have increased significantly due to a high demand in AI applications. AI data centers require a large amount of RAM, in addition to many other precious resources such as electricity and water.

With high demand of RAM from these data centers, prominent RAM module producers such as Micron and Samsung are quite overwhelmed to meet demand. This resulted in Micron exiting the consumer RAM market to focus on the enterprise segment.

This sets off a great domino effect, where products that require RAM modules see a significant price hike. DDR5 RAM module prices skyrocketed, which also affects DDR4 RAM prices. Laptops and handheld PCs are also affected, as their prices are also increasing.

How did the RAM module price increase factor into NVIDIA’s decision?

GPUs, as you might have known, also rely on RAM modules. The GPU utilizes a component called video RAM, or VRAM for short. This is where GPUs store data necessary to process graphics, such as textures, frame buffers, shaders, and many others.

You might have noticed where this is going. With current RAM scarcity, it is difficult for NVIDIA to meet consumer demands. At the end of the day, NVIDIA, who also supply components for AI data centers, chose these AI servers over consumer GPUs.

According to a report by The Information, NVIDIA has decided to halt the production of their new “Kicker” GPU, presumably an RTX 50 Series Super lineup. It is expected to release this year, but this plan is being halted indefinitely.

It’s not just brand-new GPUs. NVIDIA is also reported to reduce current RTX 50 Series card production to prioritize the AI segment.

This decision clearly sets a bad time for PC enthusiasts who have yet to upgrade their setup. With PC component prices skyrocketing to an unreasonable level, they have to hold on to their upgrade plans.

If you are urgently needing a PC to work or play, it is better to grab anything you can hold on to, at your budget and requirements restrictions. Although this might feed into the paranoia-buying hype, it is still better to have something, if slightly inadequate, rather than waiting for uncertainty.