Macronix Scaling Down ROM Output for Nintendo Game Cards
Taipei Times reports the Taiwanese chipmaker is reducing ROM production as an analyst predicts conventional game cards will persist for now.
Taiwan-based semiconductor maker Macronix is gradually reducing production of ROM chips, including those used in Nintendo game cards, according to a report by the Taipei Times.
Analyst David Gibson of Australian equity research firm MST Financial said Macronix supplies ROM chips for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 game cards but will not develop new ROM products. Separate disclosure of the company's ROM sales is set to end in the third quarter of 2026.
Macronix's earnings materials show ROM sales for July to September 2026 fell 39% year on year, with ROM's share of total sales dropping to 5% from 26% a year earlier. According to the Taipei Times, chairman Miin Wu said the company is directing production capacity toward NAND, which it sees as a growth area.
Gibson predicted conventional game cards will remain available for a while, noting that Macronix is not the only supplier of Nintendo game cards, while the shift toward digital will continue through more key cards and download-only titles.
In an October 2026 interview, Nintendo Latin America vice president and general manager Bill Van Zyll said the company has no plans to abolish physical media.
Quick answers
Will Nintendo Switch 2 game cards stop being produced?
Analyst David Gibson said conventional game cards will remain for a while, as Macronix is not the only supplier of Nintendo game cards, though digital migration is expected to progress.
Why is Macronix reducing ROM production?
According to the Taipei Times, chairman Miin Wu said the company is putting production capacity into NAND, a growth area.
How much did Macronix's ROM sales fall?
In its earnings materials, ROM sales for July to September 2026 fell 39% year on year, and ROM's share of sales dropped from 26% to 5%.