Macronix Quits ROM: Are Switch 2 Cartridges Affected?

By GameDrop Staff · Nov 05, 2026 · Industry · 4 min read

A pile of Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 game cartridges — Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life

Macronix, a Taiwanese memory maker that has supplied ROM chips for Nintendo game cartridges, is phasing out its ROM business. The news surfaced on November 4 through analyst David Gibson of MST Financial, who read it from Macronix's latest earnings. Some headlines said Switch 2 cartridges are "under threat". The reporting so far does not support anything that dramatic, and one big detail is still disputed: whether Macronix makes the chips for Switch 2 cards at all.

Quick summary

What happened: Macronix will make no new ROM products, and Q3 2026 is the last quarter it reports ROM sales as their own line.
Why: ROM fell to 5% of its revenue from 26% a year earlier (a 39% drop), while NOR flash sales rose 158% and NAND 768% on data-centre demand.
Nintendo: Gibson stressed that Nintendo has other suppliers. Nintendo had not commented in the reports we read; its earnings were due on November 5.
Switch 2 or Switch 1? Reports conflict. Nintendo Life changed its headline to drop "Switch 1 and 2" while it checks.
Your cartridges: unaffected. This is about who makes new chips.

What did Macronix actually say?

The Verge, citing the Taipei Times, reports that Macronix told investors on its Q3 2026 earnings call it would gradually phase out ROM and focus on NOR flash for data centres. Chairman and CEO Miin Wu was quoted as saying demand for NOR in data centres is "very robust" and that customers are "chasing us for more capacity". The company also reportedly expects chip price hikes to persist. Twisted Voxel adds that none of its planned NT$37.8 billion in capital spending goes to ROM.

One number differs by outlet: most reports say ROM was 26% of sales a year ago, while Gizmodo wrote 23%. The 5% share this quarter and the 39% year-on-year fall are consistent across sources. Nintendo is not named as a customer in the disclosure; the Nintendo link comes from the analyst and from Macronix's long history making Switch chips.

Does this affect Switch 2 cartridges?

Here sources split. Gibson's wording was that Macronix makes the ROM chips in both Switch and Switch 2 game cards. Genki, reporting the same day (as summarised by Held Games), says Macronix is the main Switch 1 chip maker while ROHM is the main supplier for Switch 2, which would leave Switch 2 cards with a supply path. Nintendo Life stated plainly that there are conflicting reports and that it will update. Until Nintendo or a supplier confirms it, treat Switch 1 as the more exposed system and Switch 2 as unclear.

Is Nintendo dropping physical games?

No evidence says so. The Verge notes Nintendo recently said it has "no plans" to ditch physical games, and that physical titles made up 38.5% of its software sales as of August, a higher share than most publishers see. Nintendo Life adds that digital has made up more than 60% of Nintendo's sales in recent quarters, so the company already leans digital. Compare that with Sony, which has announced plans to stop making physical game discs from January 2028, according to The Verge.

Question	What the reporting supports
Are Switch cartridges being discontinued?	No. One chip supplier is leaving ROM; others exist.
Will existing cartridges stop working?	No. Chips you own are unaffected.
Immediate shortage?	Not reported. It is a phase-out, not a shutdown.
Higher prices?	Possible, but unproven. Macronix expects chip prices to keep rising.
More Game-Key Cards?	Plausible. This is analysis, not a confirmed Nintendo plan.

Why does this matter for gamers?

This is another sign that AI data centres are squeezing everything that uses memory. The Verge points out that Micron shut down its Crucial consumer RAM and SSD brand nearly a year ago for the same reason, and we have covered the knock-on effects in Sam Altman's RAM comment and the RTX 50 price-hike report. A cheap, low-margin ROM chip is exactly what a memory maker drops when capacity is scarce.

Our read, which is analysis and not reporting: the likely pressure point is format, not availability. Nintendo's Game-Key Cards hold only a key and make the console download the game, so they use far less memory than a full card. If cartridge chips get dearer, publishers have more reason to ship those. That is bad for collectors, because a key card holds no game to preserve. For an upcoming Switch 2 release such as the Ocarina of Time remake, check the box or store page to see whether it is a full card.

A Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Card — Image: Nintendo

What should you do now?

Don't panic-buy. Nothing reported suggests cartridges will vanish from shelves soon.
If you want a real cartridge, check whether the edition is a full game card or a Game-Key Card before ordering.
Watch Nintendo's November 5 earnings release and Q&A for any comment on suppliers.
Track new launches and sales on our launch calendar and deals page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nintendo stopping physical Switch games?

No. Macronix, one chip supplier, is leaving ROM manufacturing. Analyst David Gibson noted Nintendo has other partners, and Nintendo has recently said it has no plans to drop physical games.

Does Macronix make Switch 2 cartridge chips?

Reports conflict. Gibson says Macronix makes ROM chips in both Switch and Switch 2 cards, while Genki reports ROHM is the main Switch 2 supplier. Nintendo Life says it is still checking.

Will my existing Switch cartridges stop working?

No. The news is about who makes new ROM chips. Cartridges you already own are not affected.

Why is Macronix leaving the ROM business?

ROM fell to 5% of its revenue from 26% a year earlier. With capacity limited, it is putting money into NOR flash and NAND for AI data centres, where demand and margins are higher.

What is a Game-Key Card?

A cartridge-shaped card that contains a key instead of the game. The console downloads the game, and the card must be inserted to play. It needs far less memory than a full game card.

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