The First Gaming Price Increase of 2026 Is Here

Asus is gearing up for price increases just before CES 2026. The company, known for its diverse lineup of PC gaming gear, including the $1,000 ROG Xbox Ally X, has informed partners about “strategic price adjustments” set to take effect on January 5.

While specific products and the extent of the price hikes remain undisclosed, Asus attributed the rising costs to the ongoing AI arms race. In a letter dated December 30, executive Liao Yi-Xiang noted that these adjustments are a response to changes in capacity allocation from suppliers, increased investment costs for advanced manufacturing, and supply gaps driven by surging AI compute demand.

The company highlighted shortages in DRAM, NAND, and SSD components as contributing factors. This announcement comes just days before the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where Asus and other hardware makers are expected to showcase new tech and hardware updates.

Asus’ warning marks the first clear indication that 2026 may see a continued rise in gaming costs as major tech companies shift focus to meet the growing demands for generative AI compute power. Rumors circulated at the end of 2025 suggested that AMD and others might face shortages, with some insiders claiming that Microsoft’s Xbox could be particularly affected due to inventory management issues.

Reports indicate that the situation has escalated to the point where hardware manufacturers are contemplating delays for next-gen hardware launches, including the PlayStation 6 and new Xbox. Discussions are underway about potentially pushing back the release window from 2027-2028, hoping that RAM manufacturers can ramp up production to lower prices.

Additionally, recent reports suggest that Nvidia and AMD are considering significant GPU price hikes in 2026. One striking claim suggested that the $2,000 RTX 5090 could soar to $5,000 by year’s end. Even smaller increases of a few hundred dollars could exacerbate the current affordability crisis in PC gaming.

Regardless of the immediate effects on gaming component pricing, the AI race has transformed companies like Microsoft and Nvidia, making their non-AI ventures seem minor in comparison. Unless there’s a drastic downturn in the generative AI market, it’s unlikely that this trend will change anytime soon.