The Nex Playground, a kid-focused motion-control console that exploded in recognition final 12 months, is the newest little bit of online game tech to announce a worth improve immediately linked to the continued RAM scarcity attributable to AI hyperscalers dashing to construct information facilities.
On March 25, in an open letter posted on-line, Nex CEO and co-founder David Lee introduced that beginning subsequent month, the corporate’s flagship console, the Nex Playground, will obtain a $50 worth improve, bumping the worth from $250 to $300. That is the second worth improve in lower than two years.
“We all know this isn’t welcome information, and this isn’t a change we take calmly,” stated Lee in his publish on the official Nex web site. He additionally immediately laid the blame for the worth improve on the RAM disaster affecting tech merchandise around the globe.
“Over the previous six months, the price of key elements — particularly reminiscence (DDR) and storage (eMMC) — has risen considerably throughout the trade,” stated Lee. “These will increase are pushed partly by the speedy growth of AI infrastructure, which is reshaping international provide and demand for these components. You will have seen studies in regards to the broader reminiscence scarcity. Like many client electronics corporations, we’ve labored exhausting to soak up these value will increase for so long as potential. Nonetheless, at present ranges, it’s now not one thing we are able to sustainably keep on our personal.”
The Playground’s worth improve will kick in on April 1. The corporate isn’t elevating the worth on its Recreation Go-like subscription service. Lee says the corporate is “really sorry” that this worth bump would possibly make the console “much less accessible for some households.”
What’s the NEX Playground, and why is it getting a worth improve?
The Nex Playground options no bodily controls. As an alternative, like with an Xbox Kinect, gamers work together with video games and menus utilizing their our bodies. The console launched in 2023 and value $200. Gross sales had been gradual at first, however in the course of the vacation purchasing season in 2024, the system went viral because of TikTok and on-line creators. This led to it promoting out and a worth improve in 2025 to $250. Final 12 months, the Nex Playground outsold the PS5 and Xbox throughout a brief time period. Nex says it has bought round 1 million models of the system since launch.
The continuing RAM disaster has made it more durable and more durable for corporations to safe the components wanted to construct sport consoles, computer systems, and different tech units. One PC components maker referred to as 2026 the “most difficult 12 months” in its historical past because of the scarcity.
That is all largely because of AI hyperscalers and tech giants gobbling up PC components to construct datacenters. It’s develop into fairly dear and difficult to your common individual to purchase PC RAM, graphics playing cards, and even an SSD for a console. Even the costs on prebuilt PCs from corporations like HP, Dell, and Asus will improve by 15 to twenty %, based on PC World.
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