The global technology sector is reeling this Sunday morning as the full weight of the "RAMnarök" memory crisis finally hits the consumer market. In a devastating blow to PC gamers, Valve's popular Steam Deck OLED stock status has officially shifted to "Out of Stock" across major U.S. retailers and Valve's own storefront as of late Saturday. This inventory wipeout serves as the bleakest indicator yet of the global RAM shortage 2026, a supply chain catastrophe driven by voracious AI sector demand that is now dismantling hardware roadmaps. Industry insiders are also sounding the alarm on software, warning that the component squeeze could force a significant GTA 6 PC port delay, potentially pushing the release into 2028.

Steam Deck Availability Hits Zero as Shortage Deepens

While Valve added a disclaimer about "intermittent" availability earlier this week, the situation escalated rapidly over the weekend. As of February 22, 2026, the Steam Deck availability page for North America shows a complete depletion of both the 512GB and 1TB OLED models. Unlike previous shortages, there is no "backorder" option—only a "notify me" button, signaling that Valve is unsure when it can secure enough LPDDR5 memory to restart production lines.

"This isn't just a shipping delay; it's a manufacturing wall," explains hardware analyst Sarah Jenkins. "The specific memory modules the Deck relies on are being cannibalized to produce high-bandwidth memory for AI data centers. Valve literally cannot buy the chips right now without tripling the device's price." With the LCD model discontinued late last year, the handheld market has effectively ground to a halt.

Valve Steam Machine Delay and Roadmap Chaos

The crisis has forced a dramatic restructuring of Valve's highly anticipated 2026 hardware lineup. Sources close to the company confirmed yesterday that the Valve Steam Machine delay is now indefinite. Originally slated for a Q2 2026 launch to compete with next-gen consoles, the dedicated living-room PC has been victimized by skyrocketing SSD and DDR5 prices.

Internal memos leaked on Friday suggest that Valve is unwilling to release the Steam Machine at a loss or at an inflated price point that would alienate its core audience. "We are revisiting our exacting schedule and pricing," Valve stated in a somber blog post, stopping short of cancelling the project entirely. For now, the PC hardware crisis has effectively frozen Valve's expansion into the console space, leaving gamers with aging hardware and no clear upgrade path.

The 'RAMnarök' Effect on Pricing

The term "RAMnarök" has trended on social media for days, but the financial reality is just setting in. The price of 32GB DDR5 kits has nearly quadrupled since October 2025. This hyper-inflation is making it nearly impossible for manufacturers to price mid-range devices competitively. For Valve, whose strategy relies on selling hardware at razor-thin margins to drive software sales, the current component market is a non-starter.

GTA 6 PC Port Delay: A Nightmare Scenario

Perhaps the most stinging consequence of the shortage concerns the GTA VI PC release date rumors. While Rockstar Games remains committed to the November 2026 console launch, a new industry report published this weekend suggests the PC port faces a grim timeline. With the average cost of a gaming PC capable of running Grand Theft Auto VI now soaring above $2,500 due to memory costs, the install base simply isn't growing fast enough.

"Rockstar needs a healthy PC market to justify the port optimization costs," notes gaming economist Marcus Thorne. "With the global RAM shortage 2026 stalling new PC builds, the addressable audience for a high-spec game like GTA VI is shrinking. We are now looking at a probable GTA 6 PC port delay until 2028, when supply chains are expected to stabilize."

Outlook: No Quick Fix in Sight

As AI infrastructure continues to swallow up 70% of the world's memory wafer supply, traditional gaming hardware is being squeezed out. The Steam Deck OLED stock status is unlikely to change before Q3, and pricing for components is expected to remain volatile. For gamers hoping to upgrade their rigs or grab a new handheld, the message from the supply chain is clear: hold onto what you have, because replacements are becoming a luxury few can afford.