Those who have tried to get hold of any new gaming hardware, such as a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, or have been looking to upgrade their PCs with modern equipment, will know the struggle of procuring consoles or general tech. It seems as though this shortage does not seem to be ending, with Nvidia and AMD prices rising in places like Europe, recently. Nobody really knows exactly when the market will start to look good again, but it seems as though Intel is certain that consumers will need to twiddle their collective thumbs for a good while still.
According to a recent report, which cites an interview with Nikkei Asia, CEO of Intel, Pat Gelsinger, does not expect the situation to get any better until 2023, saying that demand for products is continuing to rise in the midst of the ongoing global pandemic. With the latest Omicron variant now affecting many countries, it seems as though there will be problems for a while longer as more people become isolated and supplies become increasingly difficult to get hold of.
This echos what Gelsinger said not long ago about the semiconductor shortage, only this time, the increase in COVID-19 cases due to the new outbreak could possibly be what will perpetuate the tech deficit. In both cases, Intel believes the shortage won't ease before 2023, which, if true, means those who are in the market for a new GPU, or games console, are likely going to have to put their plans on hold in the meantime. This news is probably not good for the tech companies pushing their latest products, as well as consumers unable to get hold of any of it.
Intel is currently preparing to launch its Arc GPUs into an uncertain market. There's no telling what availability will be like once "Alchemist" hits the shelves in Q2 of next year, but from what Gelsinger has been saying, there's a chance that the supply simply won't be able to meet the increasing demand, particularly during the rising pandemic.
Earlier this year, many developers had their games delayed due to COVID, and while things were on the up and up not that long ago, the new variant is putting people back into isolation and forcing governments to initiate new restrictions. It's difficult to know how company's like Intel will be able to get new products into the hands of consumers from 2022 onwards, but it seems as though many are going to be left without for another year, perhaps.
Source: PC Gamer, Nikkei Asia
