AMD Draws Backlash From Gamers As CEO Vows It’s “Data Center First”

Published Nov 7, 2026, 7:09 AM EST James Lucas is the Lead Photo Editor at TheGamer and has worked in professional journalism since 2018. A Newcastle University graduate with a degree in Journalism, Media, and Culture, they have written hundreds of guides, news stories, and original reports, with bylines in IGN, NME, GaymingMag, and VG247, sourcing interviews with studio heads, legendary industry figures, prominent actors, and more. You can reach them at James.t@thegamer.com Sam Altman wants all your RAM, Nvidia has demoted gaming to a secondary business, and now, AMD is "data center first." In an interview with Yahoo Finance's executive editor Brian Sozzi (via TechRadar), AMD CEO Lisa Su predicted that PC sales will "decline by a double-digit percentage" in 2027, which is hardly surprising when you look at the global memory shortage and rising costs of RAM and GPUs. But the AI boom causing those rising costs is exactly where AMD's interests lie. Su clearly laid out that AMD is a company that has the resources to expand its supply and "help our customers." Except the customers are no longer everyday consumers like gamers, but data centers. Looking at its last quarter, it's no surprise that AMD has dollar signs in its eyes, as it raked in $8.5 billion from its data center business alone, up 97%—whereas gaming revenue was just $773 million, down 40% year-over-year. "Over the horizon, I see AI and super intelligence becoming more and more essential to every aspect of our lives," Su said. AI may become an everyday part of our lives, but right now, the bubble might finally be bursting. $3 trillion was just wiped from the stock market, with Nvidia falling by 9%, while AMD and Micron both fell roughly 15%. The sell-off comes amid the Democrats' sweeping midterm victories, with companies increasingly concerned about harsher AI regulation as opposition to data center construction was a crucial part of their campaign. Gina Hinojosa, the governor-elect of Texas, is calling for an immediate suspension on all new data centers. Likewise, in Ohio and Georgia, Democrats campaigned on restricting development of new data centers, while Michigan senator-elect Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed has called for an outright pause on AI development. He also urged the creation of a kill switch, as 70% of Americans now say they are more worried than excited by the technology. Gamers aren't the only ones frustrated by companies like AMD and Nvidia shifting focus towards AI and data center construction, as they not only drive up the cost of computing parts and thus PCs and consoles, but energy costs for households and businesses. Data centers have become such a hot topic among voters that 56% of those surveyed said it was a "crucial or major" factor in their vote, while 76% said they would oppose construction of a new data center in their community. Despite AMD's focus on data centers, the company isn't entirely abandoning consumers. Su told Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley, "The good part about it is our supply chain is quite fungible across our PC business and our Data Center business. That actually does afford us the ability to move supply around as we see these signals in the market." With opposition to data centers growing and gaming hardware increasingly expensive, it's little wonder AMD's comments have disappointed its customers. The company is now partaking in the very same 'RAMpocalypse' that is making gaming an unaffordable luxury, all to funnel money into an unpopular industry that appears to be on the brink of collapse.