For the playtest of a new shooter, you need RAM worth several hundred euros

The alpha playtest of the new third-person shooter Cinder City will launch soon via Steam. However, there’s a catch: To play, you need RAM worth several hundred euros.

What does the playtest require? The alpha playtest for Cinder City will run from August 14 to August 16, 2026, via Steam. Currently, you can still register for it – the information can be found in an official blog post on Steam. However, many players will not be able to participate because their PCs are too weak:

Initially, the developers stated that the minimum requirement for the playtest was 64 gigabytes of RAM. This has since been corrected to 32 gigabytes. However, even that exceeds the specifications of most PCs currently owned by Steam users.

According to the latest data from the Steam survey on hardware parts of users, most gaming PCs currently only have 16 gigabytes of RAM. Upgrading to the required 32 gigabytes, however, is costly: Due to the ongoing RAM shortage, prices remain high. An upgrade can easily cost a few hundred euros.

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Cinder City – Trailer for the MMO shooter in a sci-fi setting

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Cheap RAM is available, but good RAM costs several hundred euros

What is the current state of RAM prices? After RAM prices soared to new heights in recent months, the market has unfortunately not yet recovered.

If you want to upgrade to the required 32 gigabytes for the playtest with two 16 gigabyte sticks, you still pay at least 59.99 euros per stick, according to Geizhals.de. The RAM kit recommended by GameStar Tech, the Acer Predator Hera 32GB DDR5-64000 CL32, costs a whole 460 euros.

The high prices for RAM are a result of the current AI boom. Memory manufacturers are currently prioritizing the sale of their products to AI data centers. This leaves less stock available for the general PC and console market, which is then sold at higher prices.