Tent Сities and Riots Have Become the Defining Image of the RTX 50 Launch

The release of NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5000 series has devolved into a worldwide crisis, leaving retailers and consumers scrambling. In Japan, attempts to fairly distribute scarce GPU stock triggered violent unrest. Tokyo’s PC Koubou store, which organized a lottery system for purchasing RTX 5090 graphics cards, faced a frenzied mob. Witnesses reported damaged fencing at a neighboring kindergarten and aggressive clashes among crowds. “People were climbing over barriers, screaming—it felt like a natural disaster,” one attendee described.

Other countries’ efforts to avoid similar chaos also failed. In the U.S., retailer Micro Center received just 233 RTX 5090 units nationwide, leading to tent cities forming outside stores. Meanwhile, Swedish retailer Inet warned customers of “symbolic shipments,” admitting guaranteed stock was nonexistent.

Analysts blame the crisis on two factors: GDDR7 module shortages and NVIDIA’s low profit margins for partners, forcing inflated resale prices. Critics accuse NVIDIA of rushing the launch despite inadequate inventory. “They knew the demand but ignored logistics. Now their reputation is paying the price,” said a tech expert.

On social media, buyers vent frustration, accusing NVIDIA of enabling scalpers who use bots to hoard cards and resell them for $6,000. NVIDIA has yet to address the backlash, leaving customers wondering when restocks will arrive. For now, securing an RTX 5090 means gambling on risky lotteries or paying triple to resellers—a bitter pill for gamers and creators alike.