NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5090 Launch Sparks Chaos: Japan’s Turbulent Debut and Global Inventory Plummets to Single Digits

Let me tell you, the launch of NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5090 has turned into quite the spectacle, kicking off with a frenzy that’s left potential buyers scrambling for what little stock there is.

High Demand Meets Low Supply: NVIDIA’s RTX Blackwell GPU’s Rocky Launch

From the get-go, we cautioned enthusiasts that the RTX Blackwell GPUs would enter the market with scarce supplies. NVIDIA put the word out before rolling out the first batch, but it seems anticipation reached fever pitch. This has led to a flurry of “inventory chaos” at various retailers, with Japan witnessing some quite surprising scenes. According to @sarasteam0151’s reports, things got a little out of hand. Eager Japanese consumers looking to snag NVIDIA’s RTX 5090 reportedly went “rogue,” causing quite a stir at the launch.

パソコン工房パーツ館でRTX5090の抽選の呼びかけが始まりましたが、現場は大混乱しております。怒号が飛び交い、あろうことか隣の幼稚園の柵に登る人まで出る始末。#RTX5090 pic.twitter.com/BIPOLdXays

— 立山登 (@sarasteam0151) January 30, 2025

To keep things fair and fend off scalpers, Japanese retailers opted for a lottery system when it came to early sales of the RTX 5090. Yet, this approach seems to have backfired slightly, as chaos reportedly erupted among eager customers, some of whom resorted to scaling a nearby kindergarten fence to vent their frustrations.

Only 4 RTX 5090s! Team member Chris is at a Brooklin Micro Center on the quest for a RTX 5090 pic.twitter.com/fIgk0qexxN

— PC Builder (@PCBuilderJason) January 30, 2025

This frenzy isn’t confined to Japan either; over in the US, the situation is similarly dire. Reports indicate that major retailers like MicroCenter received NVIDIA RTX 5090 units in staggeringly low “single-digit” numbers. Eager buyers even camped out at stores days before the launch, making it next to impossible for the average consumer to get their hands on the new GPU at launch. It’s a tough break for fans hoping to upgrade to an RTX Blackwell on day one, but that’s the current landscape.

For those puzzled by the limited availability, NVIDIA’s switch to GDDR7 memory stands out as a main factor. Plus, AIB partners aren’t keen on absorbing thin margins with the RTX 50 series, leading them to price stock above MSRP right out of the gate. It’s a complex launch, no doubt. Our suggestion? Hold tight. Wait it out for inventory levels to stabilize, which could take a few weeks. And who knows, by then, AMD’s RX 9070 series might also be arriving on the scene.