NVIDIA's high-end RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards recently hit shelves worldwide on January 30th, and as expected, the potent hardware coupled with limited stock sparked a buying frenzy. Gamers lined up overnight in regions like the US and Taiwan, with scalpers already listing cards for several times their original price of around NT$60,000.
Japan was no exception. Akihabara computer store "PC Kobo Akihabara Parts Museum" hosted an on-site lottery sale for the "RTX 5090", drawing a massive influx of buyers and plunging the scene into utter chaos. Crowds swarmed the store entrance, with some even trespassing into a nearby kindergarten. In response, the store's parent company has apologized to the local ward office and the kindergarten, offering to compensate for a damaged sign. The incident has since become a hot topic online.
According to netizens on the scene, PC Kobo had announced that queues would form on the day of the sale, but then reportedly prioritized those who had arrived early. Those who played by the rules and showed up at the designated 3 PM queue time couldn't even get a lottery ticket. The scene was filled with a cacophony of foreign languages, with some even running into the adjacent kindergarten, attempting to cut the line.
Honestly, this sales method was a complete disaster.
Chiyoda Ward Mayor Takaaki Higuchi reported the details of the incident to kindergarten parents and the ward council on his personal X account:
"That afternoon, many people hoping to participate in the lottery gathered at the entrance. A portion of them even climbed the kindergarten's fence, subsequently finding themselves unable to get down. Some also damaged a sign within the premises. Those who climbed the fence later entered the kindergarten. However, following the protocol for preventing external intrusions, kindergarten staff immediately intervened, guided them to the exit, and promptly escorted them off the premises. Regarding the damaged sign, the involved business has already apologized to the kindergarten and expressed willingness to compensate."
As the RTX 5090 was a highly anticipated new product, the lottery event that day attracted a massive number of buyers, with netizens noting a significant number of individuals suspected to be Chinese nationals vying for a spot in line. The situation quickly spiraled out of control. At the time, X was flooded with posts like "The scene is total chaos," "The kindergarten sign was damaged, and even the police showed up," and similar reports.
Due to the chaotic scene, PC Kobo was forced to cancel the on-site lottery and instead opted for an online lottery sale the following day. The store expressed deep apologies for the inconvenience caused to local residents and consumers. Meanwhile, other retailers like Sofmap and Dospara also switched to online sales to prevent similar incidents.
Nevertheless, this incident clearly highlights the insane demand for NVIDIA's brand-new RTX 5090 graphics card. With foreigners reportedly traveling to various locations to snatch them up, Japan was no exception to this frenzied buying spree.
via： togetter