Retailers are now using lottery systems to sell the highly anticipated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards due to expected shortages. For example, the Japanese store Nagoya Osu, as reported by wccftech, is already giving out lottery tickets for the first batch of these GPUs. However, winning the lottery only grants you the “right to purchase” the card, and you’ll still need to pay the full price after winning.
This might be the first time such a severe shortage of a new generation of GPUs is predicted right from launch day. Earlier reports, including official statements from NVIDIA, have hinted at limited availability, meaning most users won’t be able to buy the cards at all, let alone at the recommended retail price.
The Nagoya Osu store shared an infographic outlining the purchase process:
- The store will reveal the available stock after 11:00 PM on January 30.
- Sales will begin at 11:00 AM on January 31.
- Customers who line up by 10:20 AM will receive lottery tickets.
- Winners can then choose one card of their preference.
Meanwhile, some eager buyers aren’t waiting for lotteries and are already camping outside stores to secure their spot.
While some speculate that NVIDIA might be creating an artificial shortage, the result is the same: prices are already skyrocketing in some regions. Whether intentional or not, the demand for these next-gen GPUs is through the roof!
