Tokyo
CNN
–
Tokyo’s electronics store apologised after hundreds of Chinese buyers flocked there to get their latest Nvidia gaming chips and brought mayhem to the neighborhood.
The fuss that went viral on Japanese social media and that followed was a physical manifestation of the impact of the US-China tech war on gamers looking for upgrades and resellers to accommodate them.
Last week, up to 400 people appeared in Akihabara, a popular shopping district for purchasing video games, manga and anime. According to electronics chain PC Koubou, the electronics chain.
The fuss caused by buyers blocking pavement and trespassing on nearby properties ultimately forced them to cancel the sale to the outlet. I apologized earlier this week.
“We formally present our deepest apology for the huge uproar that we are burdening our customers, our neighbourhood communities and related parties and are concerned,” PC Koubou said in a statement Monday.
Taizo Hashida, director of Unitcom, the chain’s owning company, told CNN on Wednesday that around 90% of the hopeful buyers are Chinese-speaking customers.
Released on January 30th and enthusiastically sought after by game enthusiasts, the new graphics card promises better processing speed and image rendering capabilities. That means they provide better visuals and a smoother gaming experience.
However, this series is not available in China. This is subject to US export restrictions for advanced computer chips. The measure is part of Washington’s efforts to prevent rivals from accessing advanced technologies that can promote artificial intelligence (AI) systems and weapons development.
Chinese gamers say they’re getting what they call “castrated versions” of Nvidia’s latest release. The company has created a modified version due to the slower AI components dedicated to the Chinese market. Contradictions are increasing demand for current generations in places like Japan.
Gil Luria, head of high-tech research at investment group Da Davidson, said US restrictions apply to modern cards as they can be used to develop AI tools.
“For stubborn gamers, the difference between permitted and restricted chips can make sense, so they may be looking for them in other markets,” he said.
Last Thursday, PC Koubou offered to sell dozens of GeForce series, including 10 of the top RTX 5090 chips and 47 RTX 5080 chips, to those who won the lottery at its Akihara La store . But voter turnout far exceeded their expectations, he said in a statement Monday.
Videos circulating online show a chaotic scene near the store, with hundreds of buyers narrowing down the narrow pavement and spilling onto the road.
Staff called in order, and footage showed at least one man climbed the fence and entered the nearby kindergarten. A sign hanging on the kindergarten fence has been snapped in half, local media reported.
The store has stopped selling and launched a two-day online lottery on Tuesday, with the results to be announced later.
It was not the first time Nvidia has adjusted its game chips in the Chinese market to comply with US export controls.
Last year, Nvidia began selling the RTX 4090D, mainly in China. This reports gaming performance was 5% slower than the international version of the RTX 4090.
The current version of the RTX 5090, sold outside of China, can handle 3,352 trillion operations per second (TOPS). According to the website specifications, the Chinese market RTX 5090D offers just 2,375 tops, offering a strong top of around 29%. Both versions share the same specifications in other areas.
The demand for the sky
The price of the RTX 5090 chip is $1,999 in the US compared to about $2,600 in Japan. The modified cousin RTX 5090D is available for sale in China for around $2,270.
With the high demand in China for the latest generation of cards, Chinese resellers have already purchased chips abroad on Chinese e-commerce platforms for up to $5,700.
Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, or Renote, has many posts asking for tips and offering tips for purchasing chips overseas.
One user said they wanted to buy from Korea. “Please tell me about the risks. Is there anything I should be careful about?” he wrote.
Another user who claimed to be a Thai student said he wanted to make some money to support his research.
“A Thai student hoping to make some money for my tuition,” the person wrote. “If I bring home my RTX 5090, will there be a rich man who will take them?”
CNN contacted Nvidia for comment.
