Nvidia teases RTX 5000 series with Hype Meter, GeForce Greats, and LAN 50 promotions

Something to look forward to: Nvidia has once again teased the RTX 5000-series arrival without mentioning the cards by name or officially confirming anything. The company has launched the GeForce Hype Meter, which offers bigger and better prizes the more that users engage in the GeForce Greats promotion.

Nvidia writes that to mark 25 years since the launch of the GeForce 256, it will be taking a nostalgic journey on its social media channels to celebrate the all-time greats of PC gaming.

Nvidia describes this as a "prize-filled adventure" in which people can unlock the prize pool by joining in gaming debates and using the #GeForceGreats tag in social posts. The responses fuel the GeForce Hype Meter, raising it until all prize levels are unlocked – there appears to be at least one custom PC up for grabs.

To enter the GeForce Greats competition, follow Nvidia's GeForce, GeForce NOW, Studio, and AI PC social channels, and be on the lookout for key prompts and instructions. When prompted, use #GeForceGreats across its posts now through January 6.

You can see the current hype level here.

As for the RTX 5000 series, Nvidia writes that the GeForce Greats promotion is taking place "before we look into the future."

Another nod toward the Blackwell consumer GPUs is the GeForce LAN 50 event that starts at 4:30 p.m. PT on January 4. It lasts 50 hours, ending at the exact time that CEO Jensen Huang is delivering his CES keynote speech – 6:30 p.m. PT on January 6. The repeated appearance of the number 50 is a big hint of what's coming, of course.

Those wanting to take part in the GeForce LAN 50 event can do so online or at one of four physical LAN events in Las Vegas, Berlin, Taipei, and Beijing.

To access GeForce LAN Missions, open the Nvidia app, GeForce Experience, or GeForce NOW and login with your Nvidia account, play any of the GeForce LAN missions for 50 continuous minutes, then claim your reward from whichever program you're using.

Huang hasn't made an appearance at CES since 2019, when he introduced the RTX 2060. Nvidia SVP Jeff Fisher has taken over the presenting duties at the event since then, unveiling the likes of the RTX 3060, RTX 4070 Ti, and, most recently, the RTX 4000 Super series. The fact Huang is returning is a clear indication that Nvidia has something big in store.

Nvidia might be trying to raise the hype around the RTX 5000 series, and it sounds like the first cards out of the gate will be incredibly powerful, but many are concerned about the company not learning from the Lovelace mistakes and pricing the GPUs ridiculously high. With AMD admitting it won't be competing with its rival's next-gen flagship products and most of Nvidia's money coming from AI products, Team Green might push the RTX 5090 and 5080 prices through the roof.

A few hours ago, the Witcher 4 trailer debuted at The Game Awards. It was rendered using an unannounced Nvidia GPU, rumored to be an RTX 5090.