Trump’s new global tariffs have taken effect as of April 8, and the tariff imposed on China has seen a sudden, staggering increase as tensions between the two nations escalate. The proposed tariff on goods imported from China was 54% as of April 8, but it has now risen to 104%. If you’ve been following your favorite tabletop publishers, you’ll know that this is catastrophic news for anyone who manufactures board games.
We try not to deal in hyperbole too often at Wargamer, and the big, doom–spelling words we’re throwing around here aren’t just clickbait. All week, publishers of the best board games have been sharing woes and warnings. Some have even done the math, predicting that board games are about to cost a lot more to make.
The US had already brought a blanket 10% tariff into effect for all imports coming into the country. The new tariffs taking effect from April 8 are those specifically applied to nations with which the US has a high trade deficit.
Now that the tariff on China has risen from 54% to 104%, it is the highest of all ‘reciprocal’ tariffs imposed by president Trump. It also means that China has made good on its promises to retaliate, imposing an 84% tariff of its own on US imports as of April 9.
China is the world’s largest exporter, and as of 2024, there was a $295 billion difference between the US’ imports from and exports to China. Electronics and toys are two of the US’ main imports from China, so they’re predicted to be some of the worst-affected by the new tariffs.
Naturally, that includes board games, an overwhelming number of which are manufactured in China.
Wingspan publisher Stonemaier Games recently predicted that the 54% tariff on China could add “as much as $5 million in expenses for us this year”. Now that the tariffs have climbed to 104%, the BBC estimates that, for companies having to eat the cost of these tariffs, the effects could now be “five times greater”.
In a Backerkit update post from April 8, Gloomhaven publisher Cephalofair writes that “the impact that 104% tariffs will have on our industry, and our company, are nothing short of devastating and are already having immediate consequences that will be felt knowingly and unknowingly by everyone who enjoys this industry – from the hobbyist, the retail store owner, the publisher, and ultimately our communities”.
“If 54% or 104% tariffs hold and we don’t see reverse steps taken, this will all but eliminate our wholesale business as we know it today leading to some incredibly hard and scary choices to make.”
Cephalofair, like many board game publishers, is in the process of fulfilling multiple crowdfunding campaigns. Fans have pledged their money early toward production of a board game they wish to own, and the publisher is in the process of designing, manufacturing, or shipping a product they have already promised to paying customers.
“Publishers who have already raised funds via crowdfunding did not account for tariffs”, Cephalofair explains. “These were not in place, nor was there any guidance ahead of the last few months as to what tariffs might look like.”
Like Stonemaier Games, Steve Jackson Games, and numerous other creators who have made statements in the past week, Cephalofair predicts that swathes of board game creators will need to delay or cancel crowdfunding projects in the wake of these tariffs. Retail sales are also apparently unviable, with the tariffs forcing greater markups at almost every stage of bringing a board game to a storefront.
Times are so uncertain that no one can guarantee what will happen next – let alone whether a board game you backed will arrive on time for the promised price. Cephalofair, for example, has said it’s currently unable to offer concrete updates. “It is hard to ‘plan a journey’ when the “price of travel” keeps going up monthly, weekly, daily, without warning and without much perceived rationale”, it says.
It’s a bleak time to be recommending board games, but we have a guide to great couples’ board games if you need some momentary distraction. Alternatively, you’re welcome to share thoughts and fears about the reported tariffs in the Wargamer Discord group.
Source: Wargamer
