If you’ve been into the board gaming hobby for a while, you’ve probably noticed something: games are getting more expensive. Whether it’s that hot new Kickstarter you backed, or your favorite FLGS (Friendly Local Game Store) edging up prices on restocks, the hobby isn’t quite as affordable as it used to be.
The price rises were half expected though. Components have been getting better. Art has been improving. And everything now comes with beautiful little plastic miniatures.
And then came Trump.
And lo, he made tariffs.
Specifically, tariffs on Chinese imports. Now, While tariffs might sound like something out of a dry economics textbook, they’ve flipped the table on the board game industry. Many publishers are posting dire warnings that have us dice rollers and cube pushers a little concerned.
So let’s break down how these tariffs are raising manufacturing costs and what that means for gamers like you and me, so we can see just how bad it really is.
How Tariffs Might Hurt The Board Game Community
Most board games—especially the ones we all love with tons of miniatures, custom dice, glossy boards, and snappy cards—are manufactured in China. The reason is simple: Chinese factories have the tools, skills, and efficiency to crank out high-quality games at prices publishers can actually afford (and that means that we consumers can subsequently afford those games).
But when the U.S. government slaps tariffs (which are basically import taxes) on products coming from China, suddenly those “affordable” games become a lot more expensive to bring into the country.
You see, games are not made instantly. Production time is needed to check artwork, tweak designs, check prototypes, and then get the final print runs done, assemble all the components, load everything in containers, and then ship them across the world.
Tariffs, however, apply from a certain date and they don’t care where you are in your manufacturing cycle.
So you might have a large consignment of games that was finally shipped a few weeks ago, now arriving in port. And there is a big tariff that suddenly needs to be paid. One you didn’t budget for, and one that will increase the retail price of your game to a level that consumers simply won’t buy it.
This is even worse if you already sold those games on Kickstarter 18 months previously and now cannot make the prices or the economics work.
Suddenly, a designer’s dream game on Kickstarter has turned from a profitable side project into a money pit.
“…dire news for the tabletop industry and the broader US economy.”
GAMA
But what does all this mean for the average gamer?
- Games you back on Kickstarter may cost more than before, and you may get asked to put out more money for a project you’ve already paid for.
- Some promising projects might never get launched, or might just get cancelled.
- Retailers may carry fewer titles due to tighter margins. They might see sales slow down, which could be bad for many FLGS that already struggle.
- Higher prices could make it harder for new players to get into the hobby. This is not the cheapest hobby, so even higher prices could mean people spend their money elsewhere.
- Fewer games get made each year. We’ve been very blessed with a thriving games industry, which could very quickly dry up as game publishers take fewer risks with titles and indie publishers just can’t afford to produce the games.
We all want creators to be paid fairly and games to be made ethically, but tariffs don’t help with that. They just make the cost of doing business higher—for everyone involved.
How Tariffs Work (Without Putting You to Sleep)
At its core, a tariff is a tax placed on imported goods. When a board game publisher in the U.S. orders a batch of games printed in China, they now have to pay a hefty fee (currently 104%) just to bring those games into the country.
These tariffs were put in place by Trump as part of a trade war with China. The idea was to punish China for unfair practices and boost U.S. manufacturing. But in practice, the extra cost is passed on to American companies, not Chinese ones. That means board game publishers—many of which are small, creative operations—are the ones footing the bill.
Worse still, it’s hard to predict how long these tariffs will last or if they’ll be expanded. This makes planning future releases a headache for publishers. Do they eat the cost? Do they raise prices? Do they delay launches while figuring it all out? None of those answers are ideal.
What Is The Industry Saying?
The CEO of Steve Jackson Games, Meredith Placko, explained the impact of tariffs in a post and called them a “seismic shift.”
“A product we might have manufactured in China for $3.00 last year could now cost $4.62 before we even ship it across the ocean,” she says. “Add freight, warehousing, fulfillment, and distribution margins, and that once-$25 game quickly becomes a $40 product. That’s not a luxury upcharge; it’s survival math.”
When asked about shifting production to the U.S. Placko was quite clear on their options, stating that the manufacturing infrastructure “doesn’t meaningfully exist here yet.”
While the U.S. does have specialised manufacturers, they tend to specialise in card games. And board games have now become quite complex in their components, making the specialised manufacturing hubs present in China an essential part of the supply chain.
The Game Manufacturing Association called the tariffs a disaster.
“The latest imposition of a 54% tariff on products from China by the administration is dire news for the tabletop industry and the broader US economy,” they said in a news release.
Those tariffs have since increased to 104%.
Liana MacKenzie, owner of Valorous Games, has already begun looking at digital-only content for the short-term. “We’re entirely self-funded through my day job and whatever we can earn through conventions, so not having a physical book is not at all ideal but that may just be where we’re at.”
Jamey Stegmaier of Stonemaier Games (the publishers of the very popular Wingspan) posted a detailed article on the math of tariffs. He explained that the company spent around $10 million in production costs in 2024. That would, under the current 104% tariff, double.
The article works through a number of scenarios where the publisher would eat some of the costs from the tariffs, while others show the full cost being passed along to the consumer.
The result? A $50 game would rise to $60 to $75 depending on how costs were absorbed. That was based on a 54% tariff…
As you can see, the industry is far from happy and is painting a pretty bleak picture of what this will mean for our hobby.
Is There An Upside?
Well, there could be the potential for someone to benefit from all of this. But who would it be?
- U.S. Manufacturers: Some publishers may shift production to American companies to dodge tariffs. This would mean producing simpler games with simpler components, or getting creative with what goes into the box. Given how board gamers have gotten used to fancy bits, this could be a tough sell, but you certainly might see card game versions of your favorite games coming out.
- Alternative Manufacturing Countries: We’re starting to see more publishers exploring production in places like Poland, Vietnam, and India. Over time, this could diversify where games come from—and help the industry avoid over-reliance on one country. But short-term? It’s expensive and complicated.
- Digital and Print-and-Play Games: When physical production becomes a pain, more creators might turn to digital platforms like Tabletop Simulator, BGA, or offer print-and-play versions. For those of us who don’t mind DIY tokens and black-and-white printers, that could be a cool, low-cost alternative.
- Big Publishers: Larger companies with cash reserves may weather this storm better than smaller ones. They have deeper pockets and more flexible operations. But if they come out even stronger while indies struggle, we could see a more homogenized market, with fewer quirky or risky game ideas making it to the table. And that would be a shame.
How Might This End?
So, where does this leave us? Honestly, it’s hard to say. Tariffs have become more than just a political tool—they seem to have become part of a long-term strategy around trade and international diplomacy.
What can we, as gamers, do about it?
- Support indie creators when you can. If a game costs a bit more than you’re used to, understand that there may be real reasons behind that price tag.
- Stay informed about the behind-the-scenes aspects of game publishing. Tariffs aren’t fun, but they are important.
- Advocate for smart trade policies that support small businesses and creative industries—not just the big guys.
- Be patient with delays or price bumps on Kickstarter projects. Many creators are navigating this mess as best they can.
At the end of the day, the board gaming community is resilient. We’ve survived supply chain meltdowns, shipping crises, and even global pandemics. Tariffs are another curveball—but one we can tackle together by supporting each other and staying connected.
Whether you’re a collector with shelves full of cardboard glory or a casual gamer who loves game nights with friends, understanding how tariffs affect our hobby is more important than ever. This isn’t just a manufacturer problem—it’s a gamer problem. Let’s keep rolling together, even when the rules get tough. And let us know in the comments what you think about tariffs and what it means for the industry.