"We are joining a lawsuit that will challenge the unchecked authority of the executive branch to impose tariffs", says board games publisher Stonemaier Games in a blog post from April 21. The tabletop gaming company, whose catalog includes major titles like Wingspan, Scythe, and Vantage, says it currently faces upcoming payments of nearly $1.5 million thanks to the 145% tariff imposed on goods imported to the US from China.
Stonemaier Games has been one of the most vocal tabletop manufacturers since President Trump's tariffs were first announced. Back when the tariff on China was a meager 54%, the publisher called the potential fallout for the industry "devastating". Stonemaier president Jamey Stegmaier shared lengthy explanations for why mass-producing board games in the US was unviable and how expensive board games could become in future.
Speaking to Wargamer, Stonemaier Games president Jamey Stegmaier has the following statement for the tabletop gaming community: "I stand with you. I'd much rather focus on making games and serving customers, but I have hope that this lawsuit can make a positive difference for everyone in the tabletop gaming community and industry."
Trump's tariff on China officially took effect at 104%, but it has since risen to the 145% Stonemaier Games warns of. "We started print runs of products before the President took office, and now we face an unprecedented $14.50 tariff tax for every $10 we spent on manufacturing with our trusted long-term partner in China", the publisher says in Monday's blog post.
Several tabletop publishers have paused production of their board games until they can assess the full damage of these tariffs, while other companies have gone under completely. Both Final Frontier Games and Greater Than Games have announced staff layoffs and closures in recent weeks.
"We will not stand idly by while our livelihoods–and the livelihoods of thousands of small business owners and contractors in the US, along with the customers whose pursuit of happiness we hold dear–are treated like pawns in a political game", says Stonemaier Games.
"I try to lead with compassion and empathy, so legal action is very low on my list of ways to handle difficult situations", the blog post continues. "But with this new norm of a 145% tariff imposed by the President on all exports from China to the US–including products that have been in the manufacturing process for months–we are compelled to take action."
Stonemaier Games hasn't shared any details of the lawsuit it's joining, but Jamey Stegmaier tells Wargamer that those in charge of the case won't file it until "the end of this week". "At this point, I'll add details to our website".
The publisher has also updated the blog post to say that it now has "as many clients as the case can handle". Stonemaier has also shared a form for any additional publishers who wish to share their experiences and reinforce the case.
Stonemaier has also shared additional actions it plans to take in the wake of these tariffs. Tariffs will apparently not stop the company from shipping its best board games to non-US countries, but a large portion of the stock destined for the US will be stored in warehouses in China "in the hopes that the tariffs will decrease by the time we need that inventory to replenish our supply in the US".
"For now, we're paying warehousing fees in China instead" of the predicted $1.5 million in tarrif fees, Stegmaier tells Wargamer. However "the day will soon come when we will run out of stock in the US and need to start shipping those products".
For now, Stonemaier won't stop shipping to the US entirely. The publisher plans to restock out-of-stock games like Finspan, and it promises to "eat most of the tariff cost", despite it reportedly more than doubling said costs.
Direct-sale copies of the new board game Vantage will also be coming to the US, although "tariffs may have a slight impact on US price". "I've spent too long trying to make this game affordable that I'm not going to let one person with unchecked power get in the way of me serving my customers", Stonemaier says.
If you'd like to discuss board games (or the tariffs threatening the industry), head over to the Wargamer Discord. Or, if you'd like some recommendations to distract you from the impending tariff-based doom, here are our favorite couples' board games.
This story was updated to include further quotes from Jamey Stegmaier on April 22 at 2pm BST.