The United States government announced on May 12 that it will temporarily suspend its 145% tariffs on Chinese imports. A 90-day agreement between the US and Chinese governments will lower the US tariffs on China to 30%, while China will impose a 10% tariff on American imports. For board game publishers, who have seen catastrophic consequences based on the ongoing trade war, this will be a welcome, though brief, bit of relief.
This announcement comes after two days of negotiations in Switzerland. The temporary ceasefire, which lasts until August 10, will reportedly give both nations further time to agree on a more definite trade deal.
Unfortunately for many companies that manufacture board games, the damage of Trump's 'reciprocal' tariffs has already been dealt. Tabletop giant CMON cited tariffs as the primary reason for pausing all production on future board games, while publishers like Final Frontier Games and Greater Than Games have announced layoffs and closures since the tariff hike.
Meanwhile, many companies behind the best board games have delayed current crowdfunding projects until they get more clarity on how much shipping their product will actually cost. One publisher, Stonemaier Games, is even suing the president in an attempt to combat the punishing price rises inflicted by the tariffs. Founder Jamey Stegmaier previously predicted that the company would incur an extra $5 million in expenses - and that's when the tariffs were only at 104%.
News outlets like The Telegraph have reported that the stock market immediately showed signs of recovery after the pause on tariffs was announced. However, nothing is yet set in stone. The 90-day break offers a glimmer of hope for tabletop publishers, but the US has changed its mind on tariffs so often in recent weeks that it may be too early to celebrate.
If you'd like to share your experiences with tariffs in the tabletop world, join the conversation in our Wargamer Discord. Or, if you're looking for recommendations, here are the best card games and couples' board games.