Stonemaier Games, the publisher of tabletop games likeWingspanandScythe, has announced plans to join a lawsuit suing the Trump administration over tariffs imposed on goods imported from China. One of the many industries impacted bythe growing trade warbetween the United States and China is the board game industry.
Most publishers utilize Chinese manufacturing to produce their games, which hasled to the industry getting hit with onerous tariffs that more than double their manufacturing costs. Many publishers utilize crowdfunding as a way to solicit pre-orders, meaning they can’t pass along the tariff costs to buyers like in many other countries.
The maker of the popular bird-based gameWingspanis suing the Trump administration over the tariffs.Stonemaier Gamesannounced its plans on its website on Monday,pointing to the 145% tariff on its games manufactured in China.“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,” the statement read.
How Tariffs Impact Board Game Publishers
Stonemaier Games Faces A $1.5 Million Tariff Price Tag On Goods
Stonemaier Games explained that the tariffs have targeted goods that were already paid for before theUS/China trade war began. If these board games were to ship over to the United States, the company (which employs eight people)would be subject to a tariff payment of $1.5 million just for this shipment alone.While Stonemaier Games could always increase its prices (as these games are unconnected to crowdfunding campaigns), it would be a massive price increase on already published games.
While there are hopes that US will decrease tariffs in the near future, Stonemaier has taken some short-term steps to stay afloat.The company will continue to ship its games to other countrieswhile also eating the tariff costs to ship the out-of-stockFinspan(a fish-based variant ofWingspan). The company’s new gameVantageto the US. Stonemaier Games will offer direct sales customers ofVantagethe option of covering tariff costs at checkout. The company is also holding the bulk of its US-bound goods in a Chinese warehouse in the hopes that tariffs will decrease soon.
Our Take: A Necessary Pushback On Tariffs
The Board Game Industry Is In Trouble And Stonemaier Games Is Fighting Back
The board game industry is already feeling the burn because of recent tariffs. Many publishershave announced delayson their games, while others have announced plans to shutter parts of their business until the tariffs lessen. Stonemaier, which is one of the larger independent publishers in the board game industry,has opted for a more forceful approach.Thanks to the popularity ofWingspan, the company has a financial buffer that few others have, and I’m glad to see that they’re being proactive in the hopes of forcing action.
