Caught in the Chaos

I’ve resisted writing about this topic, but so many people have asked in the last few weeks if we are "being affected by the tariffs", that it seemed like time to do so.

Yes—yes, we are affected. (You are also affected. This affects everyone.)

But more specifically, the 145% tariff on China is detrimental to the entire board game industry, for several reasons:

1. We can’t “just” produce games locally.

   
   

As several other great posts have already talked about, there is very little toy and game manufacturing outside of China. This isn’t just because labor is cheaper and they can therefore produce goods at a lower price point—it is because they have the machines, the resources, and most importantly, the expertise, to produce these types of products.

When I first started PostCurious, I spent a long time researching production in the U.S. and Europe before finally deciding to work with a Chinese manufacturer. That decision wasn’t made due to price point, but due to the fact that no one else could make our games—they simply contain too many specialized components. Somehow, even The Light in the Mist, which is little more than a deck of cards and a booklet, couldn’t be produced by local manufacturers due to a custom envelope. The capabilities are very basic, and these manufacturers usually only take work they can make in-house. Even if they were willing to outsource components they couldn’t make, however, those components would almost certainly need to come from China, which would mostly defeat the purpose of moving production elsewhere.

Naturally, we also have developed strong relationships with our manufacturers, and this took a significant amount of time. Each game requires multiple rounds of sampling to get all the components right, and occasionally there are mold and custom die fees, which only need to be paid once if you stick with the same place for fabrication. All those would be sunk costs were we to start over somewhere else… if that was even an option.

2. Board game industry margins aren’t what they seem.

   
   

If we were selling exclusively to consumers directly, we could absorb a decent portion of the tariffs we face (and will end up doing so). However, when you sell games to retail and distribution, the margin becomes significantly lower. With a 145% tariff, that margin is completely decimated, especially for products that cost a lot to manufacture, like The Emerald Flame.

As Jamey Stegmaier notes in his blog, "Like many tabletop publishers (import code 9504.90.6000*), 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."

So what does that mean, practically speaking? I could lay out a bunch of math for you, but Jamey already did so very eloquently here. The long and short of it is, in order to make even $1 on a distribution sale with the current tariffs in place, you’d have to raise the MSRP of a $60 product to $75, and an $80 product to $115. Such price hikes hurt the consumer, and aren't always a possibility—at a certain point, people aren’t going to buy a product if they don’t think it’s worth the price. As such, some publishers may be forced to stop selling to distribution entirely and focus on direct-to-consumer sales. For those who already do the majority of their sales through distribution though, this may not be an easy transition.

3. The chaos makes it impossible to plan ahead.

   
   

The 2025 tariffs were activated quickly and have already shifted several times. When the initial 20% was implemented, we already had two shipments from China on the way. Since then, the tariff on Chinese goods increased to 54%, followed by 145%. Of course, all of this can change the next day, week, or month. How are we supposed to plan pricing for games that are launching this summer and won’t ship until 2026? Maybe there will be no tariffs then, or maybe they’ll be at 1000%—it’s anybody’s guess. This uncertainty has already caused more than one publisher to shut down, which is both heartbreaking and scary (though it bears saying, not nearly as scary as some of the other things happening right now).

What does this all mean for PostCurious?

This week I’m spending my already limited time researching and contacting warehouses in Canada, since we simply cannot afford to bring an upcoming shipment into the U.S. under a 145% tariff. We've already paid a fair amount in tariffs, and will continue to lose money (as well as time and energy) to the tariffs. Navigating these additional logistics and accounting issues is no small feat, especially for a two-person team like PostCurious.

That said, finding a storage solution is a manageable problem. Figuring out how to keep a business sustainable, that is the harder one to solve. In the short-term, it might mean not doing reprints of high production value games, like Threads of Fate, and focusing our efforts on making products that can withstand a higher landed cost. We'll also be researching other manufacturing options for our less technically complex games.

In the long term, we will continue to design and make games, because that is the reason PostCurious exists. With the support of our players, we hope to come out the other side of this, and to keep making things that connect people and bring them joy, especially in these dark times.

What can you do to help?

Well, if you can afford it, keep buying games! (Not to encourage consumerism here, but hey, we all want to keep this industry alive, right?) Order directly from the publisher or on crowdfunding if you can. As a backup, shop at indie retailers or your friendly local game stores, and try to avoid big marketplaces when possible. Also, call your congressional representatives and demand they take action against the tariffs. (While you're at it, best demand they take action on some other stuff too.)

To end on a positive note, we want to thank you—our blog readers, our players, our newsletter subscribers, and of course, our Patreon members—for your support! Whether it's buying our games, sharing your PostCurious experiences on social media or Board Game Geek, or just talking us up to your friends, we're so grateful for our loyal fans. You make the struggles worthwhile and keep us motivated to keep doing what we do. Thanks for riding these waves with us!