Tariffs Could Delay Next Gloomhaven Games (And Raise Tabletop Prices)

Since President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on imported goods shipped to the U.S. from around the world, many companies and consumers have had to evaluate how the tax could impact them. And gamers are not immune, as the tariffs are general and impact almost anything shipped into the U.S. So far, we’ve seen delays on the Nintendo Switch 2 preorders for the States, as well as changes to how trading card grading works for companies like PSA. Now, the COO of Cephalofair, creator of popular tabletop games like Gloomhaven and Frosthaven, weighs in on what’s happening in the tabletop gaming space.

Though one of the stated goals of imposing tariffs is bringing manufacturing to the U.S., the reality is that many products currently aren’t produced in the States. That means tabletop gaming companies like Cephalofair work with manufacturers in countries like China to get many of the items needed to create their products. Many of those same countries that companies rely on to create games like Gloomhaven are also the ones getting some of the highest tariffs. This includes China, which currently has a 104% levy from the U.S.

As Price Johnson, COO of Cephalofair Games, explains, this effectively means that the cost of producing their games has increased by 104% as well. Board games are expensive to produce due to the number of custom pieces and printed products included, and that makes profit margins fairly narrow in the best of times. That, in part, is why so many board games get started with crowdfunding campaigns like Kickstarter or Backerkit, where Johnson shared this update about the future of Gloomhaven Grand Festival.

This latest Gloomhaven campaign celebrates several of the previous Gloomhaven games, and backer rewards include copies of the Gloomhaven RPG, Gloomhaven Second Edition, Frosthaven, and more. Normally, backers can expect updates about ongoing production and when to expect the next wave of new Gloomhaven board games and minis. However, due to the potential impact of the tariffs, Johnson instead took this week’s post to explain how the increased cost of producing tabletop games due to the tariffs could impact Gloomhaven and the broader TTRPG industry.

How Tariffs Could Affect Tabletop Games and Gamers

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As Johnson points out, the tabletop gaming industry doesn’t have access to U.S.-based manufacturing for many of its products. That means that many games have relied on facilities in China, which is about to get much more expensive if the tariffs remain as they currently stand. Much like Nintendo is thinking through Switch 2 sales in the U.S., Cephalofair is also taking time to consider what the rising cost of creating their games could mean for the future of Gloomhaven products. Currently, three projects are in progress, and while the company wants to deliver on their promises to backers, Johnson notes that their “next steps are uncertain and being forced to change daily.”

Like Gloomhaven, many other tabletop games are likely to be impacted here in the U.S. if tariffs remain in place at their current rates. This could be devastating to the industry as a whole, as many smaller producers may not be able to shoulder the increased price to manufacture their products. That means that board game fans may soon find it harder to get ahold of their favorite games and may see fewer new ones released. Those we do have access to will quite likely increase in price.

The tariff situation is constantly evolving, making it difficult to fully predict where things will land or how they will impact businesses and consumers in the U.S. However, it’s clear that companies like Caphalofair are concerned about what this increased cost of importing products could mean for the future of tabletop games.