Effects of tariffs on game sales (e.g. US/Canada shipments) (No Politics!)

[occam]

(Trying to avoid making this a political discussion...)

I'm curious about the likely commercial effects on TTRPG sales from recently announced tariffs. As a timely example, consider the impending release of the revised 5e Monster Manual; WotC's books for Canadian customers are printed in the US, right? (Given that it's an English-language product, I imagine that the situation with Canada is the most pressing at the moment.) Do we have Canadian retailers on the boards that can speak to the anticipated impacts?

• Should Canadian customers expect an immediate price increase on the Monster Manual (and other US-printed/shipped products)?
• Or since the physical products have likely already arrived in Canadian distribution warehouses, would a price increase take time to roll out?
• Or does no one have a clear idea about the precise mechanics of this yet?

I appreciate any insights.

 

[Morrus]

The tricky bit will be for folks with a crowdfunder which funded before the tariffs came in.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I am still trying to figure out how this will impact things for us. I have a book coming out and not sure if it will impact our release date

 

[SAVeira]

A good number of books are in fact printed in Canada by Quebecor. They have printing press in US but my understanding is the one in Quebec are much larger and busier. In fact, there is a lot of time that books are printed in Canada, then shipped to US, only to be shipped back to Canada again.

This is going to be a nightmare for publishers to figure out. Beyond just the tariffs effecting the finished book, everything going into the book such paper and ink will be going up too.

 

[Scribe]

Do we know if its a blanket tariff yet?

 

[Count_Zero]

Do we know if its a blanket tariff yet?

It's a blanket 25% tariff on everything except oil and gas, which has a 10% tariff.

 

[SAVeira]

Do we know if its a blanket tariff yet?

The US tariffs appear to be 25% on everything but energy, that will be 10% only. Canada's tariffs are targeted.

 

[Scribe]

hmm

Well....

 

[SAVeira]

Just when through the list of products that Canada will be putting tariffs on. Can see anything about books but games are a category. The list is extremely long, so I might have missed something: List of products from the United States subject to 25 per cent tariffs effective February 4, 2025 - Canada.ca

 

[occam]

Just when through the list of products that Canada will be putting tariffs on. Can see anything about books but games are a category. The list is extremely long, so I might have missed something: List of products from the United States subject to 25 per cent tariffs effective February 4, 2025 - Canada.ca

If I'm interpreting that correctly, it seems like tabletop games (aside from playing cards) aren't on the list yet?