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Panic passes Trump tariff refunds back to the Playdate customers who paid them
Ars Technica • • technology
Key Points:
- Indie game publisher Panic is refunding customers for tariffs imposed on its Playdate handheld, following a Supreme Court ruling that deemed the Trump administration's tariffs illegal.
- Panic had initially passed the 19% import tariffs onto customers due to slim profit margins but has now reimbursed all affected buyers after receiving refunds from the government.
- Panic co-founder Cabel Sasser emphasized the ethical decision to return the tariff money, calling it "just not our money to keep."
- Meanwhile, Nintendo is resisting a class-action lawsuit demanding similar tariff refunds, arguing that customers voluntarily paid for their products and that any government refunds it receives are justified.
- Over 100 companies, including Microsoft and Sony, face related lawsuits over tariff price increases, though some shipping firms have proactively issued refunds to customers.
