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what tariffs taught a game maker
Boing Boing • • technology
Key Points:
- WS Game Company's CEO Jonathan Silva attempted to manufacture a special edition Monopoly game in the U.S. after facing a seven-figure tariff on imports from China.
- Silva struggled to find a U.S. manufacturer for 10,000 dice due to the need for specialized machinery and investment, ultimately importing the dice from China.
- Other components were sourced domestically, including board printing in Massachusetts and metal tokens from Indiana, but assembly delays caused Silva to miss half the selling season.
- The U.S.-made games cost at least twice as much as those made in China, retailing at $80, highlighting the cost challenges of domestic production.
- Despite efforts to produce locally, about 80% of toys and games sold in the U.S. are still made in China, and Silva is awaiting a $6 million shipment of games from China for the holiday season.
