tabletop gaming is going to be one of the first industries to just get nukes as a result of these idiotic tariffs
Reposted from
Christopher Bird
Steve Jackson Games posted this to their blog and the post is getting so many hits their site is effectively crashed but the point is worth repeating
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Now that I think about it, I have a few packages of custom bits and stuff on their way from Europe right now, god knows what'll happen to those.
Take away all the nerds hobbies, see what happens.
You could need a good-sized room with good ventilation, and may need to invest in personal protective equipment for handling washes or uncured resin.
*: I assume most people reading this know but there is a fascinating and very influential story behind this, which lead to the creation of the EFF and more.
I imagine it is because everyone down line wants (needs) to maintain the same profit margins: $1.xx in sales on every $1 spent on inventory. Both numbers increased by about 35%.
The way I know it is, if it costs the publisher an extra 1.60 that's 3.20 distribution, 4.80 wholesale, retailer sells for 7-9.5 more.
"Standard" board game wisdom is MSRP is 5x "landed "cost": the total of manufacturing and shipping.
But this is referencing a 1.62 "ex-factory" (pre-shipping) increase.
Who do you think makes all the vape cartridges.
Another local business fucked.
But what he said is true. Even if my bosses wanted to manufacture here again, the Infrastructure doesn't exist and it would take years before it does.
If you want to make game pieces, the solution is plastic injection.
Which is fairly heavy as far as industries go.
But by using aluminium molds, you can probably manage to make an independant, fairly small company that runs well.
But that's a potential project. community-run injection moulding factory.
But alloy molds have made great strides for short-run productions, so if you have a machine shop with a CNC machine and alloy ingots not too far, you can basically make a small independant shop.
It's gonna cost more than China, but it's possible to scale up.
But it occurs to me that Trump would never be so disrespectful if Steve Jackson Games had an ICBM pointed at the White House at all times.
whole industry's gonna go up in smoke. 25% if global sales in the US, much, much less than that as share of manufacturing.
perhaps a resurgence of “wanted” postings too
"fixer's got a run for you, gotta get into the Steve Jackson Arcology"
They have no idea. Just none.
It suddenly all makes sense now
If the US can specialise in making web apps while China specialises in board games you both get richer.
Trade creates wealth, which can then be put to useful ends. Some trade is bad and exploitative and needs to be regulated, but that is hardly the case here.
Sinking a half-century company that provides fun for people is just, not to be all religious about it, evil.
The fact I'm likely going to have to find a new hobby just feels like a bizarre, petty shot at me personally.
Mid-size ones that outsource to China or the big box of plastic minis boardgame are ones most at risk.
This is probably going to be enough to re-sink Battletech though, if Catalyst can't eat that tarrif
You need a good-sized room with good ventilation, and may need to invest in personal protective equipment for handling washes or uncured resin.
It's just weird that the folks at the top of these logistics chains don't grasp that this exposes the innards and undoes the magic.
😞 hurts my fuckin heart almost as bad as the autism cure episode y’all did about autism and false cures.
I’m autistic so it hit especially hard.
Worry about the small independent companies, and companies like Piazo with thin margins. Those are the folks who will be struggling.
How many small businesses are going to be absolutely crushed by this? One just delivered his first KS and is probably now going yo have to bow our of the industry entirely
While it appears books aren't overed, I just can't risk the fact they might charge them anywat, or the possiblity that will change the system so they are covered.
I work manufacturing scissors. Recently we've tried to make knives. Seems like it would be easy, no. Processes is so important to make something cost efficient.
In my early twenties I was dead ass broke surviving whiskey winters (cheaper to drink than heat. We would make games out of charge, washers, rubber bands, pegs, or what we could find.
One of the best games we invented was a board that we drilled holes in and used toothpicks and rubber bands to claim space on a board. It was like an analogue 4k game.
Good stuff, otherwise we’d be playing cards or dice for beer runs.