One of the biggest board game developers just shut down development on new projects and let staff go in response to tariffs

Zombicide dashboard showing character card with abilities marked by pegs
(Image credit: Future)

Major board game publisher CMON has announced that it will be temporarily ceasing game development and crowdfunding campaigns wit꧅h immediate effect due to the US-China tariff situation.

CMON (which is known for some of the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:best board games, like 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Zombicide) revealed earlier today that it would focus on existing commitments to customers and partners rather than develop new projects "until trade conditions have stabilized." The board game company says that it has also let an undisclosed number of staff members go. More specifically, the situation "involves extremely difficu♊lt staffing decisions, affecting all of our creative teams w💫ith reductions."

, CMON states that "it is our responsibility to take these difficult measures to ensure that we can keep current projects on track and deliver them in a timely manner. We will of course resume new development as soon as possible."

The decision follows a bruising few months for the publisher. Earlier this year, CMON announced that "rising cost of living" has 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:contribuꦿted to an estimated $2m loss. It then 澳洲幸运5开奖ꦉ号码历史查询:failed to publish its annual returns on time due to understaffing.

What this means for you

Gloomhaven figures, components, board pieces, booklet, and box on a wooden table

(Image credit: Benjamin Abbott)

Wondering how this impacts you? You can find out more in our guide about what the skyrocketing China-U🍰S tariffs mean for you, the board g💫ame fans.

This is the latest in a long line of blows to the tabletop lan🥃dscape thanks to increasingly high trade tariffs between the US and China, with much of 🤪the turmoil hinging on new, prohibitively high expenses. Because the majority of board game publishers produce their products in China due to low cost and the manufacturing expertise present there, such enormous hikes on trade between the two countries will make it impossible for studios to operate effectively – if at all. The current increase of 145% would cripple many, and transferring manufacturing to the United States is equally difficult. That's because the necessary infrastructure doesn't exist Stateside at the time of writing.

A number of industry giants like Stonemaier and Cephalofair (those behind Wingspan and 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Gloomhaven, respectively) have already 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:spoken out about the crisis, with Cephalofair chief operating officer Price Johnson telling GamesRadar+ that "the board game industry cannot absorb a 54% increase, let alone a [then] 104% increase." The president of Arcane Wonders had a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:similarly dire warning earlier this year, and the situation led to the publ�🎃�isher behind beloved board game Spirit Island shutting.

There may be hope, however; President Trum💝p has recently stated (as reported by the ) that the tariffs may "come down substantially, but it won't be zero." We can only hope that these changes are implemented before any more damage is done.


If you want to take your mind off the situation, you can check out the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:best 2-player board games or the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:best cooperative board games here.

Benjamin Abbott
Tabletop & Merch Editor

I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and now manage GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage. You'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game re🌄views to the latest Lego news.

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