Wizards of the Coast Says That China Tariffs Will Have Minimal Impact on D&D

Official Dungeons & Dragons products should largely be unaffected by the ongoing US/China trade war. During today's Hasbro earnings call, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said that the only Wizards of the Coast products manufactured and shipped from China are the D&D boxed sets. While this means that the upcoming Heroes of the Borderland Starter Set could have a higher price than usual (Wizards has made no price announcement as of yet), it does confirm that Dungeons & Dragons will largely be unimpacted by the ongoing trade war between the US and China.

Due to the large print runs, Wizards usually taps domestic or continental printers for its various D&D products. English language D&D books (at least the ones on my shelf) all have "Printed in the USA" in the credits page.

The wider board game publishing industry has been hit hard by the ongoing US/China tariff war, with products manufactured in China receiving a 145% tariff upon entry into the United States. Several publishers with RPG products, including CMON, have announced layoffs and changes to manufacturing plans as a result of the tariffs.

 

[Zaukrie]

I mean, they've licensed minis and fancy versions (B&G). Where are those printed/manufactured?

 

[Sacrosanct]

I mean, they've licensed minis and fancy versions (B&G). Where are those printed/manufactured?

If they've licensed them to other companies, I don't think they can speak for the impact to those companies. They can only speak to what they create and distribute themselves.

 

[Dire Bare]

Good, but . . .

The tariff situation in the US is volatile and constantly changing. So the impact on any industry and any company is still up in the air. The instability of our "leaders" decisions are part of the problem, in addition to the ridiculously high percentages.

Hasbro is certainly a large enough company that they can (hopefully) weather the storm until this insanity subsides.

It's the smaller publishers I worry about. Which in the TTRPG space, is everybody other than WotC/Hasbro. Hasbro might be okay, but this is bad for the industry. Companies are going to go under, stores might close, folks are going to lose jobs. It's already happening.

 

[Shardstone]

Are we winning yet?

 

[Morrus]

I mean, they've licensed minis and fancy versions (B&G). Where are those printed/manufactured?

I guess the key word there is "licensed".

 

[sevenbastard]

Heroes of the Borderlands is the one product I am most interested in so will be interesting to see what it's proce comes out too.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Good, but . . .

The tariff situation in the US is volatile and constantly changing. So the impact on any industry and any company is still up in the air. The instability of our "leaders" decisions are part of the problem, in addition to the ridiculously high percentages.

Hasbro is certainly a large enough company that they can (hopefully) weather the storm until this insanity subsides.

It's the smaller publishers I worry about. Which in the TTRPG space, is everybody other than WotC/Hasbro. Hasbro might be okay, but this is bad for the industry. Companies are going to go under, stores might close, folks are going to lose jobs. It's already happening.

Yeah. It doesn't do much for me to know that the megacorp is going to be ok.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Yeah. It doesn't do much for me to know that the megacorp is going to be ok.

The one benefit the megacorp might give the industry is, if the megacorp is importing RPG books as books rather than game accessories (and thus avoiding tariffs), it may presumably be easier for for smaller companies to point to that if customs gives them any trouble on this front.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Heroes of the Borderlands is the one product I am most interested in so will be interesting to see what it's proce comes out too.

I think you meant to say "Bugbears and Borderlands"