The board game industry was recently hit with a bit of a curveball: a new round of U.S. tariffs has made it significantly more expensive to manufacture and import games from abroad. Particularly those with lots of custom components, plastic miniatures, and large, weighty boxes. For many small publishers, this creates a sudden and unexpected cost hurdle that could delay launches or eat into already thin margins.
But here’s the interesting part: some games, especially those designed with sustainability and minimalism in mind, may weather this storm better than others, and we think Sylvan Tactics might be one of them.
Our demo station from the recent EICC Gaming Convention in Davenport, Iowa.
Why the Tariffs Matter
The new tariffs mainly affect games produced in China and other overseas markets, adding financial pressure on top of already high shipping costs. And let’s face it, most modern board games are not lightweight. Between custom dice, plastic figures, unique tokens, oversized boards, and flashy packaging, a typical game can easily become both physically heavy and financially costly.
This makes early design decisions more important than ever.
Small Box, Big Advantage
When we started developing Sylvan Tactics, we weren't thinking about tariffs. Our focus was on sustainability, affordability, and accessibility. As we explained in our earlier post on sustainability in board gaming, we wanted to build a game that reused components players already owned. Specifically, we designed around a standard chess board and chess pieces.
By limiting our component requirements, we ended up with a game that:
Ships in a much smaller box, with just 100 cards and a rulebook.
Does not require plastic miniatures or custom dice.
Avoids expensive molds and specialized manufacturing processes.
Weighs much less than most modern board games.
This approach makes Sylvan Tactics cheaper to produce, easier to ship, and less impacted by import tariffs. While we did not plan for this benefit, it shows how intentional design choices can offer real-world advantages.
How Other Designers Can Adapt
If you are a board game designer or indie publisher facing higher production costs, now might be a good time to consider which components are truly essential. Ask yourself, what can I simplify without losing the heart of the game? Or, better yet, what common materials can I build around?
Here are a few strategies that can help reduce costs, lower environmental impact, and avoid tariff complications:
Use existing components. Design games that rely on common items many players already own, such as chess boards, dominoes, standard playing cards, or dice.
Minimize your footprint. Keep your component count low. Cards are compact, inexpensive to print, and can be manufactured locally in many regions.
Focus on replayability. Create depth through strategic options and variable setups rather than through expensive, one-time-use components.
Think modular. Consider designing a base game that can be expanded over time without needing to ship a whole new box for each update.
Constraints Encourage Creativity
We’ve shared before how embracing limitations led to better design outcomes in Sylvan Tactics. Working within a tight framework helped us stay focused, iterate faster, and find creative solutions. The same design constraints that supported our sustainability goals are now helping us navigate unexpected economic shifts like these new tariffs.
While these import fees have created new challenges for the tabletop industry, they may also inspire more designers to explore leaner, smarter, and more sustainable approaches. That shift could benefit players, publishers, and the planet all at once.
Follow Along and Join the Conversation
If you're interested in sustainable game design, indie publishing, or just want to stay in the loop as Sylvan Tactics approaches a crowdfunding launch, we’d love to have you follow us and join the community:
And you can always find the latest info on the Sylvan Tactics page of our website.