As tariffs imposed by the US are set to take effect on Tuesday, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) expressed concern about how they might adversely affect the overall gaming sector. In a statement on its website, the ESA cautioned that import duties on gaming devices would “negatively affect hundreds of millions of Americans.”
The ESA, representing many of the leading publishers in gaming, stated that tariffs would “undermine the [game] industry’s vital contributions to the US economy.” The ESA concluded the statement by indicating it was looking forward to “collaborating with the [Trump] Administration and Congress to explore ways to sustain the economic progress” fostered by the gaming sector. Supporting the ESA’s position, total online game sales in the US reached $58.7 billion in 2024.
The US government is poised to implement import tariffs on Canada and China at midnight ET on February 4. Canada will face a 25% duty on goods imported to the US, while China, which is the primary manufacturer of tech products, including gaming consoles, is anticipating a 10% tariff. Initially, the Trump administration targeted Mexico, a hub for game disc production, with a 25% import duty; however, Trump agreed on Tuesday to postpone proposed tariffs on Mexico for one month. All three countries have put forth their own countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs against the US.
Trump has also indicated plans to impose tariffs on computer chips, a proposal he still seems eager to pursue, even after meeting with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Friday. On Monday morning, Nvidia’s shares, known for their graphics card production, dropped as impending tariffs cast uncertainty over tech companies.
The actual impact of tariffs on gaming products remains unclear; however, Circana analyst Mat Piscatella predicted that the prices for video games—both physical and digital formats—could potentially rise.