For over three decades, global trade policies moved in a direction that ultimately allowed for the creation of small businesses like Think Fast Games. Given newly accessible global supply chains, we were able to thrive by leveraging affordable overseas manufacturing to competing in niche markets. At TFG, this ecosystem allowed us to launch Dot Duel and Word Whiz without the capital-intensive infrastructure that once barred entrepreneurs from entering the tabletop gaming industry. That said, the recent 145% tariffs on goods imported from China have rewritten the rules and forced us to rethink everything.
Small Businesses Get Hit The Hardest
Large corporations can absorb tariff costs through bulk discounts, offshore subsidiaries, or price adjustments spread across millions of units. For independent creators like us, however, a 145% import tax is an existential threat. Producing a $10 game now costs $24.50 before shipping, marketing, or labor. To maintain any semblance of a profit margin, we’d need to more than double retail prices, pricing ourselves out of reach for most customers. Pre-tariff, our batch sizes kept costs manageable; post-tariff, scaling production to offset expenses would require capital we simply don’t have. We are not alone; many other small businesses are facing difficult decisions in this trade environment.
Pivot or Perish: Charting a New Course
Faced with this reality, we’re embracing the pivot. While we’ve stockpiled enough Dot Duel and Word Whiz inventory to sustain sales for several months, we’re exploring a few new ways to diversify beyond traditional tabletop games to ensure long-term survival:
- Puzzle Booklets: Low-cost, print-on-demand activity books that allow us to avoid overseas manufacturing.
- Digital Games: Browser-based experiences that allow us to avoid physical production altogether.
- Adjacent Goods: Other products that our customers want and we are well positioned to deliver without overseas manufacturing.
These strategies let us stay competitive without relying on our existing manufacturing partners. While we’ll always love the tactile joy of tabletop games, innovation is our only choice to keep TFG around for long enough to return to our original focus.
Why “Just Move Production” Isn’t an Option
Shifting manufacturing to other countries or re-shoring sounds simple until you factor in lead times, retooling costs, and the lack of specialized infrastructure for independent game makers. The U.S. hasn’t yet built niche supply chains that support small-batch creators, and tariffs on other countries still make our costs untenable. We’re not betting on geopolitical solutions. Instead, we’re betting on our own agility and ingenuity.
A Call to Fellow Creators
Kickstarter’s new Tariff Manager tool offers temporary relief for active campaigns, but long-term survival requires reinvention. Larger industries have secured carve-outs; small businesses lack the lobbying power to do the same.
At Think Fast Games, we choose to pivot, not panic. To every entrepreneur navigating this storm: Let’s share strategies. Email us at info@think-fast-games.com to exchange ideas on print-on-demand partnerships, digital alternatives, or community-driven solutions.
The Road Ahead
Tariffs may reshape our industry, but they won’t erase our creativity. We’re doubling down on what makes independent game creation special: ingenuity, flexibility, and a relentless focus on fun. The rules have changed, but the game isn’t over.
Think Fast. Adapt Faster.