Will the Tariffs raise the price of games?

[xBCxRangers]

Sincere question.

Which is to say, if the Game Developer is located in Europe, or Canada, China etc, does that raise the price of what we would pay here at Steam, or Xbox, or anywhere?

Sincerely,

Your Friend and Pal,

Ranger

[crunchyfrog]

Автор сообщения: xBCxRangers

Right, i can't see how Steam, or any of them would make "more" money, if the price of the games will go up advertantly or inadvertantly due to the tariffs.

The cost of gaming in general will go up just to play the games, nonetheless the price of the game itself. Particularly as performance and graphics and other advances raise the costs within itself, compounded with the tariffs.

And as mentioned, given the reception of these Triple A games, lukewarm at best. And with the increased cost smaller indie developers are going to accrue, it seems they're going to lose money. Not make more of it.

Yup, that's how tariffs work generally and what that idiot Trump doesn't understand to this day, even though it's been explained to him.

He thinks imposing tariffs makes the country or region it's being imposed on, pays. It doesn't. It makes YOUR OWN PEOPLE pay.

That said, yeah it's unlikely to make extra money for anyone, and definitely not Steam. It just don't work like that.

[Tito Shivan]

Автор сообщения: D. Flame

No, but game devs will raise prices and blame the tariffs, just like they did with inflation.

I thought that was Biden...

Автор сообщения: AmsterdamHeavy

No one is putting a tariff on video games. Duh.

Video games? Probably not. Who knows, but we're in crazy territory right now so I wouldn't discard it.

However tariffs may pretty much hit hard the electronics market. Tariffs on chips or raw materials may pretty much increase the cost of consumer electronics. So Consoles, smartphones, computer parts...

Автор сообщения: Intelligent Jew Businessman

They are like an added tax that can either be soaked up by the corp or passed down to the consumer.

Yeah... Corporations are totally going to soak up that added cost for you, and you and all the rest of consumers in the US.

I thought we were beyond believing fairytales like corporations doing things out of the kindness of their hearts.

Автор сообщения: RiO

Many physical discs for Playstation games are pressed in e.g. Mexico.
And retailers are going to demand price-parity, as has always been the case.

So one way or another, the end effect will be digital prices going up as well.

People underestimate the power brick and mortar stores play on game pricing parity. Specially to companies they have grabbed by the consoles.

[D. Flame]

Автор сообщения: Tito Shivan

Автор сообщения: D. Flame

No, but game devs will raise prices and blame the tariffs, just like they did with inflation.

I thought that was Biden...

His issue was kowtowing to corporations and not nipping greedflation in the bud. This will just be the sequel that no one asked for.

[Brian9824]

The fact is the software industry will basically be unaffected with digital sales. Tariffs will have next to no effects. Unless someone can name what physical items they use that its going to drastically raise the price on...

[Chompman]

Автор сообщения: Brian9824

The fact is the software industry will basically be unaffected with digital sales. Tariffs will have next to no effects. Unless someone can name what physical items they use that its going to drastically raise the price on...

Any kind of imports they rely on.

Computer hardware will be the biggest as servers can add up to a lot.

Not to mention they will require price parity between physical and digital games and a lot still sell both for games that are imported.

Also with the increased cost of living this will mean wages will have to be increased for a lot of their employees if they live in the area this happens in.

[Brian9824]

Автор сообщения: Chompman

Автор сообщения: Brian9824

The fact is the software industry will basically be unaffected with digital sales. Tariffs will have next to no effects. Unless someone can name what physical items they use that its going to drastically raise the price on...

Computer hardware will be the biggest as servers can add up to a lot.

Was waiting for someone to say that, would actually be almost nothing. Servers are not a big expense for game development, heck servers arent even used for 99.9% of game development. A PC if the price went up 20% would be an extra $400 lets say.

Even if you were a mid sized company and updated 30 of your PC's all at once which typically isn't done as they last YEARS thats $12,000 extra, which when your talking about game sales in the MILLIONS its nothing in their expenses. PC hardware for development isn't being updated on a constant basis

Hardware is one of the smallest expenditures for software development. The primary costs for software development is Salary, rent, and in some cases licensing costs.

[crunchyfrog]

Автор сообщения: Brian9824

The fact is the software industry will basically be unaffected with digital sales. Tariffs will have next to no effects. Unless someone can name what physical items they use that its going to drastically raise the price on...

Not quite.

Again this doesn't occur in a vacuum.

On the face of it, it likely won't if any.

But it could as I said it depends on how far it goes and what countries they deal with.

For example, Steam may be a digital platform, but Valve ain't. They're a physical company with staff and assets.

So they may have overheads like servers and computer stuff that comes from China - which happens to be a tariffed country. Or maybe furniture, or plumbing, lighting, office equipment, stationery, and so on.

It all has an effect to the total running costs of the business. And the same applies to every other business too.

[Brian9824]

Автор сообщения: crunchyfrog

Автор сообщения: Brian9824

The fact is the software industry will basically be unaffected with digital sales. Tariffs will have next to no effects. Unless someone can name what physical items they use that its going to drastically raise the price on...

Not quite.

Again this doesn't occur in a vacuum.

On the face of it, it likely won't if any.

But it could as I said it depends on how far it goes and what countries they deal with.

For example, Steam may be a digital platform, but Valve ain't. They're a physical company with staff and assets.

So they may have overheads like servers and computer stuff that comes from China - which happens to be a tariffed country. Or maybe furniture, or plumbing, lighting, office equipment, stationery, and so on.

It all has an effect to the total running costs of the business. And the same applies to every other business too.

Yeah never said it has NO cost, but the cost is miniscule compared to other operating costs. Hardware isn't replaced on a constant basis, and the cost of the hardware for software development is one of the smallest parts of software development.

Valve for instance might pay a little more if they need to upgrade servers, but they aren't looking at paying millions more, you are talking more realistically tens of thousands of dollars which is pennies for them.

What this effects is companies like the auto industry where parts go back and forth between US and Mexico all the time and they pay tarrifs thousands of times to make one single vehicle.

[crunchyfrog]

Автор сообщения: Brian9824

Автор сообщения: crunchyfrog

Not quite.

Again this doesn't occur in a vacuum.

On the face of it, it likely won't if any.

But it could as I said it depends on how far it goes and what countries they deal with.

For example, Steam may be a digital platform, but Valve ain't. They're a physical company with staff and assets.

So they may have overheads like servers and computer stuff that comes from China - which happens to be a tariffed country. Or maybe furniture, or plumbing, lighting, office equipment, stationery, and so on.

It all has an effect to the total running costs of the business. And the same applies to every other business too.

Yeah never said it has NO cost, but the cost is miniscule compared to other operating costs. Hardware isn't replaced on a constant basis, and the cost of the hardware for software development is one of the smallest parts of software development.

Valve for instance might pay a little more if they need to upgrade servers, but they aren't looking at paying millions more, you are talking more realistically tens of thousands of dollars which is pennies for them.

What this effects is companies like the auto industry where parts go back and forth between US and Mexico all the time and they pay tarrifs thousands of times to make one single vehicle.

Oh fair enough then.

In that case, I'd likely agree. I doubt it will have much cost, but with a caveat.

We all know that Trump is a moron who doesn't understand even simple things, so the capacity for him stumbling into something and escalting something further is ALWAYS there.

[MonkehMaster]

honestly doesnt matter if they raise prices, that will only ensure more stop buying, unless on sale, likely deep sales, though i expect some will purchase no matter what, as they are blind to what is going on around them, or simply ignore issues.

for me, its zero issue, i only buy on deep sales, i will never pay full price.

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

OP still doesn't realize that Steam games can be bought at various other places and they're always cheaper. Steam keys are a thing and devs are authorized by Valve to sell those keys. Before you ask. Yes, it's legal.

[Blueberry {JESUS IS LORD}]

Автор сообщения: xBCxRangers

Sincere question.

Which is to say, if the Game Developer is located in Europe, or Canada, China etc, does that raise the price of what we would pay here at Steam, or Xbox, or anywhere?

Sincerely,

Your Friend and Pal,

Ranger

hopefully so

[Komarimaru]

Unfortunately, no business or corporation will just eat the tariffs. Ask anyone in import and exporting, almost everything has a tariff unless duty free like from trade agreements. Mostly ranging from 1% to 14% for every day things.

This means the one importing increases the prices due to the government tariffs. And then the cost is compounded as the one buying from the importer than increases prices further for the consumer to pay.

Scarily... and sadly.... many are ignorant and think other countries pay said tariffs, which they do not. The people who buy the goods, are paying them as a massive tax to the government.

This is why large tariffs have always lead to an economy crash and decline. Not once has it benefited the country imposing said tariffs, since it's just punishing its own citizens.

In this case, nearly all physical goods in america, around 90% of them will increase in price. From consoles, to video games, to anything electronic in any form, since none are made in america, since we can't afford to make them in america and turn a profit.

[crunchyfrog]

Автор сообщения: Komarimaru

Unfortunately, no business or corporation will just eat the tariffs. Ask anyone in import and exporting, almost everything has a tariff unless duty free like from trade agreements. Mostly ranging from 1% to 14% for every day things.

This means the one importing increases the prices due to the government tariffs. And then the cost is compounded as the one buying from the importer than increases prices further for the consumer to pay.

Scarily... and sadly.... many are ignorant and think other countries pay said tariffs, which they do not. The people who buy the goods, are paying them as a massive tax to the government.

This is why large tariffs have always lead to an economy crash and decline. Not once has it benefited the country imposing said tariffs, since it's just punishing its own citizens.

In this case, nearly all physical goods in america, around 90% of them will increase in price. From consoles, to video games, to anything electronic in any form, since none are made in america, since we can't afford to make them in america and turn a profit.

Especially the clown Trump who has been advised many times that tariffs make their own populace pay and not the country you're putting the tariffs on. Like so many things he just doesn't seeem to grasp simple concepts.

It does have a SMALL effect on the country getting the tariffs in pure lost trade but of course as tariffs don't tend to raise each unit price too much it's not much of lost sales.

But yup, here in Britain we had a thing during the 1970s and 1980s called "the anti-dumping tax" which was a tariff on Japanese electronics because at that time the rise of great, and cheaper Japanese goods were killing our outdated electronics industries.

Eventually it was gotten rid of, but during that time it meant that these Japanese goods cost anything around 30% more for us consumers.

[Komarimaru]

Автор сообщения: crunchyfrog

Автор сообщения: Komarimaru

Unfortunately, no business or corporation will just eat the tariffs. Ask anyone in import and exporting, almost everything has a tariff unless duty free like from trade agreements. Mostly ranging from 1% to 14% for every day things.

This means the one importing increases the prices due to the government tariffs. And then the cost is compounded as the one buying from the importer than increases prices further for the consumer to pay.

Scarily... and sadly.... many are ignorant and think other countries pay said tariffs, which they do not. The people who buy the goods, are paying them as a massive tax to the government.

This is why large tariffs have always lead to an economy crash and decline. Not once has it benefited the country imposing said tariffs, since it's just punishing its own citizens.

In this case, nearly all physical goods in america, around 90% of them will increase in price. From consoles, to video games, to anything electronic in any form, since none are made in america, since we can't afford to make them in america and turn a profit.

Especially the clown Trump who has been advised many times that tariffs make their own populace pay and not the country you're putting the tariffs on. Like so many things he just doesn't seeem to grasp simple concepts.

It does have a SMALL effect on the country getting the tariffs in pure lost trade but of course as tariffs don't tend to raise each unit price too much it's not much of lost sales.

But yup, here in Britain we had a thing during the 1970s and 1980s called "the anti-dumping tax" which was a tariff on Japanese electronics because at that time the rise of great, and cheaper Japanese goods were killing our outdated electronics industries.

Eventually it was gotten rid of, but during that time it meant that these Japanese goods cost anything around 30% more for us consumers.

What's most scary, is it seems so few realize how many things they consume and use in america is an import.

Plastics? Imported. Furniture? Imported. Cars? Imported. 95% of electronics? Imported. Raw materials like iron? Imported...

Nearly every single good, purchased in america, was imported to america in some form. If said tariffs really do come into affect, the economy will crash harder than when it did during the great depression when the government was stupid enough to try it last time.