The board game industry is heavily dependent on manufacturing in China, and recent tariffs have caused significant turmoil. The effects of these trade policies are already evident; for example, Cephalofair Games’ Gloomhaven: Second Edition stock is effectively stranded overseas due to high tariff rates. Meanwhile, Flat River Group, the owner of Greater Than Games, has stated in a news release that it has laid off staff and suspended all projects due to the unpredictable global tariff environment. Greater Than Games is recognized for publishing popular titles like Sentinels of the Multiverse, Spirit Island, and Tak, among others.
A company representative mentioned that they have reduced staff in response to ongoing economic pressures caused by the international tariff crisis. However, the Greater Than Games website will remain operational, offering products that are currently in stock. Future game production will occur “as needed,” and updates regarding upcoming products and orders, including crowdfunding and pre-orders, will be provided in due course.
Darrell Louder, the former creative director of Greater Than Games, announced on Facebook that his team has been “disbanded,” citing Flat River Group’s decision to shut down Greater Than Games. Polygon has contacted both Louder and the company for further details, specifically to confirm the number of layoffs and to get information about the status of projects already crowdfunded or pre-ordered.
Greater Than Games is among the first prominent companies to halt operations due to the tariffs, a concern shared by many in the tabletop industry. Earlier in April, Polygon spoke to nearly 20 organizations, all of whom anticipated significant profit impacts, potential abandonment of games in development, and job losses due to these trade policies.
Isaac Childres, founder of Cephalofair Games, described the tariffs as a “doomsday scenario” for the U.S. board game industry. He explained that importing board games to the U.S. at such high tariff rates is economically unfeasible, which is already affecting sales and could have a greater negative impact on retailers and distributors than the COVID pandemic.
