Trump's tariffs are already impacting gamers (UPDATED 4/22/2025)

UPDATE 4/22/2025: So, the tariffs are back, after being removed briefly, and now they are even higher. I could keep writing new posts discussing this, and then have to update them noting even more changes, but here's what to know: As of today VKB will no longer drop-ship to the US, which means no more VKBs for US customers.. Until Trump changes things again and VKB feels safe shipping orders to the US. Tariffs in general are insanely high on Chinese imports, and we're going to see a lot of issues with general availability, costs, and more with anything we import (including parts we get from China).

Buckle up, folks, because this post contains political content.

Ready? Let's go.

The incel Asmongold-loving anti-DEI MAGAts have officially reached the "find out" portion that follows the general fucking around.

Gamers get a lot of stuff from China; They're a huge manufacturer of a LOT of stuff we rely on in tech.

There's also a not-insignificant group of gamers who are misogynistic self-absorbed dicks who voted for Trump to Make America Great (Game?) Again.

Out of the countless things the administration is doing that literally has a body count attached, those MAGA gamers are about to feel a significant punch in the penis in the form of more expensive hardware.

VKB is a prominent flight control system manufacturer for gamers: They are the "mid range" makers, based out of China, and produce the much-loved flight sticks that I personally use (read my VKB NXT Evo review).. And they've shared a clear announcement on their website about these tariffs.

Those sticks were already expensive BEFORE the changes to tariffs; When I ordered, I paid almost $400 (with shipping) to get my pair of sticks. Thankfully, that was below the $800 threshold to trigger the already existing 25% tariffs. Now, however, that threshold has been eliminated, and an additional 10% have been tacked on.

That means everything you buy from China - whether $5 or $5,000 - will have a 35% tariff applied that you personally have to pay for in order to get it into the US.

My sticks are valued at $310 USD together, so that means I'd be paying almost an additional $110 USD when they reach customs.

Even if you're not directly ordering something from China, anything imported by a reseller, or anything that uses Chinese-made parts, are about to get even more expensive.

GG? No, we're looking at a major TK effort here.