Anbernic, Other Retro Game Hardware Companies Halt US Sales Due To Tariffs

The effects of United States President Donald Trump's sweeping reciprocal tariff policies have been felt across the gaming industry, most notably with Nintendo and the delay in preorders for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. Now, developers of retro-gaming-focused hardware are beginning to feel the pinch, with two notable names announcing a halt to all US shipments for the foreseeable future.

Retrotink--creators of the Retrotink 4K video processor--were the first to announce the end of US orders, with the company's founder Mike Chi declaring on social media that April 23 would be the last day for any non-expedited orders, and April 28 would be the last day for expedited shipments. "Without proper procedures in place," Chi said in a BlueSky thread, "the risk of delays and lost packages is simply too high."

Soon after, Anbernic--which makes portable gaming devices like the RG 34XX and 35XX Plus--updated the shipping policy on its website to mention the suspension of shipments from China to the US. The new text reads that effective immediately, "due to changes in U.S. tariff policies, we will be suspending all orders shipping from China to the United States."

Increased costs for gaming-related goods due to tariffs are already being seen on retailer websites; the recently-announced Amiibo figures for Street Fighter 6, for example, are now preordering for $40 each, while the new figures for The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom have a $30 asking price, when the previous wave was only $15. Amiibo aren't the only Switch-2-related accessories to see increases in price, with multiple announced add-ons having an additional $5-$10 added to their prices before preorders began. The Switch 2 console itself, however, has maintained the announced price tags of $450 for the console and $500 for a bundle including Mario Kart World.