Donald Trump has once again won the presidency of the United States, and this has some gamers worried. The president has previously targeted this form of entertainment, but the current concern is different: some of his decisions could drastically raise the price of consoles and other gaming hardware.
During his campaign, the controversial politician and businessman made several promises, one of which involves the Chinese market, one of the largest in the world. Donald Trump stated that if he won, he would impose a 60% base tariff on imports from China.
As expected, this measure would immediately impact the price of various consumer products, including a wide range of electronics such as consoles. Experts painted a concerning scenario, claiming that the PS5 Pro could cost up to $1000 USD if Trump follows through on his promise.
Donald Trump Could Raise Console Prices with New Tariffs
According to reports, the tariffs on Chinese imports would affect the cost of laptops, which could see prices increase by nearly 50%. Gamers also have reason to be concerned, as consoles could experience a similar increase. It’s estimated that prices could rise by around 40%.
From Trump’s perspective, the fixed tax would help boost the U.S. manufacturing industry. However, it would impact the prices of products from China. In response, the Consumer Technology Association conducted a study to simulate and measure the potential impact of a 60% base tariff on electronics like consoles, computers, smartphones, and more.
“Across the board, the tariffs will cause significant price increases for the U.S. consumer”
The study concluded that the measure would have an immediate impact on prices for all Chinese imports in the U.S. As a result, this increase could affect other markets, as the price hike would be passed on to consumers.
According to the calculations, a high-end graphics card could jump from $900 USD to $1300 USD, while monitors and PCs would see approximate increases of $109 USD and $74 USD, respectively.
“Across the board, the tariffs will cause significant price increases for the U.S. consumer,” stated the Consumer Technology Association regarding Trump’s measure, which could go into effect after he takes office in January 2025.
Donald Trump Has Criticized Video Games
Politicians worldwide have criticized video games on various occasions. Donald Trump is no exception, as he targeted them in August 2019 for a specific reason: the mass shootings that took place in several locations across the United States.
The president claimed they were, allegedly, one of the causes of the violent acts that plagued the country. This raised concerns about stricter regulations. In recent days, his statements have once again drawn attention, leading to rumors of a possible ban; however, there is no current plan to do so.
Comments
Best
New