The import tariffs introduced by U.S. President Trump are once again casting a shadow over American gamers, this time targeting Razer's highly anticipated Blade 16 gaming laptop.
Tariffs, in essence, are additional charges levied on imported goods. While businesses sometimes absorb these costs themselves, more frequently, these expenses are transferred directly to consumers. Unfortunately for the gaming community, this means tech and gaming products could soon become more expensive.
In a surprising move, some products have already been temporarily withdrawn from the market. As noted by The Verge, while the Blade 16 was available for purchase in the U.S. as late as April 1, the option to order the laptop has vanished from the official website.
European gamers, on the other hand, can currently order the latest gaming laptop (assuming stock levels allow), whereas the U.S. site offers nothing more than a "Notify Me" button with no pricing details listed. Attempting to navigate to the Buy Now page results in a 404 error.Razer isn't the only brand affected. Companies like Micron, a key manufacturer of PC components, have warned of potential surcharges due to tariffs imposed on China and Taiwan. In response, PC maker Framework has temporarily halted some U.S. sales altogether.
Last week, the pre-order date for the Nintendo Switch 2, originally set for today, April 9, was removed from the U.S. market following Trump's import tariffs. The ripple effect quickly crossed borders, with Nintendo Canada confirming a delay in pre-orders there as well.
Industry insiders and analysts fear that Nintendo may hike the price of the Switch 2 and its games even higher, compounding consumer dissatisfaction following the console's unveiling.
For more insights, explore everything announced during the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct.
