Trump administration is reportedly considering new tariffs on gaming consoles, laptops, and more

The tech industry is already dealing with a major memory crisis, which has pushed several manufacturers to raise prices on their products. Gaming consoles have also been affected, with Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft all increasing prices across their systems. Now, the situation could become even more difficult for gamers if the US introduces another round of tariffs on tech products.

According to a new report from Politico, the Trump administration is considering a new set of tariffs targeting semiconductors. What makes this particularly important is that the plan could go beyond the chips themselves and also cover products that use those components.

That could include laptops, gaming consoles, and servers used in data centers. The administration is also considering a system that could give foreign companies relief from some of the tariffs if they commit to investing in chip manufacturing in the US.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reportedly supports linking tariff relief to investment in domestic semiconductor production. The administration is also considering introducing the new tariffs gradually instead of applying them all at once. However, the plan is still being discussed and could change significantly before anything becomes official. 

For gamers, the biggest concern is what this could mean for already expensive hardware. Console makers have been dealing with higher manufacturing and component costs, and additional tariffs could add even more pressure. Companies could respond by increasing retail prices again or reducing margins, depending on how much of the extra cost they are willing to absorb.