8BitDo has announced a temporary halt on shipments of its popular controllers to the US from China, citing the 145% tariffs imposed by the Trump administration as the reason for this pause. This decision affects specific controllers intended for Switch and Xbox consoles. However, US customers can still purchase items that are currently in the company’s US warehouse. As of now, there is no timeline for when shipments from China will resume.
The ongoing tariffs have significantly impacted not just 8BitDo but various companies across multiple sectors, leading to an overall disruption in the supply chain. In fact, this policy has prompted other businesses, such as Microsoft, to increase the prices of Xbox Series X/S consoles and accessories, with notable price hikes taking effect in May. While 8BitDo ponders the ramifications of tariffs, they have clarified that orders placed through their website from the Chinese warehouse cannot be processed if the delivery address is in the US. Customers looking to purchase popular items like the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth Controller will have to look elsewhere, though they can check inventories at third-party retailers such as Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon.
Interestingly, 8BitDo is not alone in this predicament. On April 9, Square Enix announced similar measures regarding specific merchandise shipments to the US and Canada due to concerns surrounding tariffs. While these disruptions continue to affect the gaming accessories market, those eager to nab 8BitDo products should stay updated as they await the resumption of Chinese shipments. In the meantime, there are options available, including various 8BitDo controllers already in US stores, allowing customers to still enjoy high-quality gaming peripherals.