Anbernic Halts All Game Boy Clone Shipments to United States

How significantly would the proposed 245 percent tariffs by Trump actually affect Chinese imports and US consumer prices? Some Chinese firms aren't waiting to find out. Anbernic, a manufacturer of high-quality and debated Nintendo Game Boy replicas, has already halted shipments to the United States indefinitely.

"In light of recent changes to U.S. tariff regulations, we are suspending all orders shipped from China to the United States effective immediately," Anbernic states. "We strongly advise choosing items shipped from our U.S. warehouse, which remain unaffected by import duties and can be bought confidently."

Anbernic did not establish a new U.S. warehouse in reaction to the tariffs—this option has been part of their store for a while. Typically, the company starts by drop-shipping each new handheld console directly from China to customers upon release, then stores further inventory in U.S. warehouses for quicker delivery. Customers can select their preferred shipping location during checkout.

As of last week, Anbernic had already recommended U.S. buyers opt for its American warehouse, noting that "orders sent to the United States might face high customs fees" and urging shoppers to "consider this potential risk before purchasing."

Now, the company has completely paused these shipments—echoing RetroTINK, a respected retro game scaler producer, which also stopped shipments not only due to tariffs but "owing to uncertainty about how tariffs will be implemented." Upon checking, although you can still add an Anbernic handheld from a Chinese warehouse to your U.S. cart, the company displays multiple warnings and blocks final purchase from that location.

Anbernic’s appeal partly stems from its affordable retro handhelds, often priced around $70 for the latest versions. (Some models skillfully replicate the design and tactile experience of classic Nintendo portables, as shown in my videos above and below.) However, these budget-friendly prices are now at serious risk due to Trump’s tariffs and the elimination of the de minimis exemption for inexpensive Chinese products. It remains uncertain whether companies like Anbernic could manage to restart shipments if these tariffs are enforced.

Currently, Anbernic devices are still accessible in the U.S. through third-party retailers such as Amazon—which I’ve often found surprising since these units usually include Nintendo, Sega, and Sony ROMs.

Retro Handhelds maintains a useful, frequently updated page monitoring tariffs on handheld consoles; so far, Anbernic is the sole company to completely suspend U.S. deliveries.