United States President Donald Trump and his administration are reportedly considering a round of tariffs on semiconductors, which could drive up the costs of several products such as video game systems. In the past, video game systems would go down in price over time, as parts became cheaper. However, things have changed over the current console generation, as video game companies have been forced to compete during a global chip shortage.

Throughout the current console generation, consumers have seen prices steadily increase. Nintendo Switch 2 has seen a price increase just over a year after the system's release, while the prices for PlayStation and Xbox consoles continue to rise more than six years after launch. As a result, gaming has become far less affordable for many consumers.

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According to a report from Politico, a new set of tariffs being considered by the Trump administration would be placed on semiconductors, as well as several other items that use them. This means U.S. consumers could be forced to pay more for gaming consoles, laptops, and other items. The report claims that companies that invest in manufacturing semiconductors in America could be subject to exceptions. However, the move is already seeing pushback from tech companies, as the global chip shortage is already leading to price increases.

The global chip shortage is a result of heavy AI investment and the building of data centers.

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