Some physical video game releases might not be made if tariffs raise the cost of producing and shipping discs, Circana analyst Mat Piscatella warned in March 2025. That was a forecast—not confirmation that any particular game was canceled or that prices rose. The warning matters to players weighing physical versus digital purchases, but the tariff figures in the original report are historical, not current rates.
What the March 2025 warning meant
Ars Technica’s Kyle Orland reported on March 5, 2025, that Piscatella believed a 25 percent tax on discs shipped from Mexico could sharply reduce physical game releases in the United States. He said it “wouldn’t surprise” him if publishers responded by not making some tariff-exposed physical games and shifting those releases to digital distribution.
The report described game discs as then overwhelmingly produced in Mexico. That is a description of the supply chain in the March 2025 story, not an independently verified map of production in 2026. The reported 25 percent figure is likewise historical context; it should not be read as the current duty on game discs.
Most importantly, the warning was conditional. The story did not identify a game that had been canceled because of tariffs, and it did not establish that the predicted reduction in releases occurred.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
- PHYSICAL DISC - Standard Edition for PlayStation 5 (disc) includes the full EA SPORTS FC 27 game. Not compatible with PlayStation 4 console.
- Experience The World's Game in EA SPORTS FC 27. Play in The Grounds, team up with friends in Clubs, learn from football mentors and express your style on and off the pitch
- Enjoy more authentic gameplay with dynamic corners, enhanced attacking intelligence, player-focused defending and community-inspired innovations that give you greater control in every match.
- Build your legacy in Manager Career with a rebuilt Transfer Market and Dynamic OVRs, then create your dream squad in Football Ultimate Team and showcase your achievements in the new FUT Gallery.
How tariffs could affect physical and digital games
| Potential effect | What the March 2025 report said | What it does—and does not—establish |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer physical releases | Piscatella said a 25 percent tariff on discs shipped from Mexico could cause a sharp decline in U.S. physical releases, with some games potentially going digital-only. | This was an analyst forecast, not a record of confirmed cancellations or a measured outcome. |
| Higher prices for physical copies | The report relayed analysts’ view that publishers continuing physical production might pass some or all added costs to consumers. | It did not show that tariffs caused actual price increases. |
| Higher digital prices | Piscatella suggested publishers might raise digital prices to match physical prices, since non-sale prices are often aligned across formats. | This was a possible pricing response, not evidence that digital prices rose because of tariffs. |
| More U.S. disc production | Piscatella said bringing production back to the United States would require significant investment for a physical-disc segment he described as half its 2021 size and declining. | The report did not provide the underlying Circana series or a measurement definition. Piscatella said producers would likely need higher prices to recoup the investment. |
For a buyer, a switch to digital-only would change more than the packaging: it would remove the option to buy that release on disc. If a publisher kept a physical edition, the report’s scenarios leave open whether the company would absorb added costs, charge more for the physical copy, or adjust prices across formats. None of those outcomes was established as having happened.
Why moving disc production to the United States is not a quick fix
Making discs domestically could reduce exposure to a tariff tied to imports from Mexico, but Piscatella framed reshoring as an investment decision, not an immediate workaround. In the March 2025 report, he described the physical-disc segment as “now half what it was in 2021 and declining rapidly.” He argued that significant investment would be difficult to justify for a shrinking market and that producers would likely need higher prices to recover those costs.
Rank #2
- PHYSICAL DISC - Standard Edition for PlayStation 4 (disc) includes the full EA SPORTS FC 27 game. Not compatible with PlayStation 5 console.
- Experience The World's Game in EA SPORTS FC 27. The Grounds mode, including Clubs, only available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2 versions.
- Enjoy more authentic gameplay with dynamic corners, enhanced attacking intelligence, player-focused defending and community-inspired innovations that give you greater control in every match.
- Build your legacy in Manager Career with a rebuilt Transfer Market and Dynamic OVRs, then create your dream squad in Football Ultimate Team and showcase your achievements in the new FUT Gallery.
That analysis concerns physical game discs. The same Ars Technica story also discussed console manufacturing and China-related tariffs, but console import estimates are not evidence about where game discs are made or what duty applies to them. It attributed an estimate that 75 percent of U.S. consoles were imported from China to Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad, and an estimate that only 30 percent of PlayStation consoles were manufactured outside China to analyst David Gibson. Those were estimates reported in March 2025, not current disc-supply figures.
How to check the current tariff question
The March 2025 story cannot establish the duty that applies to a game disc now. A current rate depends on the product’s tariff classification, country of origin, and the policy actions in force. The U.S. International Trade Commission’s Harmonized Tariff Information page is an official starting point for HTS resources and notes that 2026 HTS Revision 20 was published on September 28, 2026. The USTR’s Presidential Tariff Actions index lists subsequent actions, but does not itself determine the classification or rate for a particular disc.
Rank #3
- PHYSICAL DISC - Standard Edition for XBOX Series X (disc) includes the full EA SPORTS FC 27 game. Not compatible with XBOX Series S.
- Experience The World's Game in EA SPORTS FC 27. Play in The Grounds, team up with friends in Clubs, learn from football mentors and express your style on and off the pitch
- Enjoy more authentic gameplay with dynamic corners, enhanced attacking intelligence, player-focused defending and community-inspired innovations that give you greater control in every match.
- Build your legacy in Manager Career with a rebuilt Transfer Market and Dynamic OVRs, then create your dream squad in Football Ultimate Team and showcase your achievements in the new FUT Gallery.
Neither source, as cited here, establishes a game-disc-specific current rate. The report also does not provide a product-level tariff calculation or a current independent audit of disc manufacturers. So its numbers should be used to understand the 2025 warning, not to predict a present-day retail price.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What players can reasonably conclude
- Some physical releases could become less attractive for publishers if tariffs raise their costs; Piscatella raised digital-only releases as one possible response in March 2025.
- The report did not confirm that any specific game was canceled, that a particular price increase occurred, or that the forecast came true.
- Physical and digital prices could respond differently—or move together—depending on publisher decisions; the article described possibilities, not observed tariff-driven changes.
- Whether a disc is exposed to a particular tariff cannot be answered from the old headline alone. Current classification, origin, and policy details matter.
For anyone choosing a format, the practical takeaway is to check whether a desired game has a physical edition before purchase rather than assume one will exist. The March 2025 warning identified a risk to future physical availability, not a universal end to game discs.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 41208
Rank #4
- Full version of EA SPORTS NHL 27 on physical Blu-ray disc for Xbox Series X. Xbox Series X only – not compatible with Xbox Series S and Xbox One consoles.
- Experience authentic NHL atmosphere across all 32 arenas with real goal songs, new pre-game presentations and a fully revamped crowd that captures every team's unique identity.
- Take control in Connected Franchise with up to 32 user-controlled teams, roster management, league customization, commissioner tools and full online seasons.
- Powered by NHL EDGE data, 32 unique Team Playbooks bring authentic strategies, team identities and realistic gameplay to every matchup on the ice.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
