Jonathan Silva and his team at WS Game Company faced significant challenges in producing a bespoke Monopoly game that was nearly entirely manufactured in the United States. The project, initiated last year, was driven by President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Chinese imports, which disrupted the company’s traditional manufacturing processes. The goal was to launch the Monopoly Americana Edition, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, by February 2026. Ultimately, the product was released four months later than planned.

The venture highlighted the difficulties involved in shifting production back to the US after decades of reliance on Chinese factories. Silva, co-owner and CEO of the family-operated WS Game, described the process as "a colossal headache," with costs soaring far beyond initial expectations. Whereas the company initially anticipated a 20 percent price increase compared to Chinese production, the final premium amounted to approximately 100 percent.

A key issue was the limited manufacturing infrastructure within the US for specialized components. Unlike China, where factories often provide integrated services such as intricately cut, painted, and printed wooden parts, US factories had to be sourced individually for different elements. This fragmented approach required significant redesigns; for example, the game’s paper cover and flat spine replaced the Chinese-made fabric cover with a curved spine, and magnetic closures were omitted due to labor expenses. WS Game also substituted wood houses and hotels with plastic versions, and the dice were still imported from China because domestic suppliers could not meet the small production run of 5,000 pairs.

Cartamundi, a traditional game maker with a US manufacturing facility, became the primary production partner. Despite their capabilities, Cartamundi faced challenges adapting equipment to the customized packaging format requested by WS Game, leading to delays. The production of the game trays, manufactured by Pioneer Packaging in the US using specialized flocking techniques, proved especially problematic. Tooling costs were nearly ten times higher than in China, and initial trays suffered from defects like cracking and improper molding. Pioneer’s team invested heavily in troubleshooting and retooling, including extended overtime and hand inspection of each tray, to meet quality standards.

These issues extended overall production time to nearly 14 months—significantly longer than the nine months a typical China-made game requires—and increased the retail price to about $80, compared with $45 for WS Game’s standard Chinese-produced editions. Silva acknowledged that while the company was not selling the Americana Edition at a loss, it was unlikely to recover overhead and development expenses. The first batch of 2,500 units sold out, but delays adversely affected sales of the second batch, particularly because the game missed the key July 4th market window.

The experience underscored the decline of US manufacturing capabilities for consumer board games and similar products. Kerry Addis, Silva’s sister and WS Game co-owner, reflected on the nostalgia tied to producing a game at a former Milton Bradley factory, but noted that most US factories no longer handle these complex, highly specialized processes. The project is seen as both a challenging learning experience and a reflection of broader shifts in global manufacturing dynamics.