Broke Studio Suspends US Orders of Retro Games Due to New Customs Regulations

French retro game publisher Broke Studio, renowned for its commitment to bringing new physical titles to classic hardware like the NES and Famicom, has announced a temporary suspension of all orders shipping to the United States.

The move comes in response to recently enacted customs regulations between the US and Europe, which have significantly increased import fees for American customers. Broke Studio has built a reputation in the gaming community for publishing inventive homebrew titles and reimagined retro classics, including the critically praised Changeable Guardian Estique.

Their recent Homebrew Factory initiative has further expanded opportunities for indie developers by making it easier to release physical games for legacy consoles. In a statement shared on social media, Broke Studio expressed deep regret over the decision, emphasizing the impact of the new customs rules.

The company explained that, effective Sunday, August 17th, US customers would face customs fees nearing $80 per item upon delivery—a cost the publisher deemed ‘unreasonably high’ and not in line with its values.

"It truly breaks our hearts to share this news, but we will be temporarily suspending all orders to the United States starting Sunday, August 17th due to new customs regulations introduced between the USA and the European Union," the statement read. Given these sudden changes, Broke Studio has set Monday, August 18th as the final day to place US orders before the suspension.

Customers with previous pre-orders are encouraged not to cancel, as the company reports having secured a short-term shipping solution that minimizes extra charges: "If you already have a pre-order with us, please don't cancel it.

We have already found a short-term solution for our pre-order campaigns that will keep extra costs minimal, so your order should be reaching you without such high fees." The publisher further reassured fans that they are actively seeking a sustainable, long-term approach to bring US shipping costs back to a reasonable level.

Broke Studio stated, "We are actively working on a long-term shipping solution that will allow us to resume regular orders to the USA at a fair and reasonable cost.

Your support means the world to us, and we're doing everything we can to fix this as soon as possible.

Thank you for standing with us through this, and we'll keep you updated every step of the way." As Broke Studio works toward restoring their transatlantic deliveries, the news is a sobering reminder of the challenges indie developers and retro game publishers face in the global market.

Gamers interested in supporting Broke Studio or securing a physical copy of Changeable Guardian Estique and other titles can still place US orders up to August 18th, with future updates from the company expected in the coming weeks.

NES US Xbox Series X|S Famicom Guardian Homebrew