The developers of the popular digital card gameMarvel Snaphave announced that it is currently unplayable in the U.S., in an outage that they have described as “a surprise to us.” The unexpected suspension follows the enforcement of a ban on apps associated with ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant behind the social video platform TikTok.
According to various users online,Marvel Snapis inaccessible to players who have already downloaded the game, and it is currently unavailable in all app stores. The ban extends to other ByteDance-owned apps, following thewidely reported US law which banned TikTok.Games such asMission EVO, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, One Punch Man The Strongest, and other ByteDance and Nuverse titles have all been affected by this ban.The developers ofMarvel Snap, Second Dinner,posted an announcement on Xclaiming that the suspension “wasn’t planned” and reassuring fans that “Marvel Snap isn’t going anywhere.”
ByteDance Apps Like TikTok And Marvel Snap Have Been Taken Down
The Developers Have Claimed To Be Unaware Of Its Planned Removal
The US government has recently enacted a ban that targeted apps owned by ByteDance, which they have cited as being due to national security concerns.Marvel Snapis a subsidiary of ByteDance, as the app was developed by Second Dinner in partnership with Nuverse, with the latter’s parent organization being the focus of the nationwide ban.Marvel Snap’s award-winning card gamesaw its services pulled in the early hours of 19 January, along with a variety of other apps and games with connections to ByteDance.
Unusually, it seems that Second Dinner was unaware thatMarvel Snapwould be suspended, but they have stressed that its unavailability is temporaryand are actively working on making it available through Android, iOS, and Windows in the US once again.Theindependent California-based studio’s titleleft US fans in confusion at its suspension, with the statement providing needed clarity to its players.
Our Take: Marvel Snap Will Hopefully Return Soon
It Remains An Excellent Strategic Card Game
Marvel Snap’sunexpected suspension highlights the complexities when digital entertainment collides with geopolitics.Fans have called for its return to their devices soon, with confusion over how the personal information of players is at risk by playing the collectible card game.Second Dinner’s efforts to create a fast-paced and strategic game with Marvel-themed content has been ahuge success, leading to nominations at the BAFTA Games Awards and a win at The Game Awards for Best Mobile Game.
The Best Marvel Snap Deck Builds (Archetypes, Meta, & New Season Starters)
To build strong decks in Marvel SNAP, players must keep up with a rapidly changing meta with diverse archetypes and new cards introduced weekly.
On the bright side, Second Dinner’s statement seems to suggest a commitment to bringingMarvel Snapback to US audiences as soon as possible.With the game’s immense popularity and loyal fanbase, it seems likely that a suitable resolution will be arranged sooner rather than later.Its temporary removal is undoubtedly a setback, but at a time whenMarvel-branded video games are dominating the industry, it seems right thatMarvel Snap will returnto gamers' devices soon.
Sources:BBC News,X - @SecondDinner
