Marvel Snap Returns Following TikTok Ban as Developers Seek New Publishing Partner

Following the brief disruption caused by the TikTok ban in the United States, Marvel Snap has successfully resumed operations. In response to this incident, the developers are proactively seeking a new publishing partner. Launched in 2022, Marvel Snap gained rapid popularity within the trading card game (TCG) genre, developed by Second Dinner and initially published by Nuverse. The association with Nuverse, a company linked to TikTok’s parent organization ByteDance, resulted in the game’s suspension alongside TikTok and other applications owned by ByteDance, including the video editing tool CapCut.

Marvel Snap Resumes Services Post-Ban

Marvel Snap Back Online in the U.S. – Facing Some Limitations

Display of some influential cards in Marvel SNAP.

Marvel Snap is indeed back online in the U.S., but the game is still grappling with several outstanding issues. Specifically, Marvel Snap has not yet reemerged on popular online marketplaces such as the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. This means that players are currently unable to download updates, and in-app purchases remain inaccessible. At the moment, purchasing options are limited to the official web storefront.

Second Dinner, the developer, has recognized these ongoing challenges via updates on X, assuring players that they are diligently working towards a timely resolution. However, it is important to note that the game is still recovering from the impacts of the ban, and a comprehensive restoration of its functionalities might take some additional time. In the interim, existing users can continue to engage with the game predominantly as expected, while developers take necessary precautions to prevent a recurrence of such disruptions.

Seeking a New Publishing Partner to Prevent Future Issues

Second Dinner on the Hunt for a New Publisher

Marvel Snap characters: Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Star-Lord, Drax, and Gamora. — Custom Image by Katarina Cimbaljevic

It is indeed notable for a developer to publicly express the intention to search for a new publisher, but this decision makes sense given the unforeseen circumstances surrounding Marvel Snap’s inclusion in the TikTok ban. As communicated in a previous X post by Second Dinner, the situation was an unexpected setback for the team. Among the speculations, there is concern that a new publisher might impact Snap’s current monetization strategies, which some players perceive as excessive, likely influenced by Nuverse. However, no formal announcements have been made regarding this possibility, and it remains to be seen how a change in publishing might affect Snap’s operations.

As it stands, Marvel Snap is playable once again in the U.S., with developers focused on reinstating complete functionalities, returning the game to digital storefronts, and identifying a new publisher to mitigate against future entanglements that could lead to similar interruptions. With Marvel Snap continuing to evolve and introduce fresh content, a new publishing partner could ensure the game remains stable and free from unexpected outages.

Sources: @seconddinner/X (1, 2)

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