Marvel Snap, the popular digital collectible card game developed by Second Dinner and published by Nuverse, has unexpectedly been caught up in a high-stakes geopolitical dispute.
As of January 18, 2025, U.S. players found themselves unable to access the game following restrictions imposed under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA). This legislation targets companies owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, which also operates TikTok, a focal point of U.S. national security concerns.
What Happened to Marvel Snap?
U.S. mobile players were abruptly locked out of the game without warning last Saturday. While Marvel Snap remains listed on PC via Steam, players have reported login issues, making it effectively inaccessible across platforms. Second Dinner, the California-based developer behind the game, stated that the takedown was unexpected and linked directly to ByteDance’s broader conflicts with the U.S. government.
We've been working around the clock to bring MARVEL SNAP back up in the U.S. and hope to have it back online within 24 hours. We'll update you once it's back up.In the meantime, global players should be able to continue to play with no issues.
— Second Dinner (@seconddinner) January 20, 2025
In a series of tweets, Second Dinner reassured fans that they were “working around the clock” to restore access in the U.S., promising the game would be playable again within 24 hours. However, the disruption has left many questioning the future stability of Marvel Snap in its largest market.
The TikTok Connection
Marvel Snap’s publisher, Nuverse, is a subsidiary of ByteDance, the same Chinese company behind TikTok, which has been under fire from U.S. lawmakers. Concerns center around allegations that ByteDance could potentially share user data with the Chinese government and use its platforms to influence public opinion. ByteDance has consistently denied these claims, asserting that U.S. user data is stored outside of China, primarily in Singapore.
Tiktok gets banned.Me: Damn, that's messed up.Marvel Snap gets bannedMe: You dirty MFers! pic.twitter.com/JFFuiYir8n
— Kenneth Seward Jr (@Kennyufg) January 19, 2025
These concerns culminated in a U.S. congressional order in March 2024, demanding that ByteDance divest TikTok to a U.S.-based company. ByteDance refused, escalating tensions to the courts. When ByteDance’s appeal was denied earlier this month, TikTok access was suspended, inadvertently affecting Marvel Snap. Oddly, other Nuverse games like Ragnarok X: 3rd Anniversary and Earth: Revival remain available in the U.S., suggesting the ban on Marvel Snap may be an administrative side effect rather than an intentional targeting.
Will Marvel Snap Return?
While Second Dinner has expressed optimism about restoring Marvel Snap quickly, its long-term future in the U.S. is tied to the larger legal battle between ByteDance and the U.S. government. If TikTok successfully negotiates its return to the U.S. market, it could pave the way for Marvel Snap and other ByteDance-associated products to regain stability. However, if the conflict drags on or escalates, U.S. players may face recurring disruptions.
We're actively working on getting our service back up in the U.S. and expect everything to be fully restored within the next 12 hours. Thanks for your patience and understanding as we work through this - we appreciate your support as always Stay tuned, we'll be back with...
— MARVEL SNAP (@MARVELSNAP) January 20, 2025
The TikTok saga has implications beyond Marvel Snap, highlighting the challenges of balancing national security concerns with global tech innovation. For now, players outside the U.S. can continue to enjoy the game, while American fans wait for a resolution.
As Marvel Snap’s fate hangs in the balance, one thing is clear: the game's unexpected hiatus underscores how intertwined politics and technology have become in an increasingly digital world. Whether Marvel Snap will emerge unscathed from this geopolitical standoff remains a question only time can answer.