Marvel Snap Banned in US: Developer Blindsided, Players Demand Refunds

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Summary

  • Marvel Snap has been pulled from mobile app stores in the United States.
  • While it’s developed by California-based Second Dinner, the hit mobile game is published by Nuverse, a subsidiary of TikTok owner ByteDance.
  • TikTok and Marvel Snap were pulled from mobile app stores due to a new law that went into effect on January 19. Second Dinner suggested that its game will relaunch in the U.S. ASAP.

In the U.S., the popular game known as Marvel Snap has been removed from mobile app stores, following similar laws that led to the domestic prohibition of TikTok.

Beginning on January 19th, a law known as the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (H.R.7521) took effect. This law prohibits the distribution and upkeep of apps from companies based in countries that Washington views as adversaries, primarily China. Since President-elect Trump’s inauguration was set for January 20th, the Biden administration decided to let them handle the enforcement of H.R.7521. However, following the Supreme Court’s confirmation of a de facto TikTok ban, the popular Chinese-owned social media platform, ByteDance’s TikTok, was taken down from Google and Apple’s app stores late on January 18th in the Eastern Time zone.

At about the same period, the popular mobile Collectible Card Game (CCG) named Marvel Snap was also taken down from both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in the United States. This game is developed by Second Dinner, based in Irvine, California, but it’s published by Nuverse, a subsidiary of ByteDance. This publishing relationship led to its inclusion under H.R.7521, causing its removal from American app stores. Second Dinner confirmed the ban through a social media post, describing it as a short-term hurdle. In a Twitter update, they stated, “We’re currently working diligently to reinstate the game as soon as possible and will share more details when we have them.

Second Dinner and Nuverse Were Blindsided By Marvel Snap Ban

As a passionate fan, I stumbled upon a message echoed by Game Rant, which was initially shared on the official Discord server of Marvel Snap. In this forum, a representative from Second Dinner expressed that the ban came as an unexpected surprise to both them and Nuverse. This implies that the decision to remove Marvel Snap from U.S. mobile app stores might have originated from Google, Apple, or even ByteDance, which could explain why neither Second Dinner nor Nuverse had mentioned any potential ban in the lead-up to its sudden disappearance.

We’re doing our best to launch the game quickly, and we’ll keep you informed with updates as soon as we have new information to share.

Marvel Snap Players Aren’t Happy With the Game’s U.S. Ban

Despite the ban seemingly catching both the developer and publisher off guard, players of Marvel Snap are expressing their dissatisfaction with this recent development. Numerous individuals have expressed their discontent on Discord and various social media platforms. Some fans are even urging Second Dinner to reimburse the money they invested in the game, contending that they wouldn’t have made such a purchase had they known Marvel Snap would become unplayable merely two years after its late 2022 debut.

It seems Second Dinner doesn’t consider the removal temporary, so they probably won’t issue mass refunds to American customers right away. On a positive note, TikTok’s CEO expressed gratitude towards President-elect Trump for considering solutions to keep TikTok operational in the U.S., suggesting that the new administration might preserve TikTok, as was pledged during the 2024 campaign. As of early morning ET on January 19, American gamers can still download Marvel Snap from Steam.

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2025-01-19 15:14