Marvel Snap Switches Publishers, Gains New Home

The unexpected shutdown of TikTok in the US on January 19th had unforeseen consequences for Marvel Snap, the popular card game published by Nuverse, a ByteDance subsidiary. This disruption resulted in a 24-hour outage for the game.

While Marvel Snap is now back online, full functionality remains elusive, with in-app purchases temporarily unavailable. In response to this disruption, and citing political risks, developers are exploring a publisher change and transitioning some services to internal management, as announced on X.

This proactive measure aims to mitigate future disruptions stemming from the precarious political landscape surrounding TikTok. The company was granted a 90-day extension to divest 50% of its US operations to a local owner; failure to meet this agreement could lead to further blockages for TikTok and associated projects like Marvel Snap.

Second Dinner Studios, the game's developer, has promised further updates. While many players reported authorization problems, Steam users experienced uninterrupted access. The developers expressed surprise at the event and assured players of their commitment to restoring full service, stating on X: “Marvel Snap is here to stay. We're working hard to restore the game as quickly as possible, and we'll keep players informed of our progress.”

The lack of prior warning added insult to injury, leaving many players unaware of the potential lockout and continuing to make in-game purchases before the disruption.