On January 19th, a temporary suspension of TikTok's US operations unexpectedly impacted 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 is still being restored, and in-app purchases remain unavailable. In response to this unforeseen event, and citing political risks, developers Second Dinner Studios announced on Platform X plans to explore alternative publishers and transition certain services to internal management.
This proactive measure aims to mitigate future disruptions stemming from the precarious political landscape surrounding TikTok. The app was granted a 90-day extension to finalize a deal selling 50% of its US operations to a local entity. Failure to secure this agreement could lead to further blockades affecting both TikTok and associated projects like Marvel Snap.
Second Dinner Studios promised further updates. While many players experienced authorization problems, Steam users retained access. The developers expressed surprise at the situation and assured players of their commitment to restoring full service, stating on Platform 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, leaving players vulnerable to in-app purchase losses, added to the frustration.
