Marvel Snap has returned and developers wish to switch publishers

On January 19th, a temporary shutdown of TikTok in the US unexpectedly impacted Marvel Snap, the popular card game published by Nuverse (a ByteDance subsidiary). This resulted in a 24-hour period of unavailability. While the game is now back online, in-app purchases remain temporarily disabled, and full functionality is still being restored.

This disruption prompted Second Dinner Studios, Marvel Snap's developer, to announce plans to explore alternative publishing options and transition some services in-house. This strategic move is a direct response to the inherent political risks associated with the current publishing arrangement. TikTok's 90-day extension to finalize a 50% sale to a US entity leaves Marvel Snap vulnerable to further disruptions should the deal fail.

Second Dinner has promised further updates. While many players experienced authorization problems, Steam users were able to continue playing. The developer expressed surprise at the event and is actively working to resolve all issues, 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 caused significant frustration, particularly for players who made in-game purchases before the disruption.