Marvel Snap Impacted by TikTok Ban: What's Next?

If there's one story that dominated the headlines over the weekend, it was undoubtedly the temporary ban of TikTok in the United States. This ban, which had been looming since a congressional act labeled it a "foreign adversary controlled application," finally came into effect on Sunday. By now, you're likely aware that President-elect Donald Trump quickly vowed to restore the app, and ByteDance promptly brought TikTok back online. However, the same cannot be said for some of their other applications.

A prime example is Marvel Snap, the popular comic-themed card battler. As we reported over the weekend, Marvel Snap, along with other ByteDance subsidiary releases like Moonton's Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, was abruptly taken offline in the U.S., accompanied by a message stating it had been banned. ByteDance's message was clear: accept all of their offerings or get none at all.

The twist in this tale? Developer Second Dinner was seemingly blindsided by this move and has been scrambling to manage the fallout on Twitter. They've promised to bring Marvel Snap back online soon, but this ordeal has sparked some unsettling questions.

Catch!You don't need a degree in political science to recognize that TikTok's strategic downtime and its pointed message positioning Trump as a potential savior was a calculated move by ByteDance to generate buzz. It worked, allowing them to make a dramatic return to the U.S. market.

However, this game of political football also ensnared other gaming releases, leaving ByteDance's developers, like Second Dinner, to deal with the aftermath. To compensate for the downtime, Second Dinner has pledged enticing free rewards to players once Marvel Snap is back online, hopefully by the time you're reading this.

While this incident is unlikely to prompt Second Dinner to sever their lucrative partnership with ByteDance, it certainly hasn't boosted their confidence. The message seems clear: mobile gaming takes a backseat to ByteDance's lucrative social media ventures.

Game overThis isn't the first time ByteDance has prioritized social media over gaming. In 2023, their gaming division underwent massive layoffs, canceling many unlaunched projects. Since then, Marvel Snap appeared to signal a shift towards partnerships rather than in-house development. Yet, this breach of trust could make other developers and publishers wary of being caught in ByteDance's next political storm.

Disney, too, might be feeling the heat, especially after the recent release of NetEase's Marvel Rivals, which boosted mobile gaming with a crossover collaboration earlier this month. While ByteDance may have outmaneuvered politicians, players, developers, and IP holders are unlikely to be as forgiving.

They think it’s all over…Rumors suggest ByteDance is just the beginning. Other Chinese gaming giants like Tencent and NetEase could be next in the crosshairs. The FTC has already targeted MiHoYo over loot boxes, and even this high-profile spat and its anticlimactic resolution may not deter the next politician looking to make a statement.

So, what's next for Marvel Snap? The unexpected ban has certainly caught the attention of many, especially older players who might not have cared about TikTok but were deeply invested in their favorite card game. ByteDance's gamble paid off, but it sets a worrying precedent. How will people react when their favorite games become pawns in geopolitical battles? The saying about bread and circuses might just come back to haunt everyone involved.