Marvel Snap is an unintended victim of the TikTok ban
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By
Patrick Hearn Published January 19, 2025 |
Marvel Snap, the ever-popular mobile game, is no longer available in the United States. It went offline at the same time as TikTok. While the focus of the ban has been around TikTok, one aspect of the ban that hasn’t been discussed is that it applies to all apps from ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. Although Marvel Snap is developed by Second Dinner, ByteDance published it.
When you try to open the app now, you see a message stating, “Sorry, Marvel Snap isn’t available right now. A law banning Marvel Snap has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use Marvel Snap for now. Rest assured, we’re working to restore our service in the U.S. Please stay tuned!”
The app is also unavailable for download. Searching for it via the App Store shows a message at the top of the screen that says, “TikTok and other ByteDance aps are not available in the country or region you’re in.” The Google Play Store doesn’t have an error message in-browser, but the app doesn’t appear as a download option.
The shutdown of Marvel Snap took most players by surprise. A complicated legal situation in 2023 saw ByteDance take a step back from its gaming section and divest from publisher Nuverse. Snap players thought the app would be safe as a result, but ByteDance still has sway if the company was able to shut the game down as part of its withdrawal from the western market.
Other ByteDance-published titles like have all been removed from US-based app stores, too.
The current situation raises questions. What happens to players that have spent real money on in-game items or skins? Will players be eligible for refunds?
TikTok shows a message to users that suggests Trump could work out a deal to get the app reinstated in the United States. If that happens, then presumably Marvel Snap and the other affected titles would also return.
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