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 incomplete, with in-app purchases currently unavailable. In response to this disruption, and citing political risks, the developers have announced plans on Platform X to explore alternative publishers and transition certain services to internal management.
This proactive measure stems from the precarious situation surrounding TikTok's ongoing negotiations to sell a 50% stake to a US-based entity. The 90-day extension granted for this transaction leaves Marvel Snap vulnerable to future blockades should the agreement fail.
Second Dinner Studios, the game's developer, has promised further updates. While many users reported authorization problems, Steam users experienced uninterrupted access. The developers expressed surprise at the incident and are actively working to restore complete functionality, assuring players via an official Platform X statement: "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.
