Marvel Snap Returns to US App Store Following Ban of ByteDance-Owned Marvel Game

Marvel Snap, developed by LA-based studio Second Dinner Studios Inc., has returned to the App Store in the US following a brief stint of being removed during the TikTok ban.

This month, the US Supreme Court ordered that ByteDance must divest the US operations of TikTok or it would face a ban within the US as of January 19th. As the date approached and no divestment was made, TikTok, CapCut, and Marvel Snap were amongst the notable app bans from under ByteDance’s umbrella. While TikTok and CapCut began coming back online to US users within 14 hours after the ban due to President Trump’s order, Marvel Snap was unfortunately omitted.

However, as of today, Marvel Snap has returned to the US App Store and can be installed by new users. Interestingly enough, the game is now listed as being self-published by Second Dinner Studios Inc. rather than Nuverse. The publishing arm is owned by ByteDance, hence its involvement during the US’s crackdown on ByteDance and its perceived security risks over user data.

As of the time of writing, it appears as though Marvel Snap has only returned to the App Store. The game appears to not be available on Android devices via the Play Store. It’s unclear when the game may return for those users. However, the game is still available to play on PC. During the January 19th ban and quick 14-hour reversal, Marvel Snap players on PC were forced to log back into their accounts to continue playing.

Marvel Snap first launched in October 2022. It’s best described as a competitive deck builder, based on the fan-beloved superhero franchise. Build your deck of characters and battle others in rounds of three. The simple gameplay loops is very addicting and rewarding with many unlockables and cosmetics to collect. As of its second anniversary on the market, the game has reportedly garnered $275 million USD (around $396 million CAD) in lifetime revenue.