Summary

  • A new US law has caused popular apps from ByteDance, including Marvel Snap and TikTok, to go offline in the US.
  • Players and developers of Marvel Snap were surprised by the game’s disappearance since there was no prior notice about its removal.
  • Developer Second Dinner and publisher Nuverse said they are working to restore Marvel Snap, while one executive says using a VPN might resolve the issue.



The TikTok community in the US was shattered over the weekend as they slowly came to terms with the fact that the app was going dark to comply with a law that went into effect today. However, TikTok was not the only app to see this fate, as practically every app associated with ByteDance received the same treatment. But it came as a bit of a surprise to many when the cross-platform digital card game Marvel Snap, developed by California-based Second Dinner, also went offline.

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The issue appears to stem from the publisher of the game, Nuverse, which is owned by, you guessed it, ByteDance. There appears to be some element of surprise with the game’s decision to go dark, given that players were reportedly not prompted about the change beforehand. By contrast, TikTok users were made aware of the January 19 deadline that would take the app offline well in advance.


Second Dinner expressed surprise at Marvel Snap’s removal from US app stores in a post on X/Twitter, adding that the app “isn’t going anywhere” (via The Verge). Meanwhile, Marvel Snap players on PC have faced stumbles signing in to the game. Players on mobile were greeted with a similar in-app notice as TikTok users saw, but worded differently.

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!


Using a VPN may get Marvel Snap to work again

Meanwhile, co-founder and Chief Development Officer at Second Dinner, Ben Brode, also chimed in on BlueSky, saying the team is “actively working on getting the game up as soon as possible.” Brode also claims that using a VPN could get Marvel Snap to work again “as long as you pretend you’re from Canada or something.”


As The Verge rightly notes, not all apps published by Nuverse had vanished as of late last evening. In its support page entry, Apple provides a full list of “apps developed by ByteDance Ltd. and its subsidiaries that are affected.” This includes TikTok, TikTok Studio, TikTok Shop Seller Center, CapCut, Lemon8, Hypic, Lark – Team Collaboration, Lark – Rooms Display, Lark Rooms Controller, Gauth: AI Study Companion, and MARVEL SNAP.

While President-elect Donald Trump has suggested giving TikTok a 90-day extension on its deadline after his inauguration on Monday, it’s unclear at this time if this would also impact apps like Marvel Snap and the others listed above.