If there's one story that dominated headlines over the weekend, it was undoubtedly the temporary ban of TikTok in the United States. This action followed a congressional act labeling it as a "foreign adversary controlled application," and the ban took effect on Sunday. However, the situation quickly reversed when president-elect Donald Trump pledged to restore the service, and ByteDance promptly brought TikTok back online. Yet, not all of ByteDance's applications experienced such a swift return.
A prime example is Marvel Snap, the popular comic-themed card battler. Alongside other ByteDance subsidiary releases like Moonton's Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Marvel Snap was abruptly taken offline in the U.S., displaying a message indicating it had been banned. ByteDance's message was clear: accept all their offerings or get none at all.
The twist? Developer Second Dinner appeared to be caught off guard by this move and has been managing the fallout on Twitter for the past 24 hours. They've promised to restore Marvel Snap to service quickly, but this incident raises significant and troubling questions.
Catch!It doesn't require a political science degree to recognize that ByteDance's strategy of taking TikTok offline and framing Trump as its potential savior was a calculated move to generate buzz. This tactic seems to have worked, allowing ByteDance to dramatically re-enter the U.S. market.
However, this political maneuvering also affected other gaming releases, leaving some ByteDance developers in a lurch. Second Dinner, for instance, has had to offer lucrative free rewards to compensate players for the downtime, hoping to have Marvel Snap back online by the time of publishing.
While it's unlikely that Second Dinner will end their lucrative partnership with ByteDance over this, the incident likely hasn't boosted their confidence. The message seems clear: mobile gaming is secondary to ByteDance's primary focus on their algorithm-driven social media platform.
Game overThis isn't the first time ByteDance has prioritized social media over gaming. In 2023, their gaming division underwent massive layoffs, canceling many projects before they could launch. Since then, Marvel Snap seemed to signal a shift towards partnerships rather than in-house development. However, this breach of trust could make other developers and publishers wary of getting entangled in ByteDance's next political controversy.
Disney, too, might be feeling the impact, especially with the recent success of NetEase's Marvel Rivals, which boosted mobile gaming through a crossover collaboration earlier this month. ByteDance may have outmaneuvered politicians, but players, developers, and IP holders are likely to be less forgiving.
They think it's all over…Rumors suggest that ByteDance might just be the beginning. Other Chinese gaming giants like Tencent and NetEase could be next in line for scrutiny. The FTC has already targeted MiHoYo over loot boxes, and even this high-profile incident and its anticlimactic resolution may not deter future political attacks on the gaming industry.
What's next for Marvel Snap? The temporary ban caught the attention of many, especially older players who were indifferent to TikTok but passionate about their card game. ByteDance's strategic move paid off, setting a concerning precedent.
How will people react when their favorite games become pawns in geopolitical games? The saying about bread and circuses might come back to haunt everyone involved.
