Why was Marvel Snap banned in the US?

Exploring the reason behind the ban (Image via Nuverse) — Exploring the reason behind the Marvel Snap ban (Image via Nuverse)

Marvel Snap is a digital card game that was banned in the USA on January 18, 2025. Following the ban, players from the region weren't able to log into the game, leaving them extremely worried. The ban was imposed due to the game's association with ByteDance, a company that owns TikTok, Mobile Legends Bang Bang, and a few other Chinese applications.

For those unaware, the US government has banned all Chinese applications linked to ByteDance due to national security. Interestingly, this is not the first time a government has taken such an action. The Indian government took a similar route back in 2022, when it banned numerous Chinese applications, including TikTok, Free Fire, and PUBG Mobile.

Read on to learn more about the ban imposed on Marvel Snap.

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Everything you need to know about the ban on Marvel Snap

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Although Marvel Snap was developed by Second Dinner — a California-based game studio, it was published by Nuverse, which is owned by ByteDance. This association is probably the reason behind Marvel Snap being banned in the United States

Following the ban, players in the United States were hit with this message when logging into the game:

Sorry, 'Marvel Snap' isn't available right now. A law banning MS has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use MS for now. Rest assured, we're working to restore our service in the U.S. Please stay tuned!"

Can the ban on the title be lifted in the future?

Although we can't say for certain when the ban might be lifted, some speculations suggest that it won't be long before the title resumes its services in the United States. This speculation originated from the message that pops up when users try to open TikTok, claiming the app will resume its services once Donald Trump takes office in the upcoming weeks.

Moreover, according to a report published by the BBC, Trump will give TikTok a reprieve once he comes into power, allowing it to resume its services in the States. Hence, players can expect Marvel Snap to receive the same treatment from the President of the United States.

Meanwhile, for a temporary workaround, the developer, Nuverse, has suggested gamers in the USA use a virtual private network (VPN) to log into the game.

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Edited by Shraman Mitra