Marvel Snap and Mobile Legends Caught in TikTok Ban Crossfire - What's Next?
Today's edition covers the U.S. ban on TikTok and its ripple effects on ByteDance's video game business, Skyesports' decision to cancel a tournament citing Valve's alleged inaction, and more.
Mobile Legends, Marvel Snap Hit by TikTok Ban Fallout
The U.S. government’s ban on TikTok, citing national security concerns, has also triggered the suspension of several mobile games linked to the app’s Beijing-based parent, ByteDance. The affected titles include Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Marvel Snap, Watcher of Realms, and One Punch Man: The Strongest, with U.S. users reporting they were unable to access them on Sunday.
Shanghai-based Moonton, creator of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, said the title is “currently unavailable” in the United States due to “circumstances beyond its control,” adding that player accounts remain intact and that it is “optimistic about resuming” services. Marvel Snap, published by ByteDance’s Nuverse division, displayed messages referencing newly enacted U.S. legislation that bars its operation. In a statement, developer Second Dinner said the inclusion of Snap in the ban was unexpected, but that the game is bound by the same rules as TikTok because it shares a publisher with ByteDance. Second Dinner stressed that Snap “isn’t going anywhere.”
This development follows a Supreme Court ruling that compels TikTok to separate from ByteDance or face a U.S. prohibition over concerns the Chinese government could access American data.
President-elect Donald Trump said he will sign an executive order on Monday delaying the TikTok ban, calling for the platform to be acquired by a joint venture with U.S. investors and existing owners, and pledging “no liability” for technology firms that act before Monday’s deadline. TikTok tweeted that it is “in the process of restoring service” and thanked Trump for providing clarity. Some users have already reported the app working again and observers expect ByteDance’s games to resume U.S. operations once regulatory uncertainties are resolved.
Skyesports Cancels Souvenir 2025
The Indian organizer reportedly canceled the event after applying to Valve for a rescheduling and wildcard invites but receiving no response. “Coupled with the current situation surrounding other events and concerns raised by teams about the tournament potentially becoming unranked, we are left with no choice but to cancel the Skyesports Souvenir 2025,” the organizer said in a statement to Dust2.in. Skyesports did not elaborate on the “current situation.”
According to HLTV, Valve recently emailed tournament organizers reminding them of its new 2025 “Tournament Operating Requirements,” which require organizers to disclose key details of their events well in advance and demand prior approval for any changes. The email allegedly reiterated deadlines for announcing key details about events and warned tournament organizers that Valve would “have to explore penalties” if requirements were not “addressed immediately.”
Quick Bytes
PlayStation Reportedly Cancels Live-Service God of War Game
The unannounced project, in development for three years, was one of two live-service titles recently shelved following a company review, according to Bloomberg. The move comes as PlayStation shifts focus toward single-player and online games after facing setbacks with live-service ventures, including the failure of Concord, which led to developer Firewalk’s closure in 2024.
Did You Know
Chex Quest was the first video game ever included as a cereal box prize! Released in 1996 as a promotional tie-in for Chex cereal, this game was a non-violent first-person shooter that parodied Doom. Instead of blasting demons, players zap "Flemoids," which are gooey creatures invading the Chex universe, using a "Zorch" weapon that sends them back to their home dimension.
It was distributed in specially marked boxes of Chex and became an unexpected hit, leading to two sequels. The game was so popular that it even garnered a cult following, with fans creating mods and remakes years after its initial release.
Quote of the Day
"You can’t win a game by doing nothing. And if someone else wins it for you, then you haven’t accomplished anything. Life is the same way."
– Kenshin Himura, Rurouni Kenshin