Marvel Snap is an officially licensed Marvel game developed and published by Second Dinner, a game studio founded by veteran game designers who previously worked on games like Hearthstone. So yes, Marvel Snap is an official Marvel game, not some unofficial fan project.
Who created Marvel Snap?
Marvel Snap was created by Second Dinner, an independent game studio based in Los Angeles. Second Dinner was founded in 2018 by several industry veterans, including:
- Ben Brode – Game director and designer who was formerly the game director of Hearthstone at Blizzard Entertainment.
- Yong Woo – Game producer who also previously worked on Hearthstone.
- Hamilton Chu – Executive producer who was the former executive producer for Hearthstone.
- Michael Schweitzer – Art director who worked on games like Heroes of the Storm and Overwatch.
This core team brought decades of collective experience designing and producing hit games like Hearthstone, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch. They received an official Marvel games license to develop a quick-session digital card battler set in the Marvel Universe.
How did Second Dinner get the Marvel license?
Second Dinner’s founders leveraged their strong reputations and connections in the game industry to secure the coveted Marvel gaming license. Disney and Marvel are very selective about who they allow to work on Marvel properties. Here are some key factors that helped Second Dinner gain Marvel’s approval:
- Ben Brode and team had a proven track record designing immensely popular games like Hearthstone.
- Their vision for Marvel Snap as a unique, bite-sized card battle game was distinctive and appealing to Marvel.
- Brode and others had existing relationships with people at Marvel Games through past professional associations.
- Second Dinner’s team brought tremendous game design expertise that Marvel could trust to do its characters justice.
Overall, Second Dinner’s heritage developing one of the most successful digital card games combined with their stellar industry reputation helped give Marvel the confidence to grant them the license.
What kind of game is Marvel Snap?
Marvel Snap is a fast-paced digital card battle game designed especially for mobile devices. Here are some key details about the gameplay:
- Matches are three minutes in length and only take place over 6-12 rounds.
- Players build 12 card decks with Marvel heroes and villains that have special abilities.
- The goal is to win two out of three locations by playing cards that have high power.
- Players can “Snap” to bet they will win a location and get an extra benefit.
- Matches take place in familiar Marvel settings like Tony Stark’s Lab and Wakanda.
With its quick game sessions, Marvel IP integration, and approachable free-to-play model, Marvel Snap aims to appeal to a wide casual gaming audience globally across Android and iOS.
When was Marvel Snap released?
Here is a quick timeline for Marvel Snap’s development and release:
- Second Dinner was founded in 2018 specifically to create a Marvel game.
- Marvel Snap was soft-launched in limited territories like Canada and Australia in October 2021.
- The worldwide iOS and Android launch date for Marvel Snap was October 18, 2022.
It took several years for Second Dinner to develop Marvel Snap and fine-tune the gameplay before bringing it to a global audience. The game was met with enthusiasm from Marvel fans and became a top free app download after the full launch.
Is Marvel Snap pay-to-win?
Marvel Snap is explicitly designed to not be pay-to-win. Here are some key points about the game’s free-to-play model:
- All cards can be earned for free through regular gameplay.
- Players can’t directly buy new cards with real money.
- Spending money only speeds up earning cosmetics and credits to unlock cards faster.
- There is no direct player trading of cards or secondary sales market.
- Paid boosters just give card variants, not competitive advantages.
Second Dinner strove to create a fair and balanced system where spending money helps you build your card collection quicker but does not give paying players inherent gameplay bonuses over free players.
How does Marvel profit from Marvel Snap?
As an officially licensed Marvel game, there are a few ways Marvel earns revenue from Marvel Snap:
- Second Dinner pays Marvel licensing fees to use the Marvel IP.
- Marvel likely gets a share of Marvel Snap’s revenue from in-app purchases.
- The game promotes and cross-sells Marvel entertainment brands.
- Marvel Snap introduces Marvel characters to new potential fans.
While the terms of the licensing deal are private, it’s clear Marvel Snap provides significant monetization and promotional value to Marvel by translating their universe into a popular gaming IP.
Will there be official Marvel Snap tournaments?
Second Dinner has indicated they do plan to hold official Marvel Snap competitive tournaments and esports events. Here are some key details:
- There will be a dedicated Marvel Snap pro league starting in 2023.
- Major in-person tournaments in key regions around the world are planned.
- These pro events will have prize pools, casters, and streams.
- There may be opportunities for high-level players to get officially licensed.
Turning Marvel Snap into an esport brings multiple benefits, including driving user engagement, increasing game longevity, and building devoted communities around top-level competitive play.
| Tournament | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Marvel Snap Invitational | January 2023 | Las Vegas |
| Marvel Snap North American Championship | June 2023 | Seattle |
| Marvel Snap World Championship | November 2023 | New York City |
This sample schedule gives an idea of the type of global esports program Second Dinner seems to have in mind for highly competitive Marvel Snap play. Major events like these would help drive visibility for the game and its top pro players.
Conclusion
In summary, Marvel Snap is an officially licensed game developed by veteran game designers specifically to take advantage of the Marvel IP in an innovative digital card battle format. Backed by the strength of the Marvel brand and the knowledge of an expert team, Marvel Snap aims to bring a one-of-a-kind Marvel gaming experience to casual audiences around the world. Its launch as a fair free-to-play game optimized for mobile play combined with future esports aspirations provide a compelling new Marvel gaming universe that appeals to both general entertainment fans and more hardcore competitive players alike.