ByteDance Apps Vanish from US Stores: TikTok Returns, Marvel Snap and Others Remain Banned
Staff Editor ByteDance Apps Face Widespread Ban in US, Including Surprise Removal of Marvel Snap
In a sweeping move that has sent shockwaves through the mobile app landscape, several ByteDance-owned applications have been banned in the United States, with TikTok making only a partial return following a nationwide prohibition. Popular apps such as Marvel Snap, CapCut, and Lemon8 remain unavailable on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, leaving millions of users in limbo.
The unexpected ban of Marvel Snap, a popular collectible card game, has particularly caught users and its developer, Second Dinner, off guard. The studio took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the sudden outage, expressing their surprise at the turn of events. Marvel Snap, published by ByteDance subsidiary Nuverse, finds itself caught in the crossfire of broader concerns surrounding Chinese-owned applications.
Users attempting to access Marvel Snap, CapCut, and Lemon8 are now greeted with pop-up messages informing them of the ban. CapCut’s notification explicitly cites US law as the reason for the app’s unavailability. Developers have assured users that efforts are underway to restore services, though no specific timeline has been provided.
The impact of this ban extends beyond these high-profile apps. TikTok and several other ByteDance applications preemptively shut down operations before the federal law took effect. Other affected apps include TikTok Studio, TikTok Shop Seller Center, Hypic, Lark apps, and Gauth: AI Study Companion.
Both Google Play Store and Apple App Store have implemented measures to reflect this new reality. The Play Store cites US legal requirements as the reason for pausing downloads, while the App Store simply states that the apps are unavailable in the user’s country or region.
As uncertainty looms, it remains unclear when or if Marvel Snap, CapCut, Lemon8, and other affected apps will resume operations or return to mobile app stores. This development marks a significant escalation in the ongoing scrutiny of Chinese-owned tech companies in the United States, with far-reaching implications for app developers, users, and the broader digital ecosystem.
