Marvel Snap was one of our favorite games of last year, in part because of its deep easy-to-play, hard-to-master battle mechanics. But it was also a breath of fresh air as a free-to-play game that found an entirely new way to capitalize on its card-collecting backbone, with a unique upgrade path that relied on what you already wanted to do: Collect cool cards and make them look even cooler.
Snap has exploded in popularity since launch, and we’ve seen the arrival of many more ways in which we can give developer Second Dinner our money in exchange for cards and credits. And while the game is still in large part unusually fair for a free-to-play mobile game, the sheer variety of in-app purchases means that some of its offerings are great values, and others are simply awful. As a result, it’s hard to pinpoint any central philosophy behind the game and its monetization strategy in its current state.
To understand how the game’s monetization works, you first need to understand its core progression. Marvel Snap eschews the traditional randomized card packs of most CCGs, and instead grants you new cards as part of your Collection Level (CL). That level is raised by visually upgrading the cards you already have, with a variety of flourishes like a 3D effect or animated elements. You play to collect boosters for your favorite cards, then upgrade them to look better, which gets you more cards, and the cycle repeats.
