Oh, snap! Second Dinner has officially announced the Marvel Snap: Golden Gauntlet World Championship Series, a global tournament initiative launching on August 9, 2025. This free-to-enter competition is open to all players regardless of rank or experience and is aimed at bringing together the community and showcasing players’ creativity. The series will be broadcast live on the game’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.
Registration links will be shared on the official Discord ahead of each event, along with full rules, format, and support in dedicated channels.
The Golden Gauntlet Series will include three regional “Open Qualifier” tournaments, leading up to a global finals event in November called the Golden Gauntlet Worlds. Each regional event will follow a standardized format: Six rounds of Swiss-style playing (a fixed number of rounds, with pairings based on performance rather than elimination), followed by a top 16 single-elimination bracket, with prizes awarded to the top finishers.
After that, players who end those rounds with a 5-1 record or better will earn a spot in the final event. These qualifiers are scheduled for August, September, and October, each focusing on different global regions, ensuring as many players as possible.
Aland Failde, SVP of marketing at Second Dinner, emphasized that the tournament is a way to give back to fans and creators who have shaped the game’s journey.
“From day one, Marvel Snap has been shaped by its players, and the Golden Gauntlet is our way of supporting and amplifying that passion,” Failde said in a statement. “Huge shoutout to Game On Events for helping us host this event and to all the incredible community members who’ve helped bring this to life–this series wouldn’t exist without their dedication, creativity, and love for the game.”
Snap players might remember when the game went temporarily offline this past January due to the implementation of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA). The legislation banned software owned or published by ByteDance, which owns the game’s then-publisher Nuverse. The restrictions were later removed, and the developers announced that they would work with US company Skystone Games to bring publishing duties in-house.
Similarly, Matthew R.–also known for his gamertag ItsGuestGaming–co-founder of Game On Events, highlighted the tournament’s evolution from grassroots efforts to a full-fledged world championship.
“Our goal with this series is to bring the community together to celebrate Marvel Snap’s competitive scene while showcasing the fast, high-stakes nature of its matches,” he said. “It’s been exciting to watch tournaments grow from grassroots events to the Golden Gauntlet World Championship Series. Whether you’ve been playing for two months or two years, we’re thrilled to host a tournament that honors Marvel Snap’s amazing community.”
The grand finale, Golden Gauntlet Worlds, will take place on November 8, 2025, featuring over 300 qualified players from the three open tournaments. This final event will consist of nine rounds of Swiss play, culminating in a Top 16 playoff to determine the ultimate champion.
As of now, there are no cards banned, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they treat this like High Voltage-style and ban cards like Galactus and Magik just to speed things along.
The tournament will start a week after the last of the Fantastic Four: First Steps cards drop, giving players some time to decide if their already perfect deck could be better.
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