While GDC 2023 might already feel like it was forever ago, clips of conference talks are now going live on the official YouTube page, with Ben Brode’s Marvel Snap explainer one of the latest to arrive. This much-anticipated presentation shares some key insights into the development of Second Dinner’s superhero card games, as well as some classic Ben Brode dad jokes. We love to see it.
Titled ‘Designing Marvel Snap’, Brode’s hour-long conference talk delves into the full history of the game, from him starting up Second Dinner alongside Hamilton Chu to the post-launch approach. Of course, a lot of us know the main beats, Brode left Blizzard and Hearthstone in 2018, took some of the best developers with him, and started up Second Dinner. For the last year, he’s gleefully delivered monthly Marvel Snap updates, serving as the face and chief development officer for the company.
One of the most interesting revelations from Brode’s presentation is how parenthood inspired the mechanics of Marvel Snap. On becoming a father, Brode realised he had much less time for games, becoming engaged with titles that offer short and snappy under-five minutes gameplay sessions like Card Monsters and Clash Royale.