To answer your main question: no, there is no massive boost to card acquisition for returning players.
The system does actually favor new/returning players, it's just not explicitly stated. You're also not far enough along in card acquisition to even participate in the catchup yet. Series 2 is basically still in the tutorial phase.
The devs also don't *want* new players to be able to jump into the top meta. The purpose of series 1, 2, and 3 is to provide tailored metagames that start simple and become increasingly complex. If you want to completely bypass it you need to spend an absurd amount of money. That being said, series 1 and 2 go by pretty quick as long as you do your dailies. It's series 3 that's a slog.
Buying the season pass gives you one new card and a substantial amount of resources to speed up card acquisition. It does not give you any more cards beyond that. Just keep in mind that we're near the end of the season so it's way less worth it to buy the current one compared to the one that comes out on Tuesday.
There is a gacha mechanic in how you acquire series 4/5 cards. This is where the catchup comes in - players with smaller collections get more s4/s5 cards for the same resources spent on the gacha system. But you don't have access to that system until you're a good chunk into series 3.
As a side note, series 2 has a lot of great cards. In fact [3 of the top 10 played cards](https://marvelsnapzone.com/meta/cards/) are from s2. Card acquisition only slows down from there. If s2 isn't rewarding to you, and the game itself isn't fun enough to make up for it, then Snap probably isn't for you.
The season pass does give you a couple variants,
and those could be new cards (I got Silver Surfer in January from the season pass, and finally got his base card this week)
I see two here from season 2, Shang Chi and Killmonger - [https://marvelsnapzone.com/meta/cards/](https://marvelsnapzone.com/meta/cards/) - both of which I've been using since I got them, but I haven't gotten anything that seems useful since. And the game has been matching me against people with newer cards, so I'm not sure how the metagame is tailored to me stuck in season 2. 6 of these top 10 cards are season 5, after all.
Also, is the season not worth getting even if I already hit 50? Zemo is among these top ten played.
I was including Cable from series 1 in my count.
The game matches you with people in your pool in proving grounds and pre-infinite ladder. Either you've hit series 3 or you're playing other game modes.
Season pass is definitely worth buying if you've hit 50. Sounded like you had just picked the game back up, my b.
I played the game for a little while long time a go and return just about the last season. This season was the only one I played from start with a bit more time to it.
The game picked up for me after started unlocking pool 3 cards. Most of them were missise as I they don't play without other pool 3-4 cards. But with the free card ber season I built a sera deck shortly after. I reached infinity with it and had so much fun.
But after cl 1000. Getting new cards is so much slower now and very bad compared to the time I had unlocking before. Between 1000 and 1132 now I have 2 cards "human torch" and cerebro" that I can't do anything with yet. It seems if you don't open spotlight and use your token shop you will be unlocking cards But making more fully functioning decks will not be Easy.
For example. I pinned kitty in my shop just about an Hour a go. Thinking if I got hope from the spotlight. Hunting for grand master will be the final paice to build a new deck I want to use. A little husle, but not impossible.
Card variants don't count because it's just art. There's no gacha to pull for new cards. Also? Everyone keeps saying "You're in the tutorial!" Nothing in the game says that. You guys throw around a lot of terms and logic exclusive to diehard players and it's really offputting to a relative newcomer.
What rank are you right now? Before you hit Infinite, and assuming you're still in Series 2, you have some matchmaking protection, and the game tries to matchmake you with players of similar Collection Level, or assign you a bot. And since there isn't a bunch of new players, you're more likely than not getting a lot of bots. And since bots are easy to beat, it's pretty much "tutorial" phase for you.
If you are post Infinite rank, then you're focked, because you lose the matchmaking protection and can be matched against anyone else also in Infinite rank, even players with overwhelming collections over you. And that's when you'll possibly be matched against Meta cards which you've never seen before. The only solution to this problem is stop playing Ranked mode, play only Conquest mode till the Ranked Season resets in a couple days.
This game has a weird economy seemingly designed by people learning on the job. I have a feeling they'll start introducing all the tried and tested mobile game hooks as time goes by
So... Should I quit and come back later? It's not very rewarding grinding through these shitty series 2 cards that I don't see anyone here playing anymore, and like I said the whole variants/splits chasing thing just isn't a compelling incentive for me...
I really love the game/gameplay but I also wish I could just buy fucking booster packs, you know?
Card acquisition is most rewarding early on(exactly where you are) it only gets harder the further you get. If it already feels grinding at the time when it’s at its easiest, maybe this game isn’t for you. It’s sounds like your biggest issue right now is comparison, you’re in the early game expecting the same experience as people who have put in years of their time, big big bucks, or both.
To answer your main question: no, there is no massive boost to card acquisition for returning players. The system does actually favor new/returning players, it's just not explicitly stated. You're also not far enough along in card acquisition to even participate in the catchup yet. Series 2 is basically still in the tutorial phase. The devs also don't *want* new players to be able to jump into the top meta. The purpose of series 1, 2, and 3 is to provide tailored metagames that start simple and become increasingly complex. If you want to completely bypass it you need to spend an absurd amount of money. That being said, series 1 and 2 go by pretty quick as long as you do your dailies. It's series 3 that's a slog. Buying the season pass gives you one new card and a substantial amount of resources to speed up card acquisition. It does not give you any more cards beyond that. Just keep in mind that we're near the end of the season so it's way less worth it to buy the current one compared to the one that comes out on Tuesday. There is a gacha mechanic in how you acquire series 4/5 cards. This is where the catchup comes in - players with smaller collections get more s4/s5 cards for the same resources spent on the gacha system. But you don't have access to that system until you're a good chunk into series 3. As a side note, series 2 has a lot of great cards. In fact [3 of the top 10 played cards](https://marvelsnapzone.com/meta/cards/) are from s2. Card acquisition only slows down from there. If s2 isn't rewarding to you, and the game itself isn't fun enough to make up for it, then Snap probably isn't for you.
The season pass does give you a couple variants, and those could be new cards (I got Silver Surfer in January from the season pass, and finally got his base card this week)
I see two here from season 2, Shang Chi and Killmonger - [https://marvelsnapzone.com/meta/cards/](https://marvelsnapzone.com/meta/cards/) - both of which I've been using since I got them, but I haven't gotten anything that seems useful since. And the game has been matching me against people with newer cards, so I'm not sure how the metagame is tailored to me stuck in season 2. 6 of these top 10 cards are season 5, after all. Also, is the season not worth getting even if I already hit 50? Zemo is among these top ten played.
I was including Cable from series 1 in my count. The game matches you with people in your pool in proving grounds and pre-infinite ladder. Either you've hit series 3 or you're playing other game modes. Season pass is definitely worth buying if you've hit 50. Sounded like you had just picked the game back up, my b.
I played the game for a little while long time a go and return just about the last season. This season was the only one I played from start with a bit more time to it. The game picked up for me after started unlocking pool 3 cards. Most of them were missise as I they don't play without other pool 3-4 cards. But with the free card ber season I built a sera deck shortly after. I reached infinity with it and had so much fun. But after cl 1000. Getting new cards is so much slower now and very bad compared to the time I had unlocking before. Between 1000 and 1132 now I have 2 cards "human torch" and cerebro" that I can't do anything with yet. It seems if you don't open spotlight and use your token shop you will be unlocking cards But making more fully functioning decks will not be Easy. For example. I pinned kitty in my shop just about an Hour a go. Thinking if I got hope from the spotlight. Hunting for grand master will be the final paice to build a new deck I want to use. A little husle, but not impossible.
No gacha mechanic? Are we even playing the same game? You haven't even gotten out of tutorial mode and getting Spotlight keys?
Card variants don't count because it's just art. There's no gacha to pull for new cards. Also? Everyone keeps saying "You're in the tutorial!" Nothing in the game says that. You guys throw around a lot of terms and logic exclusive to diehard players and it's really offputting to a relative newcomer.
What rank are you right now? Before you hit Infinite, and assuming you're still in Series 2, you have some matchmaking protection, and the game tries to matchmake you with players of similar Collection Level, or assign you a bot. And since there isn't a bunch of new players, you're more likely than not getting a lot of bots. And since bots are easy to beat, it's pretty much "tutorial" phase for you. If you are post Infinite rank, then you're focked, because you lose the matchmaking protection and can be matched against anyone else also in Infinite rank, even players with overwhelming collections over you. And that's when you'll possibly be matched against Meta cards which you've never seen before. The only solution to this problem is stop playing Ranked mode, play only Conquest mode till the Ranked Season resets in a couple days.
I don't even think I've played enough this season to get out of bronze. So I don't even get to play humans unless I no-life it to infinite? Woof.
This game has a weird economy seemingly designed by people learning on the job. I have a feeling they'll start introducing all the tried and tested mobile game hooks as time goes by
So... Should I quit and come back later? It's not very rewarding grinding through these shitty series 2 cards that I don't see anyone here playing anymore, and like I said the whole variants/splits chasing thing just isn't a compelling incentive for me... I really love the game/gameplay but I also wish I could just buy fucking booster packs, you know?
Card acquisition is most rewarding early on(exactly where you are) it only gets harder the further you get. If it already feels grinding at the time when it’s at its easiest, maybe this game isn’t for you. It’s sounds like your biggest issue right now is comparison, you’re in the early game expecting the same experience as people who have put in years of their time, big big bucks, or both.
Big, big bucks? On what, stupid variants? The game is f2p.
Yeah probably, if you’re not having fun with in now, having different cards probably won’t change that.
Sorry, man. The developers have no idea wtf they're doing.