NetEase, the developer behind the successful mobile game Marvel Rivals, has confirmed layoffs within its Seattle-based design team. Game director Thaddeus Sasser announced on LinkedIn that he and his team were let go, despite the game's recent success. Marvel Rivals, a free-to-play hero shooter, has surpassed 20 million downloads since its December launch and boasts impressive concurrent player numbers on Steam.
Sasser's LinkedIn profile indicates his team's contributions to game and level design, providing strategic direction over the past two years. NetEase's statement confirmed the restructuring, citing "organizational reasons" and the need to optimize development efficiency. While the exact number of affected employees remains undisclosed, NetEase emphasized respectful and confidential treatment for those impacted.
The company assured players that ongoing support for Marvel Rivals will not be affected. The core development team, based in Guangzhou, China, and led by Producer Weicong Wu and Creative Director Guangyun Chen, remains fully committed to the game's future, promising new characters, maps, features, and content. NetEase reiterated its continued investment in the game's evolution.
This latest round of layoffs follows NetEase's recent withdrawal from several overseas investments and the closure of studios in the U.S. and Japan, including Ouka Studios (developer of Visions of Mana). Previous setbacks include the pause of operations for Worlds Untold and the cancellation of Jar of Sparks.
