Marvel Rivals Director and Entire Seattle Design Team Laid Off, NetEase Tells Fans Not to Worry About the Game

NetEase, the developer behind the successful mobile game Marvel Rivals, has announced layoffs affecting its Seattle-based design team. Game director Thaddeus Sasser revealed the news on LinkedIn, expressing surprise given 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 team contributed significantly to the game's design and development over the past two years. NetEase confirmed the layoffs in a statement to IGN, citing "organizational reasons" and the need to optimize development efficiency. While the exact number of affected employees remains undisclosed, NetEase emphasized that the layoffs won't impact ongoing support for Marvel Rivals. The game's core development team, based in Guangzhou, China, will continue to deliver new content, including characters, maps, and features.

This latest round of layoffs follows a pattern of reduced overseas investment and studio closures at NetEase. Previous closures include Ouka Studios (developer of Visions of Mana), and the pausing of operations for Worlds Untold after a split with the publisher. NetEase also cut ties with Jar of Sparks earlier this year.