Marvel Rivals Creative Director Axed, Seattle Team Disbanded

NetEase, the developer behind the successful mobile game Marvel Rivals, has announced layoffs affecting its Seattle-based design team. The cuts, attributed to "organizational reasons" and efficiency optimization, were announced by game director Thaddeus Sasser on LinkedIn. Sasser and his team, responsible for game and level design, were let go despite the game's significant success.

Marvel Rivals, a free-to-play hero shooter, has achieved over 20 million downloads since its December launch and boasts impressive concurrent player numbers on Steam. The gaming community expressed surprise and criticism over the layoffs given the game's popularity.

NetEase confirmed the layoffs in a statement to IGN, but declined to disclose the exact number of employees affected. The company emphasized that the layoffs will not affect ongoing support for Marvel Rivals, as the core development team remains in Guangzhou, China, under the leadership of Lead Producer Weicong Wu and Game Creative Director Guangyun Chen. NetEase reiterated its commitment to expanding the game with new content and features.

This latest round of layoffs follows a pattern of reduced overseas investment and studio closures by NetEase. Previous actions include the closure of U.S. and Japan-based studios, such as Ouka Studios (Visions of Mana), and the halting of operations for Worlds Untold and Jar of Sparks.