NetEase, developer of 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, launched in December, boasts over 20 million downloads and significant concurrent player numbers on Steam.
Sasser's LinkedIn profile indicates his team played a crucial role in the game's design and development. 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, remains fully committed to delivering new content and features. NetEase assures players of continued investment in the game's future, promising new heroes, maps, and features.
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 paused operations of Worlds Untold and the cancellation of Jar of Sparks.
