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, 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.
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 affect ongoing support for Marvel Rivals. The game's core development team, based in Guangzhou, China, under Lead Producer Weicong Wu and Game Creative Director Guangyun Chen, remains fully committed to delivering new content and features. NetEase assures players that investment in the game's future is increasing, with plans for new characters, maps, and features.
This latest round of layoffs follows a pattern of NetEase scaling back on overseas investments and closing studios in the U.S. and Japan. Previous closures include Ouka Studios (developer of Visions of Mana) and the halting of operations for Worlds Untold and Jar of Sparks.
