Just over two months after the successful launch of "Marvel Rivals," reports have surfaced that the game's US-based development team, including its game director, has been laid off. The news quickly drew industry attention, especially given the game's sustained high level of player activity.
NetEase has since confirmed the reports to media outlets, stating the move was part of an organizational adjustment.
"We recently made adjustments to the development team structure of 'Marvel Rivals' to optimize the game's development efficiency," NetEase stated. "As a result, we have downsized the Seattle-based design team, which was part of a larger global design function supporting 'Marvel Rivals.' We are grateful for the hard work of all affected employees and will treat them with respect and confidentiality." The statement confirms the Seattle design team was downsized, but did not disclose the specific number of employees affected.
Additionally, NetEase Games Director Thaddeus Sasser confirmed on LinkedIn that he and several members of his team were let go. "My incredibly talented, top-tier team, who just delivered a massively successful new IP for NetEase in 'Marvel Rivals,' was just laid off!" he posted.
Level designer Gary McGee and another designer, Jack Burrows, also separately confirmed they were laid off. "Seems like no matter how successful the project is, we couldn't escape this round of layoffs," Burrows wrote on social media.
"Marvel Rivals" has achieved significant global success since its launch last December, consistently maintaining a high player count on Steam. According to a report by Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, the game currently ranks among the top five in weekly active players on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam in the US.
Furthermore, during the game's first season update last month, "Marvel Rivals" hit a peak of 644,269 concurrent players, surpassing well-known titles like "Apex Legends," "Path of Exile 2," "Helldivers 2," and "Grand Theft Auto V." Despite the game's impressive performance, the layoff news has come as a surprise to many in the industry.
The layoffs are reportedly linked to a broader decision by NetEase to scale back its North American operations. Recently, NetEase terminated its partnerships with Canadian studio Worlds Untold and Seattle-based Jar of Sparks. Commenting on the situation, veteran game animation director John Ebenger remarked, "I've heard NetEase is pulling all investment out of North America. This has been happening since last year."
Currently, NetEase still owns several studios in North America, including BulletFarm, Anchor Point, T-Minus Zero, and Canada's Bad Brain Game Studios. The company also maintains high-profile collaborations with "Yakuza" series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi, "Resident Evil" series producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi, and Goichi Suda's Grasshopper Manufacture.
via： VGC