NetEase, developer of the successful mobile game Marvel Rivals, has announced layoffs affecting its Seattle-based design team. The cuts, attributed to "organizational reasons" and aimed at optimizing development efficiency, were confirmed by NetEase in a statement to IGN. While the exact number of affected employees remains undisclosed, the news has been met with surprise and criticism within the gaming community, given Marvel Rivals' significant success since its December launch. The game boasts over 20 million downloads and impressive concurrent player counts on Steam.
Game director Thaddeus Sasser announced the layoffs on LinkedIn, highlighting the team's contributions to the game's launch and expressing support for his laid-off colleagues. Sasser's team, according to his LinkedIn profile, played a key role in game and level design.
NetEase emphasized that the layoffs will not affect ongoing support for Marvel Rivals. The core development team, based in Guangzhou, China, under Lead Producer Weicong Wu and Game Creative Director Guangyun Chen, remains fully committed to the game's continued development and expansion. NetEase plans to introduce new heroes, maps, features, and content to maintain player engagement.
This latest round of layoffs follows a pattern of reduced overseas investment and studio closures at NetEase. Previous actions include the closure of U.S. and Japan-based studios, such as Ouka Studios (Visions of Mana), and the pausing of operations for Worlds Untold and the cancellation of Jar of Sparks.
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