Marvel Rivals Director and Entire Seattle Design Team Laid Off, NetEase Tells Fans Not to Worry About the Game

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, who confirmed his own dismissal along with his team's.

The news has sparked significant reaction within the gaming community, given Marvel Rivals' impressive performance since its December launch. The free-to-play title boasts over 20 million downloads and substantial concurrent player counts on Steam. Sasser's LinkedIn profile highlights his team's contributions to game and level design over the past two years.

NetEase's official statement confirmed the layoffs but avoided specifying the number of affected employees. The company emphasized its commitment to respectful and confidential treatment of those impacted, acknowledging their contributions. Crucially, NetEase reassured players that ongoing support for Marvel Rivals will not be affected, 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 continued investment in the game, promising new heroes, maps, features, and content updates.

This latest restructuring follows a pattern of recent layoffs and scaled-back overseas investments by NetEase. The company has previously closed studios in the U.S. and Japan, including Ouka Studios (Visions of Mana), and paused operations for Worlds Untold (headed by Mass Effect veteran Mac Walters) and Jar of Sparks (founded by Halo and Destiny 2 veteran Jerry Hook).