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. 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 impressive player numbers on Steam. Sasser's team, responsible for game and level design, was let go for what NetEase described as "organizational reasons" aimed at optimizing development efficiency. While NetEase confirmed the layoffs, the exact number of affected employees remains undisclosed. The company emphasized that ongoing support for Marvel Rivals will not be impacted, as the core development team in Guangzhou, China, remains fully committed. NetEase reassured players that investments in new content, including characters, maps, and features, will continue. This latest round of layoffs follows NetEase's withdrawal from several overseas investments and the closure of studios in the U.S. and Japan, including Ouka Studios and the recent pausing of operations for Worlds Untold and the closure of Jar of Sparks.