NetEase Fires Director and US Devs Despite Marvel Rivals' Success

NetEase Games has made the surprising decision to lay off the US-based developers of Marvel Rivals, despite the game's success. Dive into the details of this unexpected move and what's coming next in the second half of Marvel Rivals' Season 1!

NetEase Strategic Business Shift Affects Studios in North America

Marvel Rivals US-Based Devs Laid Off by NetEase

On February 19, 2025, Thaddeus Sasser, the director of Marvel Rivals, announced on LinkedIn that he and other developers based in California were laid off by NetEase Games.

"This is such a weird industry," Sasser shared. "My stellar, talented team just helped deliver an incredibly successful new franchise in Marvel Rivals for NetEase Games...and were just laid off!"

Despite the setback, Sasser remains positive, using LinkedIn to advocate for his former team members. "Oh well! Times are tough all over - Let's find these incredible people new jobs, because we all need to eat, right?"

He started by highlighting Garry McGee, the game's technical designer. "During the course of the project, Garry was fantastic to work with. This is a highly technical designer - currently working in level design, but I've seen his passion project! - who is a proactive problem solver."

Sasser praised McGee's skills and recommended him highly to other developers, saying, "If I had a role I'd hire him again instantly."

It's clear that Sasser is committed to helping his team find new opportunities, using his platform to showcase their talents and skills.

NetEase, Despite Its Success, Made Controversial Moves in North America

Marvel Rivals was developed by two teams, one in China and another in Seattle, USA. Sasser's team focused on game and level design, while the Chinese team handled other aspects of development. Unfortunately, their crucial contributions did not protect them from the industry-wide layoffs.

NetEase has not released any official statement regarding the layoffs, but a Bungie employee suggested that the company might be scaling back its operations in North America. In November 2024, NetEase withdrew financial support from Worlds Untold, led by a former Mass Effect writer. More recently, on January 7, 2025, NetEase ended its partnership with Jar of Sparks, leaving the developers to seek new publishing partners.

Marvel Rivals Second Half of Season 1 Update

New Heroes, Maps, and More!

The second half of Marvel Rivals' Season 1 promises exciting new content, as announced on the game's YouTube channel on February 19, 2025. Spearheaded by creative director Guangguang and lead combat designer Zhiyong, the update introduces new heroes and a new map.

The Fantastic Four lineup is now complete with the addition of The Thing and Human Torch. Central Park, a new map set in New York, has been added, featuring Dracula's castle as a key landmark.

Zhiyong also detailed significant balance adjustments effective from February 21, 2025, at 12:00 AM (PDT). Key changes include increasing the energy cost for characters with quick ultimate recharge, such as Cloak & Dagger and Loki, to shake up the meta. Some Vanguard characters like Doctor Strange and Magneto will see reduced survivability, while certain movement-type Vanguards will receive boosts. Meanwhile, overpowered heroes like Storm and Moon Knight will be nerfed.

An initially planned rank reset, which would have dropped all players' ranks by four divisions, was met with fan backlash and has since been scrapped. For more details on this decision, check out this related article.