Marvel Rivals hit by layoffs as entire US development team let go
Marvel characters flying over city skyline
NetEase Games has laid off its Seattle-based development team for Marvel Rivals, despite the game's significant success since its December 2024 launch. Game director Thaddeus Sasser announced the news via LinkedIn, expressing surprise at the decision given the game's strong performance.
The affected team, which joined NetEase in January 2023, focused on level design mechanics and gameplay development for Marvel Rivals. The layoffs impacted six employees, comprising the entire North American division for the game.
The Thing in battle stance
Industry analyst Daniel Ahmad confirmed that these layoffs only affect the US team, while the core development team in China remains intact. The decision appears to be part of NetEase's broader strategy to reassess its overseas investments and studios, with the company reducing funding to various international teams over the past year.
Among those affected is level designer Garry McGee, who contributed to the game's success that has attracted tens of millions of players and generated substantial revenue since its full release.
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