Marvel Rivals, the massively successful multiplayer game, nearly faced cancellation during its development phase due to licensing challenges and financial concerns. According to a Bloomberg report dated February 21, the game encountered significant obstacles before its eventual release.

NetEase's chief executive, William Ding, initially resisted paying Disney for the use of popular Marvel characters like Wolverine and Spider-Man, suggesting the creation of original heroes instead. The company reportedly spent millions of dollars attempting to repurpose the game amid these licensing difficulties, though these issues were eventually resolved.

While NetEase has publicly stated that their relationship with Marvel has been consistently positive, the company's recent actions tell a different story. They recently disbanded a US-based support studio for Marvel Rivals and terminated several staff members, including a game director, despite the game's remarkable success.

The game has achieved impressive milestones since its launch, attracting over 40 million players in just three months. This success has influenced the competitive landscape, notably causing Blizzard to reevaluate its approach to Overwatch 2, which ironically served as a major inspiration for Marvel Rivals.

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