NetEase Confirms MARVEL RIVALS Layoffs

Multiple Marvel Rivals team members confirmed their layoffs at NetEase, shocking the internet this week. In an official statement today, NetEase confirmed the layoffs of game director Thaddeus Sasser and level designer Jack Burrows.

NetEase said the layoffs, which mostly affected the Seattle design team, were made to "optimize development efficiency for the game."

"We recently made the difficult decision to adjust Marvel Rivals’ development team structure for organizational reasons and to optimize development efficiency for the game," "This resulted in a reduction of a design team based in Seattle that is part of a larger global design function in support of Marvel Rivals. We appreciate the hard work and dedication of those affected and will be treating them confidentially and respectfully with recognition for their individual contributions."

"We want to reassure our fanbase that the core development team for Marvel Rivals, which continues to be led by Lead Producer Weicong Wu and Game Creative Director Guangyun Chen in Guangzhou, China, remains fully committed to delivering an exceptional experience," the statement continues. "We are investing more, not less, into the evolution and growth of this game. We’re excited to deliver new super hero characters, maps, features, and content to ensure an engaging live service experience for our worldwide player base.”