NetEase, the developers of Marvel Rivals, have sacked the entire US development team of the game, despite the huge success of the title.
Net Ease Sacks US Marvel Rivals Team
It’s no secret that Marvel Rivals has become one of the most popular games right now. With such fame comes the need for lots of support and further development for the title. This being the case, one has to wonder why the Marvel Rivals development team in the US has been laid off.
NetEase game director Thaddeus Sasser recently commented on the matter, asking why he and his team have been dismissed. In a post on LinkedIn, level designer Jack Burrows confirmed the layoffs, commenting it was an enormous pleasure for him to work with their American coworkers, who joined in this sad culling. He just “couldn’t dodge that big boot,” no matter how successful the gig was.
With this being the case, many fans started speculating why NetEase, the developers of Marvel Rivals, would lay off so many of its employees, despite the game’s huge success. According to some, that’s been the plan all along: make the title successful and then cut the team operating it down to the bone. As it turns out, the fans may have been onto something.
NetEase Speaks
In a statement provided for PC Gamer, NetEase explained it was a “difficult decision to adjust Marvel Rivals’ development team structure for organizational reasons and to optimize development efficiency for the game.” According to the company, this led to a reduction in a design team based in Seattle, which is part of a larger global design function supporting Marvel Rivals. NetEase appreciates the hard work and dedication of those affected and will treat them with confidentiality and respect, acknowledging their individual contributions.
Despite the US layoffs, the development team in China “remains fully committed to delivering an exceptional experience.” The company said it is determined on “investing more, not less” into the hero shooter, despite the big layoffs. NetEase further explained they are excited to deliver new superhero characters, maps, features, and content to ensure an engaging live service experience for the worldwide player base.
It’s unclear how many employees have been left jobless after NetEase’s recent move, but it seems like a high price to pay for “optimizing” the further Marvel Rivals development.
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