Marvel Rivals has easily taken the crown of being the most successful free-to-play game launch on PC and consoles in recent times, with the hero shooter boasting over 20 million players already. However, it seems even that"s not enough to avoid layoffs. NetEase has confirmed that it has decided to "optimize development efficiency" by cutting its Seattle-based team.
Reports of the layoffs first appeared from social media posts by the affected staff, with Marvel Rivals game director Thaddeus Sasser revealing on LinkedIn that the entire team no longer works for NetEase.
"My stellar, talented team just helped deliver an incredibly successful new franchise in Marvel Rivals for NetEase Games...and were just laid off," said the post.
Following a massive fan uproar, NetEase has now provided a statement regarding the changes, saying the primary development team in China is committed to developing the free-to-play shooter and that it will also support the laid-off staff "with recognition for their individual contributions."
Here"s the full statement via IGN:
“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. 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."
It"s unclear just how large the Seattle team was before the layoffs. No firm numbers have been revealed just yet. It"s an odd timing for the news, too, as the cuts arrive just as NetEase revealed that Human Torch and The Thing are coming to Marvel Rivals on February 21.