NetEase Fires Director and US Devs Despite Marvel Rivals' Success

NetEase Games has recently laid off the US-based developers of Marvel Rivals, despite the game's remarkable success. Dive deeper into this story and discover the exciting updates planned for the second half of Marvel Rivals' Season 1!

NetEase's Strategic Business Shift Impacts North American Studios

Marvel Rivals' US-Based Developers Laid Off by NetEase

Thaddeus Sasser, the director of Marvel Rivals, announced on his LinkedIn profile on February 19, 2025, that he and other California-based developers were let go by NetEase Games.

"This is such a weird industry," Sasser remarked. "My stellar, talented team just helped deliver an incredibly successful new franchise in Marvel Rivals for NetEase Games...and were just laid off!"

Despite the setback, Sasser remains optimistic and is actively seeking new opportunities for his former team members on LinkedIn. "Oh well! Times are tough all over - Let's find these incredible people new jobs, because we all need to eat, right?"

He highlighted the skills of Garry McGee, the game's technical designer, stating, "During the course of the project, Garry was fantastic to work with. This is a highly technical designer - currently working in level design, but I've seen his passion project! - who is a proactive problem solver."

Sasser praised McGee's strong points and strongly recommended his skills to other developers, adding, "If I had a role I'd hire him again instantly."

In light of Sasser's efforts to find new jobs for his team, it appears he will continue to endorse his former colleagues individually, hoping to secure them new employment opportunities.

NetEase's Controversial Moves in North America Despite Success

Marvel Rivals was developed by two teams, one based in China and the other in Seattle, USA. Sasser's team focused on game and level design, while the Chinese team managed other aspects of the game's development. However, their crucial contributions did not shield them from the recent layoffs sweeping the gaming industry, even for highly successful titles.

NetEase has not released any information regarding the layoffs, but a Bungie employee suggested that the company might be pulling out of North America. In November 2024, NetEase withdrew financial support from Worlds Untold, a studio led by a former Mass Effect writer. More recently, on January 7, 2025, NetEase ended its partnership with Jar of Sparks, leaving the developers to seek a new publishing partner.

Marvel Rivals: Second Half of Season 1 Update

New Heroes, Maps, and More!

Marvel Rivals is set to launch the second half of Season 1 with exciting new additions, including heroes, maps, balance adjustments, and tournaments, as announced on their YouTube channel on February 19, 2025. This update was led by Marvel Rivals' creative director, Guangguang, and lead combat designer, Zhiyong.

The update introduces The Thing and Human Torch, completing the Fantastic Four lineup. Additionally, Central Park has been unveiled as the new map, featuring Dracula's imposing castle within New York's famous park.

Zhiyong announced significant balance adjustments effective after the conclusion of the first half of Season 1 on February 21, 2025, at 12:00 AM (PDT). One key change involves the triple-strategist lineup, with an increase in energy cost for characters like Cloak & Dagger and Loki, who benefit from quick ultimate recharge. Additionally, some Vanguard characters such as Doctor Strange and Magneto will see reduced survivability, while certain movement-type Vanguards will be enhanced. Overpowered heroes like Storm and Moon Knight will be nerfed as the game progresses into the second half of Season 1.

An initially planned rank reset, which would have dropped all players' ranks by four divisions, has been canceled following fan backlash. For more details on this decision, you can check out this article!