NetEase Cuts Positions Among Seattle Game Developers Rivaling Marvel
By Image courtesy of NetEase Games/Marvel.
NetEase Games has apparently dismissed its Seattle-based team that was working on the free-to-play shooter, Marvel Rivals.
On LinkedIn, game director Thaddeus Sasser expressed that his “exceptional, skilled team just assisted in launching an incredibly successful new franchise for NetEase, [and we] were just terminated!”
“This is such a peculiar industry,” he noted. A level designer also shared that he was affected, although it remains unclear why NetEase has reduced staff, and whether teams in other locations were also impacted.
Marvel Rivals’ journey thus far
Marvel Rivals was launched in December 2024 and quickly became a Steam bestseller. It may have also been a significant profit generator for NetEase: in January, reports indicated the game earned around 1 billion won (or $136 million) in revenue, primarily from PC players.
Before launch, the studio stated Rivals’ post-launch heroes would be complimentary for all players. The game’s initial season has already introduced Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman, with fellow Fantastic Four members Human Torch and the Thing set to arrive this Friday, February 21.
Game Developer has contacted NetEase regarding the layoffs and will update when a response is received.
About the Author
Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com
A native of Kansas City, MO, Justin Carter has contributed to numerous websites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 on Gizmodo. Don’t ask him how much gum he has had, as the answer is likely to be more than he is willing to admit.