Marvel Rivalsdeveloper NetEase Games caught players by surprise on Feb. 18 when former U.S. employees announced on LinkedIn that they had been laid off.
All six members of the Marvel Rivals U.S. team were let go, according to a former employee’s comment to Destructoid. These employees were actively involved in the game’s development.
“We want to reassure our fanbase that the core development team for Marvel Rivals […] in Guangzhou, China, remains fully committed to delivering an exceptional experience,” NetEase Games wrote to Destructoid in a statement about the layoffs. “We are investing more, not less, into the evolution and growth of this game.” You can read NetEase’s full statement at the end of this article.
Marvel Rivals layoffs came at an odd time
On the same day the layoffs were revealed, NetEase confirmed thatThe Thing and Human Torch will be joiningMarvel Rivals, reinforcing that the game remains in active development.
The layoffs also came just weeks after Blizzard acknowledged that Marvel Rivals’ successis pressuring theOverwatch 2team, as it emerges as a major competitor in the hero shooter space once dominated by Blizzard.
While Blizzard still views its competitor as “similar” toOverwatch 2, the company has not directly echoedformer Blizzard leadership’s claims thatMarvel Rivalsis copying Overwatch.
Full NetEase Games statement on Marvel Rivals’ U.S. layoffs
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.
