Despite the resounding success of Marvel Rivals, NetEase Games has made the surprising decision to lay off its US-based developers. Dive into this article to uncover the details behind these layoffs and get a sneak peek at 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 Devs Laid Off by NetEase

On February 19, 2025, Thaddeus Sasser, the director of Marvel Rivals, shared on LinkedIn 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!"

In response, Sasser took proactive steps to support his former team by highlighting their skills and encouraging potential employers to hire them. "Oh well! Times are tough all over - Let's find these incredible people new jobs, because we all need to eat, right?"

He specifically praised Garry McGee, the game's technical designer, for his exceptional contributions. "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 emphasized McGee's strengths and highly recommended him to other developers, even stating, "If I had a role I'd hire him again instantly."

It appears Sasser is committed to advocating for his team members on an individual basis, hoping to secure them new employment through his endorsements.

NetEase's Controversial Moves in North America Despite Success

Marvel Rivals was a joint effort by development teams in China and Seattle, USA. Sasser's team focused on game and level design, while the Chinese team managed other aspects of development. Despite their crucial role, Sasser and his team were not spared from the industry-wide layoffs affecting even successful projects.

NetEase has remained silent on the reasons behind these layoffs. However, a Bungie employee hinted that the company might be scaling back its operations in North America. This claim is supported by NetEase's withdrawal of financial support from Worlds Untold studio in November 2024, led by a former Mass Effect writer, and the termination of its partnership with Jar of Sparks on January 7, 2025, which left the developers searching for a new publishing partner.

Marvel Rivals Second Half of Season 1 Update

Exciting New Heroes, Maps, and More!

The second half of Marvel Rivals' Season 1 promises to bring thrilling updates, as announced on the game's YouTube channel on February 19, 2025. Spearheaded by creative director Guangguang and lead combat designer Zhiyong, the update features new heroes, maps, balance adjustments, and tournaments.

The update introduces The Thing and Human Torch, completing the Fantastic Four roster. Additionally, a new map set in Central Park, New York, will be added, featuring Dracula and his castle.

Zhiyong detailed the balance adjustments scheduled after the first half of Season 1 concludes on February 21, 2025, at 12:00 AM (PDT). These changes include increasing the energy cost for characters with rapid ultimate recharge, such as Cloak & Dagger and Loki, aiming to shake up the competitive meta.

Furthermore, adjustments will reduce the survivability of certain Vanguard characters like Doctor Strange and Magneto, while boosting the capabilities of some movement-based Vanguards. Overpowered heroes like Storm and Moon Knight will also receive nerfs as the game moves into the next half of Season 1.

One planned change that stirred controversy among fans was the proposed rank reset, which would have dropped all player ranks by four divisions. Due to fan backlash, the developers decided to abandon this mechanic. For more information on this update, check out this article!