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Marvel Rivals has emerged as a standout hit this year, captivating hundreds of thousands of players on Steam alone. Surprisingly, despite this success, its developer NetEase recently let go of a team working out of their Seattle studio that contributed significantly to the game.
Thaddeus Sasser, the game’s director, shed light on the situation with a LinkedIn post about the layoffs. Among those affected were level designers like Garry McGee, which was also confirmed by designer Jack Burrows in his own social media statement.
Sasser expressed his frustration, writing, “This is such a weird industry. My incredible, talented team just helped bring Marvel Rivals to life as a successful new franchise for NetEase Games, and now they’re laid off!”
He went on to explain that the team had dedicated themselves to crafting unique level design and gameplay mechanics that played a crucial role in the superhero shooter’s success.
Attempts have been made to reach NetEase for their take on the layoffs, and we’ll be sure to update with any responses from the company.
In terms of game performance, Marvel Rivals is not just popular; it’s a powerhouse. Data from Circana, shared by industry analyst Mat Piscatella, lists it as one of the top five games by active users across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Steam. It consistently ranks among the top five most played games on Steam, often nearing 200,000 concurrent players. This week, the game is adding to its allure by entering the second half of its first season with exciting new additions—the Thing and Human Torch are joining the roster.
