NetEase Fires US Marvel Rivals Devs Despite Game Success

NetEase Games recently laid off US-based developers from the successful Marvel Rivals team, sparking industry discussion. This article explores the layoffs and details the upcoming Season 1 update.

NetEase's Strategic Shift Impacts North American Studios

Marvel Rivals US Devs Laid Off

Thaddeus Sasser, Marvel Rivals' director, announced on LinkedIn (February 19, 2025) that he and other California-based developers were laid off by NetEase Games. Despite the game's success, the team was let go. Sasser's LinkedIn post highlights the team's accomplishments and proactively seeks new opportunities for his former colleagues. He specifically championed Garry McGee, the game's technical designer, highlighting his skills and recommending him to potential employers.

This suggests a broader strategy shift within NetEase, impacting its North American operations.

NetEase's Controversial North American Moves

Marvel Rivals was developed by teams in China and Seattle. While Sasser's team played a crucial role, their contributions didn't prevent the layoffs. NetEase hasn't publicly commented on the layoffs, but industry speculation suggests a potential withdrawal from North America. This is supported by previous events, including the withdrawal of funding from Worlds Untold in November 2024 and the termination of the partnership with Jar of Sparks in January 2025.

Marvel Rivals Season 1 Update: Second Half

New Heroes, Maps, and Balance Changes

Despite the layoffs, Marvel Rivals continues to update. The second half of Season 1, as announced on the game's YouTube channel (February 19, 2025), introduces new heroes (The Thing and Human Torch, completing the Fantastic Four), a new map (Central Park featuring Dracula's castle), balance adjustments, and tournaments.

Lead combat designer Zhiyong detailed balance changes effective February 21, 2025, at 12:00 AM (PDT). These include adjustments to energy costs for characters with quick ultimate recharge (like Cloak & Dagger and Loki), survivability tweaks for Vanguard characters (nerfing overpowered heroes like Doctor Strange and Magnet while buffing movement-based Vanguards), and the removal of a planned rank reset due to player feedback.

The planned rank reset was met with negative player feedback, leading to its cancellation. Further details on this can be found in [a related article].