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‘Marvel Rivals’ Layoffs Baffle Everyone After The Game Is A Massive Hit
Yesterday was a day of contrasts for Marvel Rivals, as the game’s developers unveiled two new heroes, The Thing and Human Torch, and released patch notes ahead of the upcoming season 1.5. However, this positivity was overshadowed by the shocking news that NetEase had laid off a portion of its US-based support team, including six individuals.
The layoffs have left many in the gaming community reeling, particularly given the game’s recent success. Director Thaddeus Sasser, who worked on Marvel Rivals’ development, expressed his bewilderment at the situation on social media: “This is such a weird industry…My stellar, talented team just helped deliver an incredibly successful new franchise in Marvel Rivals for NetEase Games…and were just laid off!”
However, the reality of the situation appears to be more complex than initially reported. While it’s understandable that fans and developers are upset by this news, some misinformation has been spreading on social media regarding the scope of the layoffs.
For clarification, Thaddeus Sasser was not the creative director behind Marvel Rivals, but rather a game director responsible for budgets and staff. Additionally, while six individuals were let go from the US support division, NetEase as a whole employs 29,128 people – a staggering figure that puts the layoffs into perspective.
In an official statement, NetEase addressed the situation, stating that some posts on Discord had attempted to spread false rumors about the layoffs and accusing observers of not fully understanding the internal structure of the game’s development team. The company assured fans that they will continue to engage with their Western audience, having regular meetings with US-based Marvel representatives.
While this news is undoubtedly disappointing for those affected by the layoffs, it serves as a stark reminder that even in the midst of success, developers can still feel expendable. It’s a sad situation all around.
Source: http://www.forbes.com
