NetEase Lays Off Entire Team Under Marvel Rivals Game Director

NetEase Games has laid off Marvel Rivals game director’s Thaddeus Sasser team, despite the success of the game. Sasser, a veteran developer with over 20 years of experience in the industry, announced the news on LinkedIn, calling it “such a weird industry” and expressing frustration over his colleagues being let go after delivering what he described as an “incredibly successful new franchise.” It remains unclear whether Sasser was included in the layoffs.

Sasser had been working on Marvel Rivals since January 2023, leading a team specializing in game and level design at NetEase’s Seattle studio. His extensive career includes working on AAA shooters like Call of Duty, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon, and Battlefield at companies such as Activision, Ubisoft, and Electronic Arts.

Despite Sasser’s leadership and the game’s strong reception, the layoffs come at a surprising time. Marvel Rivals launched to strong player engagement, peaking at 644,269 concurrent players on Steam in January 2025. In a prior interview, Sasser acknowledged the unpredictability of success in live-service games, stating, “You’re always worried until the audience has responded.”

While Sasser did not confirm if he was personally included in the layoffs, he quickly shifted his focus to helping his former colleagues find new positions, starting with level designer Garry McGee, whom he praised for his technical expertise and problem-solving abilities.

NetEase has not provided an official statement regarding the layoffs or the future of Marvel Rivals.