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NetEase, the developer behind the successful mobile game Marvel Rivals, has announced layoffs affecting its Seattle-based design team. The cuts, attributed to "organizational reasons" and efficiency optimization, were announced by game director Thaddeus Sasser on LinkedIn, who confirmed his own dismissal along with his team's.
The news has been met with surprise and criticism from the gaming community, considering Marvel Rivals' significant success. The free-to-play game boasts over 20 million downloads since its December launch and impressive concurrent player numbers on Steam. Sasser's LinkedIn profile highlights his team's crucial role in game and level design for the title.
While NetEase confirmed the layoffs in a statement to IGN, the exact number of affected employees remains undisclosed. The company emphasized that the layoffs are a restructuring of the Seattle design team, part of a larger global design function, and will not affect ongoing support for Marvel Rivals. NetEase reassured players that the core development team in Guangzhou, China, remains fully committed to the game's continued development and expansion, promising new content and features.
This latest round of layoffs follows a pattern of reduced overseas investment and studio closures for NetEase. Previous closures include Ouka Studios (Visions of Mana) and the pausing of Worlds Untold (led by Mass Effect veteran Mac Walters) after a split with the publisher. The January closure of Jar of Sparks, founded by Halo and Destiny 2 veteran Jerry Hook, further exemplifies NetEase's recent restructuring efforts.
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