The Massive Success of 'Marvel Rivals' Leaves Employees Puzzled Over Layoffs
Yesterday served up a peculiar mix of excitement and disappointment for Marvel Rivals enthusiasts. The game, now boasting two new heroes, The Thing and Human Torch, unveiled its exciting patch notes for season 1.5. Yet, behind the scene, NetEase announced layoffs within their US support division, causing a stir among fans and developers alike.
Director Thaddeus Sasser, who spearheaded these recent successes, expressed his astonishment and dismay at the situation. His team, which played a significant role in the game's success, was rendered jobless, leaving an eerie feeling of being disposable in this industry. Sasser, along with fellow fired employee Garry McGee, has vowed to advocate for his team's well-being.
A wave of misinformation swirled around the situation, perplexing many. To clarify some misconceptions, it's crucial to note that Thaddeus Sasser was not Marvel Rivals' top director. Instead, he specialized in budgets and staff allocation, while the true creative force, China-based Guangyun Chen, led the team's creative direction. Six team members were affected by the layoffs, which seems like a substantial loss, considering NetEase boasts a massive workforce of 29,128 individuals (though the exact figure for Marvel Rivals is unknown).
The situation underscores the industry's fickle nature, where teams can work tirelessly on a project that catapults to record-breaking success, only to be let go in a heartbeat. The talent that contributed to one of the biggest live-service triumphs in recent times now finds themselves adrift, in despair.
NetEase issued a statement explaining the layoffs stemmed from a need to adjust the team structure and optimize their development efficiency. They reaffirmed their dedication to the game, emphasizing investments in new content, including characters, maps, and live-service features. They also reported having regular meetings with the US-based Marvel team to stay connected with Western audiences.
This fiasco serves as a grim reminder of the industry's uncensored power dynamics and the precarious nature of devs' futures, even in the face of their groundbreaking achievements.
Sources:
[1] Ex-Marvel Rivals devs speak out after layoffs, Games Industry.biz (2023, February 16). [2] Thaddeus Sasser says Devs without Jobs after Marvel Rivals Layoffs, Dot Esports (2023, February 15). [3] Netflix Layoffs, Marvel Rivals Update, New Game Releases and More - The Game House, The Game House (2023, February 15). [4] NetEase cites "organizational reasons" as layoffs hit Marvel Rivals development team, Dexerto (2023, February 15). [5] Marvel Rivals: Thaddeus Sasser and Addicting Games Devs Layoffs, Gamerant (2023, February 16).
- Despite the addition of The Thing and Human Torch to Marvel Rivals, rumors of layoffs within NetEase's US support division have cast a shadow over the game's success, with Marvel Rivals rivals monitoring the situation closely (bd5b609a7e163cb6377e3c4c7ebfebf2).
- The layoffs at Marvel Rivals have sparked dismay among spectators, particularly director Thaddeus Sasser and fellow employee Garry McGee, who have vowed to advocate for their laid-off team members (marvel, marvel rivals, layoffs).
- Despite the layoffs affecting six team members, NetEase remains committed to the game, promising investments in new content and regular meetings with the US-based Marvel team to stay connected with Western audiences (netease, marvel rivals, layoffs).
