Yesterday, we talked about how NetEase was receiving backlash from fans and media outlets for the recent layoffs of their Seattle Team for Marvel Rivals. In a surprising turn of events, NetEase actually released a statement addressing the issue. Here’s what we know now.
Overblown Issue
Contrary to the initial thoughts of the public regarding this issue, the layoffs appear to be a simple staff re-organization and not a game-shaking layoff. NetEase has confirmed that a total of 6 employees were let go and were all from the Seattle team.
Furthermore, they shed light on the actual role and contribution of Thaddeus Sasser and his team to Marvel Rivals. According to Sasser’s podcast, he states that Guangyun Chen (The Lead Director for Marvel Rivals) was in charge of the main creative and design direction while Sasser handled budget and manpower in the US. From the looks of it, the devs let go were merely under contract and not integral to the overall maintenance of the game. While it is unfortunate, reorganization and cost cutting is common in the game industry.
NetEase has assured fans that this layoff is a simple reorganization matter and nothing game impacting. Unlike the initial “mass layoff” scare other outlets and sources have talked about previously.
The Future of Marvel Rivals
Alongside the official statement, NetEase has assured everyone that the roadmap for Rivals is still in place in that there’s nothing to worry about. Despite the initial backlash, it looks like the issue is more or less answered.
NetEase’s official statement is as follows:
“We recently made the difficult decision to adjust Marvel Rivals’ development team structure for organizational reasons and to optimize development efficiency for the game. This resulted in a reduction of a design team based in Seattle that is part of a larger global design function in support of Marvel Rivals. NetEase appreciates the hard work and dedication of those affected and will be treating them confidentially and respectfully with recognition for their individual contributions. We want to reassure our fanbase that the core development team for Marvel Rivals, which continues to be led by Lead Producer Weicong Wu and Game Creative Director Guangyun Chen in Guangzhou, China, remains fully committed to delivering an exceptional experience. We are investing more, not less, into the evolution and growth of this game. We’re excited to deliver new superhero characters, maps, features, and content to ensure an engaging live service experience for our worldwide player base.”
While this is not a defense for NetEase, it’s nice to see that the employees laid off will more or less be treated properly. The layoffs are unfortunate but not as game-breaking as initially thought.
In fact, former team lead of World of Warcraft, Mark Kern, offered some perspective.
Hopefully, there are no more hiccups in the future for Marvel Rivals. You can bet we’ll be constantly looking out for more news so be sure to tune it to VRSUS!
Want a rundown on the issue? Here’s yesterday’s article explaining it!
