#NetEase layoffs

In a shocking and perplexing move, NetEase has laid off Marvel Rivals game director Thaddeus Sasser and his entire Seattle-based development team, despite the game’s overwhelming success. The layoffs reportedly affected six developers who played key roles in game and level design. While no official reason has been given, speculation is growing that NetEase may be pulling all investments from North America, a move that could have widespread implications for its operations in the region. The layoffs were first confirmed by Sasser himself in a LinkedIn post, where he revealed that his entire team had been dismissed without explanation. Marvel Rivals has been a major hit for NetEase, with an extremely strong player retention rate and what is presumed to be high revenue generation. Given this level of achievement, it seems illogical that NetEase would dissolve a crucial part of the development team. This has led to widespread speculation about the real motives behind NetEase’s decision. Bungie cinematic director John Ebenger added fuel to the speculation by stating on Bluesky that he has heard rumors of NetEase withdrawing all its investments from North America. Read more in our articles including "Marvel Rivals Devs Laid Off Despite Game’s Huge Success—What’s Going On at NetEase?" and "MLBB opens 2026 Global Skin Design Contest with USD 49,000 prize pool".