NetEase Games has made a significant decision by terminating the entire team led by Thaddeus Sasser, the director of the successful game Marvel Rivals. This move comes despite the game’s impressive performance, which saw a peak of 644,269 concurrent players on Steam in January 2025.

Thaddeus Sasser expressed his frustration over the unexpected layoffs in a LinkedIn post, highlighting the unpredictability of the industry. With over 20 years of experience, he had been with NetEase since January 2023, focusing on game and level design at the Seattle studio. His notable background includes contributions to major franchises such as:

• Call of Duty
• Battlefield

These contributions were made at prominent companies like Activision and Ubisoft. Although Sasser did not confirm his own status regarding the layoffs, he has redirected his efforts towards helping his former colleagues secure new positions. He began this initiative with level designer Garry McGee, whom he praised for his talents. As of now, NetEase has not released an official statement concerning the layoffs or the future of Marvel Rivals.

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