Marvel Rivals Reaches 40 Million Players Amid Ongoing Layoffs Concerns

NetEase Games’ Marvel Rivals is taking the gaming world by storm. The Chinese publisher recently announced the game has garnered over 40 million players, solidifying its status as a top-tier multiplayer experience across all platforms. This success comes just as the game gears up for a midseason update featuring the arrival of The Thing and Human Torch, completing the Fantastic Four roster for the season.

Recently, I had the privilege of diving into a preview build of this eagerly anticipated update. I got to test-drive the new characters, the Human Torch and The Thing, against an already impressive lineup and see how they stack up.

Johnny Storm, better known as the Human Torch, brings his fiery talents into battle as a Duelist. His gameplay style is all about keeping enemies at arm’s length, bombarding them with rapid fireballs, and quickly darting in and out of combat. His ability to create fiery zones on the battlefield allows him to disrupt enemy formations and trap unwary strategists and vanguards.

In contrast, Ben Grimm, or The Thing, is a powerhouse Vanguard built for those who love to get up close and personal. He can go head-to-head with heavy hitters like The Hulk and Venom. His charge attacks send foes soaring, and with precise timing, you can juggle them endlessly. Despite not being the quickest on his feet, his presence on the front lines is nothing short of menacing.

Adding these two formidable heroes enhances Marvel Rivals’ roster as Season 1’s second half unfolds. I’m eager to see what fresh team strategies players concoct with the full Fantastic Four—or perhaps lineup The Hulk, The Thing, and Thor for an epic assault.

On another note, Marvel Rivals is keeping pace with technological advancements, now supporting NVIDIA DLSS 4 for the latest graphics cards. This will likely provide a performance edge for those at the forefront of gaming hardware.

However, not all news surrounding Marvel Rivals is positive. This exciting update coincides with unsettling reports that NetEase Games has laid off the American team behind the game. The reasons for these layoffs remain murky, though analyst Daniel Ahmad suggests that growing geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China might play a part. More likely, it’s an effort by NetEase to streamline operations, focusing development activities within China.

Despite the intricate background, the immediate consequence is stark: dedicated professionals who helped craft a top-selling game find themselves out of work. This situation, unfortunately, mirrors the broader struggles many in the gaming industry face in securing stable employment.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with Marvel Rivals, and I’m enthusiastic about embracing the new characters when they officially go live. It’s a sobering reality, however, that even contributing to a successful game doesn’t guarantee job security.

As we navigate these uncertain times, the specter of layoffs threatens to overshadow the industry. Addressing this challenge demands a concerted effort from all stakeholders to ensure the well-being of those driving creative innovation forward.

For those eager to jump into the action, Marvel Rivals is free-to-play on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5, with The Human Torch and The Thing debuting in the Season 1.5 update on February 21, 2025.