As per a
new report by Bloomberg
, NetEase’s founder, William Ding, contemplated terminating the project over his dissatisfaction with the potential payments to Walt Disney Co. for utilizing beloved characters like Wolverine and Spider-Man.

He even instructed the development team to create their own hero designs as a temporary measure, resulting in substantial financial losses due to the wasted efforts. However, NetEase has contested this narrative, stating that they have maintained a “strong partnership” with Marvel since 2017.

The reported upheaval during the development of Marvel Rivals suggests a very different scenario could have unfolded. Although the core gameplay is enjoyable, one has to wonder if the multiplayer experience would have resonated as strongly without the attractive visuals of iconic characters from The X-Men to The Incredible Hulk.

Moreover, the challenges associated with licensing agreements with Disney are well-known. Documents leaked during a 2023 hack of Insomniac Games referenced potentially exorbitant costs, possibly reaching hundreds of millions, that the company would face for several upcoming titles featuring X-Men characters. Last fall, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer voiced his reservations about these kinds of licensing deals due to the complications they can cause for game streaming and long-term availability.

Despite any initial conflicts during the development of Marvel Rivals, the game successfully launched. However, it is reportedly part of a larger trend within NetEase to scale back its investments in gaming. This includes the
recent layoffs of the Marvel Rivals development team
, which saw the entire Seattle-based team dismissed, although the core team in China remains intact.

.