Get the latest tech news

Marvel Rivals was reportedly almost cancelled at one point, because NetEase objected to paying Disney

Marvels Rivals, which has been a huge success for publisher NetEase since its launch last year, reportedly almost didn'…

That's according to a new Bloomberg report detailing NetEase chief exective officer William Ding's recent strategic upheaval - which has included sweeping jobs cuts, studio closures, and a pulling back on international investment - amid slow growth for the company and a decline in topline results over the last two and a half years. It's claimed Marvel Rivals - which has now generated over $200m dollars for NetEase since its launch last December - was also in Ding's sights prior to its release. In November, BioWare veteran Mac Walters announced a "pause" in operations at his NetEase-backed Worlds Untold, and Jar of Sparks - a first-party NetEase developer founded by Halo Infinite head of design Jerry Hook - halted work in January, laying off staff.

Get the Android app