You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide Since Marvel Rivals developer NetEase laid off the games American developers, online discussions have claimed that the team working out of Seattle was a support studio for the main team in China. However, thats not the case.Alongside level designers and technical engineers, the Seattle team included veteran Battlefield and Call of Duty developer Thaddeus Sasser. While some have claimed that Sassers role in the games development was minor, that couldnt be further from the truth.Marvel Rivals director is responsible for team-upsIn a LinkedIn post, Sasser explained some of his impact on Marvel Rivals over its years of development. After working on the game for more than two years, Sasser explained that he helped to create one of the reasons why players love the game in the first place: the team-up mechanic. Save Up to $1,200 on the Samsung Galaxy S25! Pre-order now and save big with trade-in and Samsung credit. Limited time only! *Includes trade-in value + $300 Samsung credit. The ex-director explained that he designed the idea of Team-Ups when he first joined the team at NetEase. After reading comic books growing up, Sasser explained that their special moveslike the Fastball Specialwere integral to the feeling of teamwork, and he wanted them to be represented.I thought this should be represented in the gameplay, Sasser told followers. It would add a deeper layer of complexity to the current experience, but it wouldnt force specific role selection. It would also allow some tweaking and changes to the meta layer over time. Thats a good thing, because a perfect balance is a boring balance. Must-Listen: Publishing Manor Lords w/ Joe Robinson VideoGamer Podcast Listen Now Sasser revealed that the recent addition of the Human Torch in the Season 1.5 update added one of his original ideas to the game. Their team-up, which turns Storms tornado into a firenado was included in the directors original pitch for the mechanic.This specific team up between Storm and Human Torch was in my original pitch deck, Sasser said. The deck even had a picture of a firenado in it, haha!Despite letting go of key developers, Marvel Rivals publisher NetEase claims that the games update cycle will not be affected. With new heroes coming every month-and-a-half alongside new maps, events and more, theres hope for players that the game will survive for many years.Marvel RivalsPlatform(s):macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Fighting, ShooterSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share