TikTok owner ByteDance has announced plans to slowly exit mainstream gaming, with the company reportedly initiating a widespread “restructure” of its gaming division, expected to impact multiple subsidiaries including Nuverse, the publisher of the popular Marvel Snap multiplayer card game.
Per reporting from Reuters, significant layoffs are expected to follow this decision, with “hundreds” of employees likely in jeopardy. That said, ByteDance has not confirmed the expected scope of its restructure.
“We regularly review our businesses and make adjustments to centre on long-term strategic growth areas,” a ByteDance spokesperson told Reuters. “Following a recent review, we’ve made the difficult decision to restructure our gaming business.”
Sources allegedly familiar with proceedings told Reuters that employees would be informed of changes on Monday, with instruction to “stop working on unreleased games by December.” These sources claimed ByteDance had no plans to return to the games industry in future, and that it would be looking to divest from its already released games.
Read: TikTok is pushing further into the mobile games market
As noted, it’s believed ByteDance’s casual gaming brand Ohayoo will not be impacted, and games will continue to be offered on TikTok – although other subsidiaries may face changes as ByteDance initiates its planned overhaul.
Nuverse is likely to face significant challenges in the coming months, although its most popular title, Marvel Snap, will reportedly continue operations as normal.
“Some of our players have expressed their concerns regarding reported structural changes at Nuverse,” the game’s official Twitter / X account recently posted. “We wish to thank you for your concern and assure you that regardless of any changes at Nuverse, Snap will continue to operate and flourish in the future!”
We expect to hear more about major changes at ByteDance and Nuverse in the coming months.
