Asia
NetEase’s Billionaire CEO Slashes Jobs and Games in Profit Push
- Hundreds of staffers and about a dozen games have been cut
- Founder William Ding sets elevated expectations for results
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After years of expanding overseas, video-game billionaire William Ding is hitting the brakes at NetEase Inc., the pioneering Chinese company behind hits like Eggy Party and its newest blockbuster Marvel Rivals.
Ding, 53, who founded the company and is chief executive officer, has cut hundreds of jobs, closed or idled game studios and pulled back on international investment as he refocuses on a smaller portfolio of titles. He reasserted his leadership with a series of dramatic decisions over the past year, according to people familiar with the company’s inner workings who asked to not be identified.