With Marvel Rivals’ release looming and promising beta reviews sparking high hopes, NetEase, the game’s developer, now faces a very different kind of spotlight. Instead of pre-release hype, the company has been hit by scandal as nine of its employees, including executive Xiang Lang, were recently detained over a suspected money-laundering operation.

According to Chinese news outlet Leifeng, NetEase employees allegedly laundered funds through a complex network of 28 business partners, siphoning an estimated US$139 million (or CN¥1 billion). The detainment was part of a coordinated sting, with authorities redirecting the team’s usual meeting location from Guangzhou to Hangzhou, where they were arrested. The funds in question reportedly originated from company dealings totalling CN¥2 billion; however, the full impact won’t be clear until the investigation concludes.

Despite these internal upheavals, Marvel Rivals’ release is still on track for 6 December. The game recently announced a new character, Moon Knight, to much fanfare, and its Overwatch-rivaling potential remains intact. NetEase, a major player in Asian gaming, has a history of delivering hits like Naraka: Bladepoint, Once Human, and Diablo Immortal—with some success in Western markets too.