NetEase Games has committed to introducing a new Marvel Rivals hero every half-season, yet that hasn't stopped one imaginative player from conceptualizing a playable version of Doctor Octopus. Reddit user WickedCube recently wowed the r/MarvelRivals community with a 30-second video showcasing rough gameplay footage from NetEase's popular hero shooter. At first glance, the clip appears to feature a pre-Hulk Bruce Banner suspended in midair within a testing room, but it's actually a raw, Marvel Rivals-inspired rendition of the iconic Spider-Man villain, Doctor Octopus.
We need more vanguards, so i made one (Doctor Octopus)
byu/Wickedcube inmarvelrivals
The video, while stiff and somewhat humorous, unmistakably captures the essence of Doc Ock. With a bit of squinting, viewers can see a well-considered design of what Doctor Octopus might look and move like in the game. WickedCube's concept allows the character to effectively "fly" by magnetizing to and navigating around obstacles, a crucial feature in a game with destructible environments. The concept even includes named abilities such as Havoc Claw for melee attacks and Wrecking Grip for ranged moves. Garnering 16,000 upvotes at the time of publication, this impressive, playable prototype was crafted entirely by one individual.
“Doc Ock has always been one of the coolest villains in Spider-Man, and his tentacles would be a challenge to implement,” WickedCube explained, sharing the source of his inspiration. “As far as I know, they haven't been fully implemented with playable 3D movement in a game before.”
Unable to play due to the recent PSN outage, WickedCube decided to take matters into his own hands. “It all started when PSN was down and I couldn’t play Marvel Rivals,” he said. “While browsing Twitter, I came across some really cool Doc Ock fan art. I thought, ‘Since I can't play right now, why not make it myself?’” Prior to this, the India-based indie developer had worked with Space Engineers studio Keen Software House but resigned in January 2024 to focus on personal projects. Although character work isn't usually his priority, the challenge of bringing Doctor Octopus to life in Unity motivated him.
The response to WickedCube's creation has been overwhelmingly positive, with many fans calling for NetEase to incorporate his ideas into the game. WickedCube finds the reception "incredibly rewarding" and would be thrilled if NetEase adopted some of his concepts for an official Doctor Octopus character. While he has no plans to further refine the design, he aims to release a playable version soon.
“[ttpp]After seeing the response on Reddit, I want to share this and future concepts as a YouTube tutorial series,” WickedCube added. “I also plan to open-source the code on GitHub and make the playable versions available on Itch.”
NetEase is set to expand Marvel Rivals with the addition of two new characters this Friday: the Human Torch and The Thing, following the earlier release of their Fantastic Four teammates, Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman. This robust start sets a high bar in the genre, yet fans continue to explore the vast potential within Marvel's universe of heroes and villains.
WickedCube's project stemmed from the community's call for more Vanguard, or tank-like characters. While no rumors hint at Doctor Octopus's imminent addition to the game, WickedCube is already brainstorming more heroes, including Nightcrawler and Professor Xavier.
“The character roster at launch is large enough to keep the game enjoyable for a long time, and the rate at which they’ve promised to release new characters is mind-blowing,” he remarked. “The designers clearly understand how to make a fun game, which, in my opinion, is the hardest thing to get right.”
Marvel Rivals is gearing up for its Season 1 mid-season update on February 21, which will introduce the new characters, balance adjustments, and gameplay enhancements. In the meantime, stay informed about the recent layoffs at NetEase’s Seattle branch and the studio's stance on rumors about planted hero leaks.
