NetEase Games has committed to introducing a new Marvel Rivals hero every half-season, but that hasn't stopped a creative player from envisioning Doctor Octopus as a playable character. Reddit user WickedCube recently wowed the r/MarvelRivals community with a 30-second video showcasing rough gameplay of what appears to be NetEase’s hit hero shooter. At first glance, the footage shows a pre-Hulk Bruce Banner suspended in midair in a testing room, but upon closer inspection, it's clear that this is a Marvel Rivals-inspired rendition of the classic Spider-Man villain, Doctor Octopus.

We need more vanguards, so i made one (Doctor Octopus)
byu/Wickedcube inmarvelrivals

While the video may appear stiff and slightly comical, the resemblance to Doctor Octopus is undeniable. Squinting, one can envision a well-considered concept of how Doc Ock could look and maneuver if NetEase decides to incorporate Otto Octavius into Marvel Rivals. WickedCube's creation enables the character to "fly" by magnetizing to nearby structures, a crucial feature in a game featuring destructible environments. The concept even includes specific abilities like Havoc Claw for melee attacks and Wrecking Grip for ranged moves. With over 16,000 upvotes at the time of publication, this fan-made project has garnered significant attention and praise.

WickedCube shared that his inspiration stemmed from Doctor Octopus's iconic status as one of Spider-Man’s coolest villains, noting the challenge of implementing his tentacles with playable 3D movement, something he believes hasn't been fully realized in games before. "Since I can't play right now, why not make it myself?" he thought, driven by a recent PSN outage that prevented him from enjoying Marvel Rivals. This India-based indie developer, who previously worked with Space Engineers studio Keen Software House, left his position in January 2024 to focus on personal projects and prototyping mechanics.

Doctor Octopus in the style of Marvel Rivals
.#MarvelRivals #MarvelRivalsfanart pic.twitter.com/d3XHXMZsCL

— CoryHarris.jpg (@LordDepis) January 26, 2025

The positive reception to his Doctor Octopus concept has been "incredibly rewarding" for WickedCube, who hopes NetEase might adopt some of his ideas should Doc Ock become an official character. Although he has no plans to further refine the design, he aims to release a playable version soon. "After seeing the response on Reddit, I want to share this and future concepts as a YouTube tutorial series," he added, planning to also 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 the Human Torch and The Thing this Friday, following the earlier launch of Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman from the Fantastic Four. This rapid introduction of new characters showcases a strong start that sets Marvel Rivals apart from its competitors. However, the vast Marvel universe continues to inspire fans and developers alike, fueling speculation and creativity.

WickedCube's project was spurred by the community's call for more Vanguard, or tank-like, characters in the game. While no official announcements hint at Otto Octavius joining the roster anytime soon, WickedCube is already brainstorming other potential heroes, including Nightcrawler and Professor Xavier from the X-Men. "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 noted, praising the designers' understanding of what makes a game fun.

Marvel Rivals is gearing up for its Season 1 mid-season update on February 21, which will include new characters, balance changes, and gameplay tweaks. In the meantime, you can learn more about recent layoffs at NetEase's Seattle branch and why the studio is not entertaining rumors about planted hero leaks.