Doctor Octopus Joins Marvel Rivals: Fan-Crafted Concept Goes Viral

NetEase Games has committed to introducing a new Marvel Rivals hero every half-season, yet that hasn't deterred one inventive player from crafting a concept for a playable Doctor Octopus. Reddit user WickedCube recently stunned the r/MarvelRivals community with a 30-second video showcasing rough gameplay of what appears to be a pre-Hulk Bruce Banner suspended in midair within a testing room. However, keen Marvel fans will recognize this eight-armed figure as an early, 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, though somewhat stiff and humorous, clearly depicts a thoughtful concept of how Doctor Octopus, or Otto Octavius, could potentially be integrated into Marvel Rivals. WickedCube's concept allows the character to maneuver around obstacles by magnetizing to stable structures, effectively enabling flight within the game's destructible environments. This rough version of Doc Ock includes named abilities such as Havoc Claw for melee attacks and Wrecking Grip for ranged engagements. With over 16,000 upvotes, the concept has not only impressed but also engaged the community, all created by a single individual.

"Doc Ock has always been one of the coolest villains in Spider-Man, and his tentacles would be a challenge to implement," WickedCube shared, explaining his inspiration. He noted that fully implementing playable 3D movement with tentacles hasn't been done in games before. An India-based indie developer, WickedCube previously worked with Space Engineers' Keen Software House before resigning in January 2024 to focus on personal projects. The recent PSN outage inadvertently spurred him into action, leading to the creation of this concept.

"It all started when PSN was down and I couldn’t play Marvel Rivals," he explained. While browsing Twitter, he stumbled upon some compelling Doc Ock fan art, which inspired him to bring the character to life himself.

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

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

The community's positive response to WickedCube's Doctor Octopus has been overwhelming, with many fans urging NetEase to consider adding the character officially. WickedCube finds the reception "incredibly rewarding" and would be thrilled if NetEase adopted some of his ideas. While he doesn't plan to further refine the design, he aims to release a playable version soon and share the concept through a YouTube tutorial series. He also plans to open-source the code on GitHub and make it available on Itch.

NetEase is set to expand Marvel Rivals with the addition of the Human Torch and The Thing this Friday, following their Fantastic Four teammates, Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman, who were introduced last month. This rapid character rollout showcases NetEase's commitment to keeping the game fresh and engaging, outpacing many competitors in the genre.

WickedCube's project was motivated by the community's desire for more Vanguard or tank-like characters in Marvel Rivals. Although there's no indication that Doctor Octopus will appear in the game soon, WickedCube is already exploring concepts for other 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 added, praising the game's design and enjoyment factor.

Marvel Rivals is gearing up for its Season 1 mid-season update on February 21, which will introduce balance changes, gameplay tweaks, and more alongside the new characters. As we await these updates, you can read about the recent layoffs at NetEase's Seattle branch and the studio's stance on rumors about planted hero leaks.