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

NetEase Games has committed to introducing a new Marvel Rivals hero every half-season, yet that hasn't deterred a creative player from crafting his vision of a playable Doctor Octopus. Reddit user WickedCube recently amazed the r/MarvelRivals community with a 30-second video showcasing what appears to be early gameplay footage from NetEase's blockbuster hero shooter. At first glance, the video features a pre-Hulk Bruce Banner suspended in midair within a testing room. However, a closer look reveals an unrefined, Marvel Rivals-inspired depiction 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, captures the essence of Doctor Octopus with striking clarity. Squint a bit, and you can envision how Otto Octavius might navigate through Marvel Rivals, using his arms to magnetize and maneuver around obstacles. This innovative concept allows the character to "fly" as long as he remains near a stable structure—a crucial feature in a game with destructible environments. WickedCube's rough prototype even includes named abilities such as Havoc Claw for melee attacks and Wrecking Grip for ranged engagements. With over 16,000 upvotes at the time of publication, this fan-made creation has not only impressed but also garnered widespread acclaim.

WickedCube shared that his inspiration for this project stemmed from his admiration for Doctor Octopus as one of Spider-Man's coolest villains. He pointed out the challenge of implementing the character's tentacles with 3D movement in a game, something he believes hasn't been fully realized before. As an indie game developer from India, WickedCube had previously worked with Space Engineers studio Keen Software House before leaving in January 2024 to focus on his own projects. The PSN outage provided the unexpected catalyst for this endeavor, as he couldn't play Marvel Rivals and stumbled upon inspiring fan art of Doctor Octopus on Twitter.

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

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

The community's enthusiastic response to WickedCube's creation has been "incredibly rewarding," he says, and he would be thrilled if NetEase adopted some of his ideas for an official Doctor Octopus character. While he has no plans to further refine the design, he aims to release a playable version soon and share his process through a YouTube tutorial series. Additionally, he plans to open-source the code on GitHub and make the playable versions available on Itch.

NetEase is set to expand Marvel Rivals with two new characters this Friday: the Human Torch and The Thing, following their Fantastic Four teammates, Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman, who debuted last month. This rapid character rollout showcases NetEase's commitment to keeping the game fresh and engaging, outpacing many competitors in the genre. Yet, the vast Marvel universe continues to inspire fans and creators alike, with limitless potential for new heroes and villains.

WickedCube's project was driven by the community's call for more Vanguard or tank-like characters. Although there's no solid indication that Doctor Octopus will join the game 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 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 balance changes, gameplay tweaks, and more alongside the new character releases. As we await these updates, you can stay informed about recent layoffs at NetEase's Seattle branch and the studio's stance on rumors about planted hero leaks.