NetEase Games has committed to introducing at least one new Marvel Rivals hero every half-season, yet that hasn't deterred one innovative player from bringing his vision of a playable Doctor Octopus to life.

Reddit user WickedCube captivated the r/MarvelRivals community earlier this week by sharing a 30-second video showcasing what appears to be early gameplay footage from NetEase's popular hero shooter. At first glance, the clip features a pre-Hulk Bruce Banner suspended in midair within a testing environment. However, keen Marvel enthusiasts will identify this eight-armed incarnation of the gamma-infused scientist as an embryonic, Marvel Rivals-inspired rendition of the iconic Spider-Man adversary, Doctor Octopus.

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

The video, while somewhat stiff and whimsical, unmistakably captures the essence of Doctor Octopus. With a bit of imagination, you can envision how Doc Ock might navigate and maneuver in the game if NetEase decides to incorporate Otto Octavius into Marvel Rivals. WickedCube's concept allows the character to "fly" by magnetizing to nearby structures—a vital feature in a game with destructible environments. This early concept of Doc Ock even boasts specific abilities like Havoc Claw for close-quarters combat and Wrecking Grip for long-range engagements. Garnering over 16,000 upvotes at the time of writing, this impressive, fully playable creation was crafted single-handedly.

"Doc Ock has always been one of the coolest villains in Spider-Man, and his tentacles pose a unique challenge for implementation," WickedCube shares, explaining his inspiration. "To my knowledge, they haven't been fully realized with interactive 3D movement in any game yet."

Motivated by his inability to play during a recent PSN outage, WickedCube, an indie game developer from India who previously worked with Keen Software House on Space Engineers, decided to take matters into his own hands. "When PSN was down, and I couldn't play Marvel Rivals, I stumbled upon some incredible Doc Ock fan art on Twitter," he explains. "I thought, ‘Since I can't play right now, why not make it myself?’"

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

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

The community's positive reaction to WickedCube's work has been overwhelming, with many fans urging NetEase to consider adding Doctor Octopus to the game. WickedCube finds the feedback "incredibly rewarding" and would be thrilled if NetEase adopted some of his concepts. While he doesn't plan to further refine the current design, he aims to release a playable version soon.

"Inspired by the Reddit response, I plan to share this and future concepts through a YouTube tutorial series," WickedCube added. "I also intend to make the code open-source on GitHub and 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 the earlier debut of their Fantastic Four teammates, Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman. This robust start has set a high bar compared to its competitors, and fans are eager to see more of Marvel's vast universe explored in the game.

"The initial character lineup is substantial enough to keep players engaged for a long time, and the frequency of new character releases promised by NetEase is staggering," he commented. "The developers clearly know how to create an enjoyable game, which is no small feat."

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, you can stay informed about recent layoffs at NetEase's Seattle branch and the studio's stance on rumors about leaked heroes.