NetEase Games' commitment to releasing a new Marvel Rivals hero every half-season hasn't stopped a talented player from creating their own playable Doctor Octopus.

Reddit user WickedCube recently shared a 30-second gameplay video showcasing a remarkably well-realized Doc Ock within the Marvel Rivals engine. The footage, seemingly from a testing environment featuring a suspended pre-Hulk Bruce Banner, depicts a functional, eight-armed Doctor Octopus. While rough around the edges, the character model and movement are instantly recognizable. Doc Ock's ability to magnetize to structures allows for a unique form of flight, a clever adaptation to the game's destructible environments. His abilities, "Havoc Claw" (melee) and "Wrecking Grip" (ranged), are also clearly defined. The video garnered over 16,000 upvotes.

WickedCube, an independent game developer, explained their inspiration: Doc Ock's unique tentacle-based combat presented a significant development challenge, previously unaddressed in playable 3D games. A recent PSN outage and exposure to impressive Doc Ock fan art provided the final impetus.

The overwhelmingly positive response has led WickedCube to plan a YouTube tutorial series and open-source the code on GitHub, with playable versions available on Itch.io. They're also considering additional Marvel characters, such as Nightcrawler and Professor Xavier.

This Friday, NetEase will release the Human Torch and The Thing, continuing the impressive post-launch momentum of Marvel Rivals. The Season 1 mid-season update (February 21st) will include these characters, balance adjustments, and other gameplay improvements. Despite this rapid release schedule, the community's enthusiasm for characters like Doctor Octopus highlights the vast potential of Marvel's universe.