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 surprisingly polished Doc Ock within the Marvel Rivals engine. The footage, seemingly from a testing environment, depicts a pre-Hulk Bruce Banner and a remarkably well-realized eight-armed Doctor Octopus. While rough around the edges, the character's design and movement are instantly recognizable. Doc Ock's abilities include a melee attack ("Havoc Claw") and a ranged attack ("Wrecking Grip"), utilizing his tentacles to navigate the environment. His arms allow for a unique form of traversal, magnetizing him to structures for aerial movement. The video, boasting over 16,000 upvotes, is a testament to WickedCube's skill and creativity.
WickedCube explained their inspiration, noting the lack of a fully realized 3D playable Doctor Octopus with functional tentacles in existing games. The project began during a PlayStation Network outage, fueled by inspiration from Doc Ock fan art. A seasoned indie developer with prior experience at Keen Software House, WickedCube is currently seeking contract work and focusing on prototyping mechanics. The challenge of creating Doc Ock in Unity, using the Marvel Rivals aesthetic, proved irresistible.
The overwhelmingly positive community response has been incredibly rewarding for WickedCube, who hopes NetEase might consider their design. While not planning further refinement, they intend to release a playable version and share the process through a YouTube tutorial series, open-sourcing the code on GitHub and making the playable character available on Itch.io.
This Friday, NetEase will officially release the Human Torch and The Thing, adding to the already impressive roster that includes Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman. This rapid release schedule surpasses competitors, highlighting the game's potential. However, the vast Marvel universe continues to inspire fan creations like WickedCube's Doc Ock, with other potential heroes like Nightcrawler and Professor X already on their mind.
Marvel Rivals' Season 1 mid-season update arrives tomorrow, February 21st, including the new characters, balance adjustments, and gameplay refinements. Despite the recent layoffs at NetEase's Seattle studio, the game's momentum continues, fueled by both official releases and the passionate creativity of its community.
