I'll be honest: when the PlayStation Network collapsed during that infamous outage, I was mostly just angry. I wanted to queue into Marvel Rivals, grind some matches, and maybe finally learn a tank that wasn't being shredded. Instead, I ended up falling down a modding rabbit hole, and that's how I found WickedCube's Doctor Octopus prototype. It immediately made me forget about the downtime.
The prototype uses Bruce Banner's model as a base, but those four mechanical arms completely change the silhouette. I know it's rough around the edges—modders often work with placeholder animations and janky collision—but the fantasy is right there. Doc Ock as a Vanguard makes so much sense. He's not just a big health bar standing on point; he's a mobile, multi-limbed disruptor who could climb walls and hold aggressive angles.
According to WickedCube's concept shared with IGN, Doc Ock's kit would give players a mix of melee pressure, ranged poke, mobility, and defense. That's a huge amount of versatility for a tank.
Doctor Octopus' Abilities
| Ability | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Havoc Claw | Melee | Strikes enemies with his two upper metal arms. |
| Wrecking Grip | Ranged | Flings objects at opponents to harass from a distance. |
| Cephalopod Dash | Mobility | Leaps forward using the arms for burst movement. |
| Tentacle Aegis | Defense | Uses all four arms to block incoming projectiles. |
| Wrath of the Master | Ultimate | Grabs opponents and repeatedly slams them into the ground. |
Reading that kit, I could already imagine the chaos. A Doc Ock player could climb a wall, dash over the frontline, fling a chunk of debris at a Strategist, then pop Tentacle Aegis to cover a retreat. That's the kind of tank playstyle Marvel Rivals needs more of: not just standing on the objective, but creating space with unpredictable movement.
What really stuck with me was why WickedCube picked Doc Ock. They mentioned that his tentacles would be a challenge to implement, especially with playable 3D movement, and that they hadn't seen it fully done before. As someone who has zero modding talent but endless appreciation for people who do, that logic made perfect sense. Sometimes you can't play the game, so you just make the thing you want to see.
I also think the Vanguard classification fits Doc Ock's personality. He's not a pure brawler like Hulk or a straightforward wall like Doctor Strange. He's calculating, arrogant, and constantly repositioning. Giving him wall-climbing claws that snap to nearby surfaces would make him feel alive in a way that a simple movement speed buff wouldn't.
There's something beautifully ridiculous about the ultimate, Wrath of the Master. Picture it: four metal arms snatch an enemy out of the air, lift them up, and slam them into the ground over and over. It's brutal, theatrical, and exactly the kind of play that would get clipped and shared everywhere. I can already hear the voice lines and see the play-of-the-game camera shake.
Obviously this is a prototype, not an official NetEase announcement. As of 2026, Doc Ock hasn't been confirmed for Marvel Rivals, at least not as a playable character in the live game. But fan concepts like this one keep the community's imagination running between seasons. It also proves that the game's hero design is open-ended enough to support villains with strange, physics-heavy kits.
I'd love to see NetEase take inspiration from the modding scene. Even if the final version looks completely different, the core idea of a climbing, object-throwing, projectile-blocking Vanguard is strong. It would add a new layer of verticality and chaos to a roster that already feels fast and unpredictable.
For now, I'll keep this prototype saved in my brain as one of the best 'what if' concepts I've seen. And if Doc Ock ever does join the fight, I'll be the first one in the practice range trying to figure out how to not slam myself into a wall.