Professor Genki's Mollusk Launcher is a bright colored weapon that fires live octopi[2] at targets. The gun combines properties of Satchel Charges and the Annihilator. The octopi fly straight forward, stick to what they hit and can be rapidly detonated using the grenade button.
Unique to this gun is the mind control ability. When a human target is hit, they first burst out in dance, then aid Playa in battle for as long as the octopus remains attached. The mind control does not work on everyone. Co-op players, homies, and Brutes are immune but can still be damaged by detonating the attached octopus.
The octopus on the launcher starts talking when the weapon is pulled out. It says things as "Please Genki!", "Don't do that to me, noo!" "So, Sorry!" , and "No, no, no, Genki, nooo don't shoot gun!".
When mind controlling a target, the octopi[sic][2] say things such as "You go this way now" or "good boy you be good".
Pre-release, this weapon has also been referred to as Professor Genki's Octopuss[sic] Cannon[3], and Professor Genki's All-Purpose Mollusc Launcher.[5]
When hit by the octopus projectile, targets break into a dance.
When used against a Brute, Professor Genki or any homies the octopus does not take control of their body; instead, a floating red 'Unethical' is shown. If it hits a valid enemy, a floating green 'Ethical' is shown.
The Mollusk Launcher can also mind control zombies making it a useful weapon to use during the Zombie Attack mission and the zombie survival mission. Also when hit by an octopus, Zombie do not break in to dance like other controllable targets do.
It is possible to mind control Homies after they have been dismissed.
The damage of the exploding mollusk is same as a Satchel Charge.
While the octopus is a mollusk, the term "Mollusk" is a general classification and it is more commonly referred to by the more specific class "Cephalopod".
The plural form "octopi" is used in the in-game text, which is technically incorrect as the word "octopus" originates from Greek, so the plural form is "octopodes", rather than the latin plural form "octopi", or the english "octopuses".
The octopi can also control soldiers in the military. They attach themselves to the riot shielders, who don't dance, and soldiers manning the turrets on the humvees, who do a short dance on top of the turret and pop back in. However, "Unethical" appears when trying to control a tank gunner.
There is a green eye on the front.
The gun is a reference to the original ending of Watchmen, where a psiquical octopus attack New York.
When attached on a target that requires to be killed (usually mission targets), they will turn hostile to Playa once all other people are killed.
Sucking a mind-controlled character into the Genki Manapult results in them being recruited as a Homie.