Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred Expansion arrives April 28

At this year's Game Awards, Blizzard Entertainment unveiled the next chapter in the ongoing saga of Diablo IV. Entitled Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred, this newest entry into the ongoing ward is set to feature a battle with one of the brothers – the lord Mephisto himself. Launching April 28, 2026, the second expansion to Diablo IV will bring with it two new classes, an entirely new campaign, a fresh evolution to gameplay, and the return of one of Sanctuary's oldest regions – Skovos. Let's get into the details:

Players who pre-purchase the expansion can step into the Light immediately with the Paladin, Diablo IV’s most-requested new class. Playable today, the radiant sword-and-shield champion channels power to smite the encroaching darkness of Mephisto’s malevolence. Players will get instant access to Vessel of Hatred, Diablo IV’s first expansion with Lord of Hatred purchase–unlocking the Spiritborn class, Mercenaries, and the wilds of Nahantu.

The second class is yet to be revealed, but we do see the return of the fabled Horadrik Cube – a transformative item that can change the very nature of our gear. Additionally, the expansion brings a completely new endgame mechanic, new gear, and of course more loot than you can shake a skeleton femur at. Let's get a peek behind the veil on the upcoming story:

Hell’s legions now spill freely into Sanctuary, each deathly omen pointing to Mephisto’s long-laid design. As the Pools of Creation draw the Prime Evil ever closer, humanity as we know it stands on the brink of destruction. To stop him, the Wanderer must turn to an impossible ally whose return forces a fragile alliance bound by necessity, not trust.

The new class is, of course, the return of an old class – the holy warrior Paladin.

Paladin: Hammer, shield, and Holy Light converge in the hands of Diablo’s indomitable holy warrior. With iconic abilities like Blessed Hammer, Auras, Zeal, and Heaven’s Fury with divine transformations including Arbiter form. Available today with pre-purchase.

We'll have to wait just a little bit to find out that second class, but let's hear a bit about Skovos – a new region to play, but one who's origins reach far into the past:

The journey to stop Mephisto takes players to the never-before-seen region of Skovos, the ancient birthplace of the firstborn civilization and former home of Lilith and Inarius. Now ruled by The Oracle and Amazon Queen, Skovos blends volcanic coasts, rain-lashed forests, forgotten temples, and ocean-worn ruins, filled with new demons, dungeons and lore.

Let's dig into the new gameplay mechanics, shall we?

GAME UPDATES | A Reforged Gameplay Experience

The Lord of Hatred expansion introduces Diablo IV’s most significant gameplay reworks since launch:

Reworked skill tree with expanded caps and new class-defining variants
A new Loot Filter for targeted farming
Enhanced crafting with the return of the Horadric Cube
A powerful new Talisman system granting set-bonus buildcraft
Player-driven War Plans to shape the player’s endgame path
Echoing Hatred, an unending gauntlet of demonic hordes for the ultimate test of skill
And a calmer pursuit–Fishing along Sanctuary’s perilous waterways

Pretty exciting stuff, but how do you get access to the Paladin? Pre-order, of course!

Players who pre-purchase gain early access to the Paladin class, plus: 1 extra Stash Tab, 2 additional Character Slots, and 3 World of Warcraft décor items.

GAME EDITIONS

All editions of Lord of Hatred include immediate access to Diablo IV’s first expansion, Vessel of Hatred. Deluxe and Ultimate Editions add exclusive pets, mounts, armor bundles, cosmetics, Platinum, and more. Full details are available on our blog post.

You can read our review for Diablo IV here, or the Vessel of Hatred expansion here, so you know we're excited for this one. Stay tuned for all things Diablo IV as we head into the new year!

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