Diablo 4’s first expansion is already on the way in which — slated for late next yr — Blizzard introduced throughout its BlizzCon 2023 opening ceremony.
The first paid content material replace for certainly one of 2023’s greatest video games will take gamers into one more area of Sanctuary — the Torajan Jungles from Diablo 2 — and comply with up on the Mephisto tease on the finish of Diablo 4’s base marketing campaign.
By way of options, Blizzard was comparatively quiet about Vessel of Hatred. Nevertheless, the sport’s builders did reveal that the expansion would come with a brand new class — one which’s utterly new to the Diablo universe. Blizzard will possible reveal extra in regards to the expansion within the Diablo 4 deep dive on Saturday, though with the expansion nonetheless “early,” most huge reveals will possible wait till someday next yr.
One of the notable features of this Diablo expansion announcement is its timeline in comparison with earlier Diablo video games. Diablo 3 launched in a tough state again in 2012, and it took the Reaper of Souls expansion simply shy of two years to be launched in 2014. Blizzard is clearly taking a extra aggressive method with Diablo 4 — a recreation that gamers have complaints about, to make certain, however which is in a much better state than Diablo 3 was six months into its life.
Diablo boss Rod Fergusson spoke to Dexerto about this fast-paced cadence again in September, revealing that the world must prepared itself for annual Diablo 4 expansions. This is a fairly huge departure from the Diablo franchise, the place video games sometimes get one expansion of their total lifetime and then a lengthy darkish interval with minimal (or purely seasonal) updates.
The Diablo builders at Blizzard are clearly targeted on turning Diablo 4 into extra of a reside service recreation, with extra similarities to its personal World of Warcraft than Diablo 3. The group has already delivered the sport’s largest patch but, for season 2, which has achieved some great work turning the sport round from its troubled first season.
Blizzard will launch Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred in late 2024.
