Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred expansion: Everything we know

❘ Updated: 2023-11-10T11:30:00

A Barbarian fights enemies in Diablo 4 (Vessel of Hatred story)

Blizzcon has had a bumper show for announcements, and Diablo was no exception, with the first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, set to release “late” next year.

Diablo 4 had a tricky start to life, and the community made many of its feelings known to Blizzard in an effort to improve the game’s future. Slowly, the roots of progress started to show, and the arrival of Season of Blood has undoubtedly been a significant success.

The latest season has drawn praise for the refreshed leveling experience and overhaul to dungeon layouts, the latter of which had been panned for their bland and often awkward execution. Though there are still some areas that need drastic improvement, the game is undoubtedly heading in the right direction.

Now, the announcement of Vessel of Hatred looks set to bring a whole raft of changes when it is eventually released. Here’s everything we know so far.

Vessel of Hatred sees the return of Mephisto

Details are relatively thin on the ground, with the new expansion not set to release until the latter stages of 2024, but there are a few bits of information that should get the community excited. It also all but confirms we’re heading back to the jungles of Kurast.

Confirmed details for Vessel of Hatred line up very well with datamined leaks that dropped earlier this year. In those, Mephisto’s return was implied by the ending of Diablo 4. Both Mephisto and Kurast, where the game looks to be set, are returning from the second game, with the latter’s inspired design one of the more memorable locations from the series as a whole.

That is largely where the confirmed information ends, but the same leaks that accurately revealed the above did unearth more. They predict the new class will be the Spiritborn, revolving around nature and the earth. Additionally, the game could be getting a new D&D-style mercenary system that will allow players to hire NPCs to aid in their adventures.

Whatever does materialize, it looks like Diablo fans will have at least a year to wait to experience what Vessel of Hatred has to offer. Managing the situation up to that point via the seasonal content system will also have to be a priority for Blizzard, with the game finally on a steady heading.

If this hasn’t satiated your hunger for Diablo 4, we’ve got many other Diablo 4 guides for you to check out and enhance your experience: