Diablo 4’s next expansion is almost here

Lord of Hatred is Diablo 4’s second expansion, and Blizzard is not exactly pretending it is a small one. The update brings a new story campaign, a fresh region, two playable classes, and the kind of sweeping quality-of-life changes that usually mean someone has spent a very long time arguing over numbers in a meeting room.

At the center of it all is Mephisto, the Prime Evil who has already made brief appearances in the base campaign and Vessel of Hatred. This time, players finally get to confront him more directly, which seems fair after all the ominous setup.

Release date and platforms

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred launches on April 28, 2026. It will be available on:

  • PC
  • PS4
  • PS5
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X/S

Blizzard has set the pricing at $39.99 for the standard edition, $59.99 for the deluxe edition, and $89.99 for the ultimate edition.

Players who pre-order the deluxe or ultimate edition will also get instant access to the Paladin class.

What’s new in Lord of Hatred?

The expansion adds a new campaign centered on battling Mephisto and his forces, but the story is only part of the package. Lord of Hatred also introduces Skovos, a new region that stands apart from the usual look and feel of Sanctuary.

Skovos is described as a brighter, more varied setting with:

  • sun-soaked coastlines
  • vibrant forests
  • volcanoes
  • sunken islands

That is a notable change of pace for a series that usually prefers its scenery bleak, blood-soaked, and deeply unwelcoming.

New classes: Paladin and Warlock

Two new classes are joining Diablo 4:

  • Paladin, a sword-and-shield melee class
  • Warlock, a magic-focused class described as “heavy metal” and able to summon demons to fight alongside it

Blizzard is also completely reworking the skill tree for every class, which should make buildcrafting look very different once the expansion arrives.

Endgame changes and more

The expansion also adds a new system called War Plan, which changes how players access endgame activities. One of those activities is Echoing Hatred, where players fight waves of enemies for as long as they can survive. The longer you last, the better the loot gets. Apparently suffering does still have a reward structure.

Beyond that, Blizzard says Lord of Hatred will include:

  • a higher level cap
  • loot balance updates
  • itemization changes

Taken together, the expansion is shaping up to be Diablo 4’s biggest update yet.

We’ll have more coverage, including build guides and launch details, once Lord of Hatred goes live.