Improvements rolled through over the years for almost every aspect, and this expansion, coinciding with a free update, promises to be the most sweeping yet. And while there are some positive aspects, the expansion leaves me in the same spot as it did all those years – wanting, waiting for it deliver a better experience, rather than simply bolting on more systems and hitting those monthly active player counts. The expansion features a new end-game “activity” (heavy emphasis on the quotes), alongside odd additions (fishing) and actual, meaningful gameplay changes.

"For every impressively rendered cutscene, there are so many moments where you’re rooted in place, having to listen to a character drone on and on, then click on them for a dialogue option to trigger a cutscene. And no amount of skipping can fix that."

But above all, it’s about Mephisto, and if you’re already beyond caring about the plot, the expansion will do little to change your mind. Reuniting with Lorath Nair following discoveries made by Neyrelle, the Wanderer ventures to Skovos to stop the Primeval and his latest plan, which involves garnering the support of the people, including the Amazons, and harnessing an eclipse for some unknown purpose.

If you rolled a “world-ending scenario,” that’s a natural 20. Despite all of it, and even with reliable performances from the likes of Ralph Ineson, the plot really lurches along until you’re reunited with you-know-who, the explanation about as reasonable as “Somehow, Palpatine returned.”

Unfortunately, this whole cyclical nature of hatred isn’t something Blizzard is really keen on exploring, much less psychoanalysing but the current villain must be stopped because.

And doing that requires hunting down three pieces of a blade and stabbing him, lickity split, no fuss, no muss. Of course, it also doesn’t help that, once again, this doesn’t feel like much of the Wanderer’s story. Just that one is sidling along and partaking in events as they happen with the ever-nagging feeling that maybe we shouldn’t have killed the big bad all those years ago.

Anyway, by now, you’re probably wondering why I’m so held up by the story and the direction. Leaving aside that the above are really the only interesting parts about expansion’s plot, I can empathize with those who are only here to blast through monsters and earn sick loot. Who cares about the campaign when you’re going to clear it once and forget about it after?

Well, therein lies the problem, just as with the base game and Vessel of Hatred. The campaign is about eight hours long, and that’s by design. Blizzard really wants to linger on this story and characters, to the point where it hampers the pacing. For every impressively rendered cutscene, there are so many moments where you’re rooted in place, having to listen to a character drone on and on, then click on them for a dialogue option to trigger a cutscene. And no amount of skipping can fix that.

"We might as well get fishing out of the way first, since it’s the most straightforward. While starting as a side quest, it opens up the ability to fish anywhere in the world and add those catches to your collection."

It can be made more succinct – heck, there are several places where it is, as seen in the final hour or so – but despite how terse some of the situations are, Blizzard opts for verboseness. As a result, there’s much ado about nothing through the majority of this campaign, save for going somewhere to engage in almost as much rudimentary conversation as monster slaying.

Is it an improvement over Vessel of Hatred? It’s not saying much, but yes, and much of that can be attributed to the final boss, which is perhaps one of the best yet, balancing spectacle with interesting mechanics. I was gobsmacked throughout this whole encounter – by Diablo 4 standards, of course – especially given most of the standard fare that the rest of the expansion had to offer. There are some other cool moments in the story, and for once, Blizzard chose not to overtly push future threats for the sake of setting up its seasons.

Of course, that’s only one aspect of the Diablo 4 experience – the other, and one that players will be more interested in, is the endgame, specifically, War Plans, fishing and Echoing Hatred.

We might as well get fishing out of the way first, since it’s the most straightforward. While starting as a side quest, it opens up the ability to fish anywhere in the world and add those catches to your collection. The actual “mechanics” of it offer little more than opening the emote wheel – almost like Blizzard is mocking me at this point, given my severe dislike of quests that require it – and selecting “Fish.” From there, you wait till a catch bites and press the button at the right time.

Fish can be traded for high-level items and materials, and there are even dedicated challenges and cosmetic sets. Think of it as more of a side activity than anything else – something to complement the monster slaying.

Echoing Hatred, where you face endless hordes of progressively difficult enemies (and net better rewards depending on how long you survive), requires an exceedingly rare item that simply hasn’t dropped for me yet. There’s something to be said about endgame activities with high barriers to entry, but when you’ve advertised one as a major selling point for a $40 expansion, you would at least think that a free sample is due. A taste for what players can expect, but alas, there’s none of that here, so keep grinding away and hoping that it drops before Blizzard inevitably caves and either buffs the drop rate or offers a way to craft them.

"As you complete activities, you’ll earn skill points for distinct passive trees that can result in things such as Hellwyrms unleashing Chaos Rifts in Helltides, or the chance to fight two Initiate bosses after opening a Lair Boss’s chest. These don’t dramatically alter the activities in question."

Don’t worry, though, because you’ll be grinding out some very familiar activities courtesy of War Plans. The joke before expansion’s launch about how this is little more than a playlist of the current slate of endgame offerings, from a run in The Pit to completing a Nightmare Dungeon, isn’t exactly a joke. Granted, these are adjusted to more adequately fit a series of activities rather than standing on their own, so a Nightmare Dungeon will have more streamlined objectives. Which is all the more hilarious because trying to garner enough Aether for the alternate boss fight becomes much more challenging, though not downright impossible. Likewise, Helltides requires gathering enough Aberrant Cinders to open two chests and then dipping.

You’re rewarded after every activity completion and then receive a final reward once the entire War Plan is complete. Then you do it again. It’s not purely “play what you want” – there is some freedom in choosing different nodes, but the chances of outright avoiding the Undercity or not partaking in Helltides are very low, especially as the War Plans facilitate up to five activities in a row.

As you complete activities, you’ll earn skill points for distinct passive trees that can result in things such as Hellwyrms unleashing Chaos Rifts in Helltides, or the chance to fight two Initiate bosses after opening a Lair Boss’s chest. These don’t dramatically alter the activities in question – more like adding some bells and whistles, a major cut below the Atlas Tree in Path of Exile. Despite slightly spicing up these activities, it doesn’t feel like something befitting a paid expansion such as this. Also, I’m baffled why this system doesn’t include World Bosses or Legion Events. Perhaps coordinating those is too challenging, even if it would have helped the variety.

Nevertheless, you’ll spend a decent amount of time farming War Plans for new Seals and Horadric Cube materials. The latter can be used for a variety of things, from upgrading Rare loot to Legendaries (offering a decent power spike on new characters), adding new modifiers on existing gear at the cost of making it unmodifiable, transmuting three of the same item into a new one, and so on. And while I can appreciate being able to reroll the value of an Ancestral Unique’s core power or to remove Affixes, it doesn’t change the simplicity of the crafting system, nor really encourage much else beyond tossing in a relatively complete Ancestral, be it Unique or Legendary, and transfiguring (or “corrupting”) it for one last modifier.

"On the bright side, the two new classes are lots of fun. I spent the most time with Paladin, becoming Arbiter Andy, walking around and decimating enemies with Wing Strikes (which proved so good that I think the increased damage modifier has been outright removed from Tempering)."

You’re not going to brick the item or make it disappear, but in the same vein, the results thus far have left me wanting. It’s complimentary and definitely has its uses – all my fellow Jah Rune searchers, our time has come – and if you’ve ever wanted to craft a Common item from the ground up into something, then you can. But you could also just blast through the rest of the game and bathe in the loot explosions. It’s a process that, like the whole “unmodifiable” business, doesn’t really gel with what Diablo 4 is trying to offer.

Then again, at this point, I don’t quite know if Diablo 4 is trying to gel with what Diablo 4 is after, and nowhere is that more obvious than with the addition of the Talisman. You can equip a Seal that opens up several Charm Slots, letting you fit up to six (though you’ll be spending a lot of time with five for a while). While there are Magic, Rare and Unique Charms to equip, each with their own stats and benefits, Set bonuses also make a return, and once again, they’re going to railroad you into their bonuses to augment a specific playstyle.

I found that the Epiphany Set could suit one purpose of my Arbiter build, essentially giga-buffing the Ultimate to obscene levels for a short period while heavily reducing its cooldown. But on the other hand, the Iron Conviction set fed more into the aura playstyle, heavily improving survivability and making all those additional aura skill levels useful. Like the Cube, it’s complementary on top of your current build, but the very nature of the Set bonuses means they’ll dictate the meta rather than exist outside of it. And of course, each Charm has its own Ancestral version, because why not add another layer of RNG on top of everything else?

On the bright side, the two new classes are lots of fun. I spent the most time with Paladin, becoming Arbiter Andy, walking around and decimating enemies with Wing Strikes (which proved so good that I think the increased damage modifier has been outright removed from Tempering). While not too well-versed with the Warlock at present, I found its take on the summoner playstyle, which involved bringing in brutes and hurling bodies at enemies within a summoning circle to translate kills into more minions, to be chaotically enjoyable.

If you needed any impetus to pick up the expansion, it’s probably these two, because, for what it’s worth, Diablo 4’s base combat still feels viscerally enjoyable. I don’t have much to say about Skovos, save for the fact that it’s a gorgeous location, and once again, the art team at Blizzard continues to carry this property through thick and thin. It’s matched by the sound design and music teams – the former ensures that every single impact of the Paladin’s Falling Star feels weighty while the latter adds an air of almost Greek mythology to the region’s tunes.

"However, at this point, almost three years later, Diablo 4 still struggles to resonate with me. The ingredients are seemingly there, but the design decisions and overall endgame loop continue to disappoint, with War Plans feeling like little more than a band-aid fix to try and string them all together."

Diablo 4’s open world design, where you’re flitting from one place to the next on a mount, partaking in the same random world events on repeat, is what it is at this point. I’m not a fan, but at least Skovos feels less sprawling and more compact in its design, which means less travel time.

I would have loved to end this review by saying that this expansion is simply more Diablo 4, and that if you love the base game, then you’ll probably like this. Content-wise, that definitely holds, especially with the new classes, and there have been enough systemic changes in this latest update that lapsed players will want to come back and at least play around with all the systems.

However, at this point, almost three years later, Diablo 4 still struggles to resonate with me. The ingredients are seemingly there, but the design decisions and overall endgame loop continue to disappoint, with War Plans feeling like little more than a band-aid fix to try and string them all together. Maybe with the Hatred saga over and done with, the feeling of hope for the future will result in something, anything innovative or meaningful for the game as a whole. As it currently stands, however, it begets little more than a feeling of what could have been.

This expansion was reviewed on PC.

“We think Lord of Hatred is the best Diablo 4 has ever been — we think of it as the ultimate expression of the game,” said Haroutunian. Finer spoke about how the expansion was a labor of love for the development team, and how many of its features are essentially love letters to fans of the franchise.

“One hundred percent,” said Finer when asked about Lord of Hatred being Diablo 4 at its best. “So many of the features are a love letter to Diablo and its players. It’s been a huge labor of love from the team. We’ve been playing the game constantly internally; it’s been so easy to lose yourself in the flow state of grinding War Plans, using the map overlay to efficiently navigate every level, and using the loot filter to make ultra-endgame items pop.”

While Lord of Hatred is bringing quite a bit of content with it, like the returning Horadric Cube, the expansion will also introduce refinements to pre-existing systems, like Diablo 4‘s runes. On the subject, Finer spoke about how there were some runes that were just too powerful for the game. This has led to the removal of some of the stronger ones from the game.

“In general, we found that there were extreme outliers (both too weak and way too powerful) that were dominating the system and shrinking the build diversity too much,” explained Finer. “Additionally, with the Cube, we’ve made it easier than ever to hunt for the runes you’re looking for. So we’re attacking this problem from both sides: editing down the list with build variety in mind, and giving you more options to obtain the runes you want. Long-term, runes are a place we want to continue to evolve, especially with the Cube now in the mix.”

As for the Cube itself, he also noted that it can be used with recipes as many times as the player might want, as long as they have the required materials. In general, the Horadric Cube was meant to introduce more depth to Diablo 4‘s crafting system. This also means that there are a few high-risk recipes in the game.

“However, there are a few higher-risk recipes — like Transfiguration — which have incredible outcomes, but also terrible ones,” he said. “Have a mediocre item with great potential? Transfigure it. You might even find that you’re able to transfigure it multiple times. Have a near-perfect item? Slot an Entropic Tuning Prism into the Transfigure recipe to minimize the risk — but also the reward.”

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred will expand on the story of Mephisto when it finally comes out on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. For more, take a look at the gameplay showcase, which features combat, a boss fight, and the region of Skovos. Also, check out our thoughts on how the expansion signifies a new approach to leveling.

The opening’s quite interesting, with your character and Lorath infiltrating the ranks of a cult that’s almost blindly devoted to one of Mephisto’s many forms. He’s clearly using them as a route to power, and he can be quite charming when he wants to be. However, those tactics don’t work on you, and you’re going to be battling his forces on a ship before confronting him directly. That culminates in a boss battle against a deadly monster created from one of the cult’s acolytes.

Lord of Hatred is probably quite high on your list of priorities if you’re a Diablo fan. With the Warlock and Paladin being thrown into the mix alongside changes to how you’re going to be gaining levels making make progression a whole lot smoother for your character, this is an expansion that’s looking like a sublime blend of an interesting story and new mechanics. It’s coming to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC  on April 28th.

Samson: A Tyndalston Story

Growing up is never easy, yet there’s a bittersweet feeling in returning to your childhood town, older and wiser. Not for Samson, though. His goal in Tyndalston is to pay off a debt that increases each day. Time is money, literally – you have limited hours to choose different jobs, whether it’s a getaway driver for a bank job or tuning up some local thugs. With a combat system that’s more about fighting dirty and vehicular mayhem that would make Mad Max proud, Samson promises a lot for its $25 price when it launches on April 8th.

DarkSwitch

Think Against the Storm, but expanding vertically – that somewhat explains Cyber Temple’s DarkSwitch. With a giant tree as your base and a malevolent fog slowly creeping in, you need to build, construct defenses and sometimes venture into the unknown to survive. It probably isn’t a coincidence that Akira Yamaoka is composing the soundtrack, probably hearing the word “fog” and asking nothing more. But with a full-fledged story mode that promises over 20 hours of thrills, DarkSwitch could end up a dark horse when it launches on April 9th.

Replaced

AI trapped in a human’s body, an alternative United States under the thrall of megacorporations, post-nuclear panic – all of this and more await in Replaced, Sad Cat Studios’ long-in-development cinematic platformer, which launches on April 14th. It also features stunning 2.5D graphics and a Free Flow combat system akin to Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham franchise. Over its eight-hour runtime (11 to 12 if you stay and smell what’s left of the roses), there’s a harrowing, unpredictable experience with more than its fair share of bleak commentary on the world as we know it.

Starfield (PS5) and Terran Armada

Bethesda’s new – and not at all controversial – IP is finally coming to PS5 on April 7th alongside the latest story DLC, Terran Armada. At $49.99 for the base game ($10 for the new DLC), it’s the best time for PlayStation players to explore the Settled Systems, especially with the Free Lanes update. Besides expanding on space travel, it introduces new companions, outpost improvements, new points of interest, more upgrade systems, and more. Meanwhile, Terran Armada promises a more interesting story, its own exclusive Incursions, new ships, and even an HK-47-style companion in Delta.

Regions of Ruin: Runegate

As intriguing as the pixel art style and sheer number of systems could be, I never expected 2018’s Regions of Ruin to get a sequel. Runegate is out on April 14th and follows pretty much the same premise – venturing out into a ruined world, helping your Dwarven brethren, obtaining resources, and ultimately, establishing a place to call home. With more varied locations, sleeker visuals and much more to do, it promises to be the definitive Regions of Ruin experience.

Road to Vostok (Early Access)

If you can’t wait for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’s first story DLC to hit this Summer, Road to Vostok may tide you over. Entering early access on April 7th, it tasks players with exploring the post-apocalyptic areas between Finland and Russia, ultimately culminating in Vostok. You’ll need to loot supplies and build a formidable arsenal, dealing with changing seasons, rough weather, bandits, and even the military, with death in Vostok causing you to lose everything. It’s a ways off from full release, but those looking for another challenging survival FPS may find it worthwhile.

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred

Vessel of Hatred was a steaming hot pile of whatever, but Lord of Hatred, Diablo 4’s next expansion, looks more promising. Available on April 28th, it sees the world in peril once more because Mephisto. You’ll likely be the one to lay the smackdown on him after venturing to Skovos, a scintillating new region full of new points of interest and plenty of demons to scour. Two new classes, the Paladin and Warlock, bring even more unique playstyles and build variety than before, while Blizzard is reworking the Skill Tree, bringing back the Horadric Cube, and more. Maybe this will be the release that finally elevates Diablo 4 to the next level. We can only hope.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire

What if you combine the rubber-hose animation of Cuphead with boomer-shooter-like gameplay? You get MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, a hard-boiled noir adventure focused on Jack Prepper, as he investigates a missing persons case and ends up discovering more than he bargained for. The slick hand-drawn animation is undoubtedly the appeal, as it brings Mouseburg to life in astonishing detail. Of course, this is a shooter as well, with weapons ranging from the grounded – pistols, shotguns, machine guns – to the wacky like freeze rays, corrosive turpentine and more. It’s out on April 16th and promises 12 to 20 hours of gameplay for $30.

Pragmata

Moon’s haunted, but instead of ghosts, there are homicidal robots out to get you. Launching on April 17th, Pragmata isn’t a Resident Evil-style survival horror – it’s the journey of Hugh, investigating a lunar base after lost contact and becoming swept up in the robot uprising. Together with the android Diana, he seeks a way out, providing the firepower while she hacks through an enemy’s defenses. The twist is that you have to do both simultaneously, creating a mix of puzzle-solving and tense shooting. It’s unlike anything we’ve seen before, and after the demo, we only want more.

Saros

Death is only the first step in Housemarque’s latest, and protagonist Arjun Devraj has miles to go before he can sleep. Investigating Carcosa for any sign of previous Soltari expeditions, he and his crew are caught up in the Eclipse, which twists the planet’s surface, culminating in the sun’s death. And yet, death won’t let them escape. Cue close encounters with tentacled monstrosities, discovering new weapons and clues that could help. And while Saros leans much further into rogue-lite progression than Returnal, it’s also expanded on the bullet dodging with a new shield that lets you absorb some damage and send it back with a vengeance. Saros arrives on April 30th, and even if you haven’t played its predecessor, it’s looking like another killer PS5 exclusive.

Invincible VS

Seemingly addressing the lack of 3v3 fighters, Quarter Up’s take on the brutal superhero epic packs 18 playable characters – including favorites such as Invincible, Omni-Man, BattleBeast, and of course, Conquest. And if the prospect of different classes, active and counter tags, and rollback netcode for online play doesn’t interest you, there’s a story mode to experience every bloody skirmish. It’s available on April 30th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Spark in the Dark (Early Access)

As typical of a dungeon crawler as Stellar Fish’s latest title appears, there’s an inherent charm and grittiness to Spark in the Dark. Maybe it’s the isometric perspective or more methodical pacing, coupled with how inherently dark the endless Dungeon appears (which makes it all the more scary when monsters show up). It’s available on April 7th via early access and only includes the initial tiers of the Dungeon, but we’re keen on plundering its depths.

MotoGP 26

Credit where it’s due to Milestone, as this will be its third consecutive racing game in three months. MotoGP 26 is all about the thrill of competitive bike racing at the highest level, although you can opt between Arcade and Pro Experiences to determine the difficulty. With an in-depth career mode, cross-play between all platforms (Nintendo not included, sadly), and new disciplines like Minibikes, Flat Tracks, Production Bikes, and more, this could be the series’ most feature-packed entry yet.

WILL: Follow the Light

Cropping up more than once during Steam Next Fest and impressing with its visuals, WILL: Follow the Light is a hard-hitting adventure focused on a seemingly simple goal: Returning home. It’s far from easy, however, as Will must brave islands, mountains and even the sea to reach his hometown and save his son. Puzzles and environmental storytelling abound, but it’s all about the atmosphere and how deep you’ll go to learn the truth. WILL: Follow the Light launches on April 28th for PC.

Kiln

Listen, I’m not saying this is exactly what I expected from Double Fine, which has delivered some of the finest platforms to date. But Kiln is…curious in a way that fits the developer’s profile. After all, what other multiplayer title invites you to become a pot, finely sculpted by your hands and scuttling off into an arena for some ceramic destruction? The fact that a pot’s design influences its playstyle is even more intriguing. Whether it figuratively blows up or not, Kiln is out on April 23rd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

In a recent interview with various organizations reported on by Eurogamer, game director Colin Finer elaborated on a revised approach to levelling your characters that’s going to help players better familiarize themselves with their chosen classes.

“What the curve is going to look like is today, you get through one to 20, one to 25, really quick. It’s almost over in a second. What we’re doing is front-loading a lot of the monster cleaning you do early, so it’s slower early, but then in the later levels, it’s much less…The thought is you’re going to have a lot more skills at your disposal, you’re going to be killing way more monsters, and we want that to be snappy and more evenly paced throughout.”

It’s a solid way to ensure that you get to spend time with a class while gradually accruing more skills in a way that lets you commit them to muscle memory and truly embody them in a way that’s uniquely yours. The new level cap ensures that you keep evolving even as you go higher up the ladder. If you’ve been thinking about taking the Paladin or Warlock along for your journey through the expansion, you’re probably going to enjoy getting to know them better than you would have before this change.

The announcement follows the studio potentially mulling over further additions to Diablo 2: Resurrected if the Warlock manages to make enough of an impression among fans. Either way, it’s looking like a very good time to be a Diablo fan, and we’re itching to take the fight to Mephisto when Lord of Hatred drops on April 28th.

Perhaps even more surprising, however, is that it’s not just coming to the next paid expansion. Diablo Immortal players can go hands-on this June while Diablo 2: Resurrected fans don’t even have to wait – it’s out today in the paid Reign of the Warlock DLC. Three paths are available – Demon for using hellspawn against their own, Eldritch for harnessing psionic forces, and Chaos to inundate foes in an elemental inferno.

Of course, there will also be new items, Runewords, and sets for every class. The DLC also updates Terror Zones, adds a new end-game challenge in The Ancients, and introduces a new loot filter. If that wasn’t enough, Stash Tabs have received a much-needed quality of life update, as you can now store gems, runes, and other resources in their own dedicated spaces.

As for Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred, it’s out on April 28th. Pre-purchasing it now grants immediate access to the Paladin class. Head here for more details.

“For 35 years, Blizzard has been shaped by the worlds we build and the players who bring them to life. You’ve fought through World of Warcraft, battled in Diablo, played your cards in Hearthstone, and held the line in Overwatch. We’ve come a long way together. And now, the next chapter begins.

“Over the next few weeks, each world will showcase what comes next. If these games mean something to you, we’d love to see you there. These aren’t updates in isolation. They’re part of where Blizzard is heading—together with the players who’ve been here all along.”

It kicks off on January 29th at 9 AM PT with World of Warcraft’s State of Azeroth, followed by an Overwatch Spotlight on February 4th at 10 AM PT. Hearthstone is next on February 9th at 9:30 AM PT, and the Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight wraps things up on February 11th at 2 PM PT.

Regarding this series of reveals, Blizzard Entertainment president Johanna Faries said, “Our extraordinarily talented teams have assembled a stellar line-up for our players across our universes. This major showcase event comes at a significant moment in time as we reflect on three and a half decades of Blizzard history and our big ambitions for the future. This is only the start of what we’ll share around our games this year, and we can’t wait to bring it to life.”

We already know about what’s coming to some of the above games, from the new Midnight expansion for World of Warcraft to Diablo 4’s Lord of Hatred. However, based on the trailer’s ending image, Blizzard could have something in store for StarCraft as well. A teaser for the shooter rumored back in 2024? Maybe not in the coming weeks, but a reveal at some point this year, even before BlizzCon, is certainly possible.

As for Overwatch, it wouldn’t be surprising to see its mobile version, reportedly developed by Nexon, receive an announcement. We may also hear about the “huge” something that director Aaron Keller teased for Overwatch 2 to start the year.

A new cinematic release date trailer debuted alongside the announcement, showcasing the darker tone of Mephisto’s return and the looming threat to Sanctuary.

Narratively, Lord of Hatred pushes the story toward its climax. Mephisto’s design is finally coming into focus as Hell’s forces begin pouring openly into Sanctuary. As the Pools of Creation draw the Prime Evil closer to full manifestation, humanity faces an existential crisis. To stand a chance, the Wanderer is forced into an uneasy alliance with a returning figure, with the partnership framed as one of necessity rather than trust.

On the class front, Blizzard is leading with one of Diablo’s most iconic archetypes. The Paladin, described as a radiant, sword-and-shield warrior, becomes playable immediately for anyone who pre-purchases the expansion.

A second, still-unrevealed class will join the roster when Lord of Hatred officially launches in April. The expansion’s campaign takes players to Skovos, a new region described as the birthplace of Sanctuary’s first civilization. Lord of Hatred introduces a fully reworked skill tree with expanded caps and fresh class-defining variants, a long-requested Loot Filter for more targeted farming, and enhanced crafting powered by the return of the Horadric Cube.

A new Talisman system promises build-defining set-style bonuses, while “War Plans” are pitched as a way for players to chart their own endgame progression. Echoing Hatred offers an endless gauntlet-style activity for high-end players, contrasted by a quieter diversion in the form of fishing across Sanctuary’s dangerous waterways. Pre-purchase incentives include early access to the Paladin class, an extra stash tab, two additional character slots, and three décor items for World of Warcraft.

All editions of Lord of Hatred include immediate access to Vessel of Hatred, Diablo IV’s first expansion, while Deluxe and Ultimate tiers add exclusive pets, mounts, armor bundles, cosmetics, Platinum, and other digital bonuses.

While Schreier was sparse with details in his post on ResetEra, he did note that he is aware of what exactly the statue is teasing, and that he has no plans to reveal what this might be because he thinks “it’s a good one”.

“This statue is not teasing the Diablo 4 expansion,” wrote Schreier. “I don’t currently plan on reporting what it is, sorry, but it’s a good one.”

Gaming YouTuber and Streamer Luke Stephens has also taken to social media, having noted confirmation that the statue doesn’t have anything to do with God of War either. In his post, Stephens said that Cory Barlog had showed up in his recent stream’s chat, where he denied a connection with God of War. “Cory Barlog was just in chat on my stream and confirmed this is NOT God of War related,” posted Stephens, who also went on to joke that, since Barlog said that “no, it’s not gow,” he could have been referring to Gears of War.

With Schreier having confirmed that he will not be revealing what exactly it is, while also going on to deny the report by Windows Central’s Jez Corden who said that it is going to be a teaser for Diablo 4’s next expansion “but also, more,” speculation has continued to run rampant.

If we take Barlog’s word that it isn’t about God of War at face value, most speculation has ended up at it being related to The Elder Scrolls 6 in some way. Short of Bethesda’s official confirmation, however, these are also difficult details to ascertain. Schreier referring to this tease as being “a good one” also lends credence to the idea that it has to do with a major announcement.

The Game Awards 2025 is slated to take place on December 11, and going by tradition, will feature a host of new game reveals and other announcements intermingled with the various awards that will be handed out over a range of different categories. While confirmations are few and far between, there have been rumours about the a new game in the Control franchise slated to show up at the event along with a new trailer for the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake.

CD Projekt RED, on the other hand, has confirmed that The Witcher 4 will not be making an appearance at The Game Awards 2025. Co-CEO Michał Nowakowski made this announcement in a social media post where he wrote about being happy to see the title be an option for the Most Anticipated Game category. Along with this, rumours have also indicated that Half-Life 3 is “not supposed to” be unveiled at The Game Awards this year.

That’s according to Jez Corden of Windows Central, who replied to another user about whether it would really be an expansion teaser. “Yes, but also, more,” he responded, which is perhaps the more intriguing part. Is there another overhaul for Diablo 4 incoming? Maybe it’s going free-to-play to compete with the likes of Path of Exile 1 and 2?

Of course, the more likely possibility is that this is a shadow drop of the Nintendo Switch 2 version, which Blizzard expressed interest in last April. It’s hard to say, but the previous expansion, Vessel of Hatred, released in October 2024 and received middling reviews. You can check out our impressions here.