Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred Release

I have a long history with the Diablo series. I played Diablo II when I was younger, then spent several years playing quite a lot of Diablo III. That makes every new Diablo release interesting to me, even when I am not completely sure what to expect from it.

Coming back to Diablo IV

In my opinion, Diablo IV had a rough start. It has taken time for the game to find its footing, and games such as Path of Exile have become serious competition for anyone looking for a deep action RPG.

Even with those concerns, Lord of Hatred has my attention. Blizzard appears to have put a lot into this expansion, and what has been shown so far looks like a meaningful addition rather than a small content update.

What caught my attention

The expansion is set to continue the fight against Mephisto and take players to Skovos, a new region with volcanic coasts, forests, ruins, and plenty of unpleasant things waiting to kill us.

Some of the additions I am looking forward to include:

• A new campaign centered on Mephisto and the growing influence of Hatred
• The new Skovos region, with additional towns, dungeons, and enemies
• Two playable classes: the Paladin and Warlock
• Updates to skills, items, crafting, progression, and endgame activities
• More ways to customize builds across the existing classes

The Warlock sold me

The Warlock is the part I am most excited to try. The idea of using forbidden magic and turning the powers of Hell against its own creatures fits Diablo perfectly.

I am especially interested in seeing how the different Warlock styles feel in actual play. Summoning demons, controlling the battlefield, performing destructive rituals, or simply becoming something terrifying all sound like fun directions for a class.

I still have some reservations because of Diablo IV's earlier problems, but I am cautiously optimistic. Blizzard knows how to make its worlds look and sound incredible, and Lord of Hatred looks like it could give me a good reason to return to Sanctuary.

Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred artwork © Blizzard Entertainment. View the official Lord of Hatred announcement.