Mephisto is not waiting anymore. Diablo IV’s second major expansion, Lord of Hatred, arrives April 28 across PC (Battle.net and Steam), PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. Blizzard announced the expansion at The Game Awards 2025 and has been rolling out pre-purchase details and class reveals since; with launch less than four weeks away, this is a good moment to take stock of what is actually coming.
There are two new classes joining the chat. The Paladin, which returns from Diablo II, is built around holy-powered melee combat with Auras, iconic skills like Blessed Hammer and Zeal, and a new Oath System that reflects the sacred codes the order swears to uphold. Blizzard is positioning it as a character designed around buffs, judgement, and overwhelming divine authority. The Warlock is the second new class, leaning into forbidden knowledge and demonic binding as core mechanics. Pre-purchasers have access to the Paladin early for existing seasonal content; the Warlock arrives with the full expansion.
The new region, Skovos, is the sacred island chain that has been a fixture of Diablo lore since the original game but has never been a playable area. Players will follow the continuing fallout from the events of Vessel of Hatred, pursuing Mephisto’s influence as it spreads toward the islands and working toward a direct confrontation with the Prime Evil. The narrative framing suggests this is the expansion that gives the Mephisto storyline a definitive conclusion for this cycle.
Beyond the new story and classes, Lord of Hatred introduces sweeping system changes that apply to all eight classes regardless of whether players purchase the expansion. Skill tree reworks with new variants for every class, a new level cap, set bonus support via a new Talisman system, a Horadric Cube-inspired crafting overhaul, and war plans for endgame progression are all on the list. The long-requested Loot Filter also finally arrives, making it genuinely easier to manage the item noise at higher torment levels.
Per the Steam listing, pricing is $39.99 for the Standard Edition, $59.99 for Deluxe, and $89.99 for Ultimate (Ed: I think I spent less than that on the base game). The Standard Edition includes Vessel of Hatred, making it an all-in-one entry point for anyone who has not played the first expansion. Pre-purchasing unlocks Paladin class early access and a stash tab, among other bonuses.
For PC players who have been away since the base game or Vessel of Hatred (Ed: That’s me. I forgot I had it installed), the system overhauls accompanying Lord of Hatred make this a worthwhile time to check back in, regardless of whether the new story content is any good for your mouse’s click count.