Vessel of Hatred, Diablo 4’s first expansion, is slated for late 2024

Diablo 4 is of course continuing to release content in its various Seasons — for example, we’re currently in Season 2 as I type this — but we’ve all wondered where the story of the game was going to go next, following the conclusion of the main storyline. And now, it appears we’re going to get that answer, as Blizzard revealed a teaser for Diablo 4‘s first expansion, titled Vessel of Hatred. Tiffany Wat and Chris Wilson, Diablo 4‘s Production Directors, showed the teaser and revealed more details afterwards… and we got more details from the Diablo 4 Campfire Chat at BlizzCon the following Saturday.

To no one’s surprise, the ominous voiceover reveals that it was probably a really bad idea to let a grieving teenager, who’d just lost her mother and her arm, take the Soulstone with the Lord of Hatred, Mephisto trapped within it and take off to parts unknown. Said ominous voiceover was Mephisto himself, talking over Neyrelle as she chants Zakarum prayers desperately. We’re shown a flyover of what’s revealed to be Nahantu and we get a pretty ominous ruined city that has more than a little resemblance to Travincal. And as we found out during the Campfire Chat, we’ll be traveling to both Kurast and Travincal during our hunt for Mephisto.

It makes sense considering how Mephisto corrupted the whole Zakarum faith from the Soulstone Chamber built under Travincal, which Tiffany Wat confirmed will be visited during Vessel of Hatred. We’re also told that there’s going to be a new class, and it’s one never before seen in the Diablo universe, so unless my monkey’s paw worked and we get Bards I know I’ll be waiting impatiently to find out more. Sadly, that won’t be until summer of 2024, with the expansion itself slated for ‘late 2024’ so perhaps a year out.

I mean, yay new expansion details, but man, I want more. What’s the new class? Is it Bards? If it’s Bards I’ll be sorry I ever doubted this monkey’s paw. We know that in addition to Travincal and Kurast that we’ll venture into the deep forests of Nehantu, where the Tusked Lords — a faction of Druids — make their homes. It’s also where the Witch Doctors from Diablo 3 came from, but we have no idea how or even if that connects to Neyrelle’s journey and her battle of wills against Mephisto.  What is Mephisto ultimately up to? Why does he sound so much like Zoltan Kulle? I have to accept that I won’t know for a while on most of these (Mephisto and Zoltan Kulle are both voiced by Steve Blum) but I won’t be happy about it.

C’mon, at least tell me if they’re melee.

Updated