Blizzard Watch Weekly: It’s all about Mephisto

It’s a new week and I remain paralyzed by indecision about what to do with my new home in World of Warcraft, but in the meanwhile Diablo 4 announced some big news with a new expansion pack. (I don’t think I want my home to be Sanctuary-styled though… which is kind of a shame since some WoW decor items come with the game’s pre-order.) Plus many, many games showcases.

For everyone who’s having trouble keeping up with everything that’s going on, here’s a rundown of everything that happened last week (and what’s coming up this week), so we can both pretend we’re on top of things.

What happened last week?

• Diablo 4 announced its new expansion: Lord of Hatred, which will unsurprisingly pit us against Mephisto. The expansion comes a host of new and updated systems, as well as two new classes, one the classic Paladin and the other to be announced later. But the Paladin? You can play it right now. Well, for the right price.
• Diablo 4 Season 11 launched with a big surprise: the addition of the Paladin class. This is the classic holy warrior we remember from Diablo 2, with the addition of a new avatar form that allows you to transform into an angelic figure of justice. Or vengeance. Take your pick. If you want to play, you just have to pre-order Lord of Hatred, which starts at $40.
• Diablo 4 Season 11 is a lot more than the new Paladin though. We have a rundown of some of the new season’s quality of life improvements as well as its major changes.
• Confused by WoW Classic? With last week’s launch of Throne of Thunder in Mists of Pandaria Classic, maybe you’re thinking about jumping in and checking out Classic for yourself. But which version should you play? Which realm type is best? We do our best to explain the ever-expanding list of Classic realms.
• This week’s Hearthstone Tavern Brawl is Wacky Waxy Winter Veil. (It involves Kobolds; just roll with it.) Hopefully you’re ready to murder some presents, because that’s what it’s going to take to win this one.
• Player Housing in WoW may be a week old but it’s still the new hotness. We have a few new housing-related guides to help with your interior decorating:
  • We got the best news ever: that exterior decor limits have been increased to 250. Good luck with your new hedge maze!
  • One unexpected source of decor: Mechagon daily quests, providing all of the cogs and gears you need for your perfect Gnomish home.
  • Need help designing your home’s new look? We pulled together a list of guides, housing highlights, and trendmaking inspiration.
  • Did you know you can place (and fill) Work Orders for Player Housing decor? It’s an easy way to pick up more decor than you can craft yourself: here’s how to place Work Orders for decor!
  • Meet all of the cute critters wandering around your neighborhood! (The cows are my personal favorite.)

What’s happening this week (and beyond)

• December 15: Winter Veil kicks off in WoW this week, so hopefully you’re ready to get merry and see what’s under the tree this year.
• December 18: The Indie Game Awards close out awards season this year — and even though not all of these games can win, they’re all winners in our hearts. The show starts at 3:30pm pacific (6:30pm eastern).
• Through January 12: Free character transfers available from Classic anniversary realms to other Classic realms for players who don’t want to continue to The Burning Crusade.
• January 13: The Burning Crusade Classic expansion pre-patch launches on the anniversary realms! (We don’t yet have a confirmed date for the expansion itself.)
• Through January 19: Legion Remix
• Until they’re gone: BlizzCon 2026 tickets are on sale

Other things we’re playing, watching, and more

• This has been a wild week for games, with tons of awards and new game showcases, including The Game Awards, Wholesome Snack, Latin American Games Showcase (one of my favorites), Day of the Devs, and the Women-Led Games Showcase. They’re all worth watching, though be warned that your Steam wishlist is likely to grow if you tune in to any of them. The Indie Game Awards are this week, so stay tuned!
• Our indie game of the week is Squeakross, a picross puzzle game in which you play as a mouse decorating their apartment. what more do we need to say?

This week’s podcasts

• Blizzard Watch Podcast: Lumber is terrible, and more Player Housing news
• Lore Watch Podcast: The lore of The Outer Worlds

And that’s all for this very busy week in gaming. Thanks for reading and I’ll be back next week with another recap. Take care everybody, and I’ll see you then!