After much anticipation, the Diablo 4 DLC is now almost upon us, which means players can soon get stuck into the Vessel of Hatred expansion and start exploring the significant changes that are being introduced. There's a fresh location to discover, a brand new character Class arriving in the series for the first time, and an updated storyline to progress, along with some important gameplay reworkings for all Diablo 4 players.
In our Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred review, we said that "The addition of a new region and class breathe new life into Sanctuary, and smart changes to progression and core systems only improve the baseline experience further," so there's plenty to be excited about. If you're looking for the latest information, then here's everything we know about the Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred DLC.
When is the Diablo 4 DLC out?
Previously we were just working on a vague "coming late 2024" release date from the 2023 announcement trailer – though during an interview with Force Gaming at the start of November 2023 Rod Fergusson stated that Blizzard were planning a big reveal "early this summer" in "probably like six months or so", which meant we were expecting a lot more information to arrive around May or June 2024. This came to pass at the Summer Game Fest, and as revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase on June 9 the Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred DLC will be released on October 8, 2024 across all platforms.
We currently have a countdown running to the Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred release time, which actually spans two dates due to a simultaneous global release:
- 4pm PDT on October 7
- 7pm EDT on October 7
- 12am BST on October 8
- 1am CEST on October 8
How much does the Diablo 4 DLC cost?
The Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred DLC will be a paid-for expansion, setting it apart from the regular seasonal updates we are currently receiving that are included as part of the base game. Thankfully, rumors of a $90 base price turned out to be nonsense, but we now know what the actual price tag will be, and obviously Blizzard will be adding a lot more content than the seasonal updates to justify the cost. The Diablo 4 DLC price has been set as follows:
- Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: Ultimate Edition – $89.99 / £75.99
- Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: Deluxe Edition – $59.99 / £49.99
- Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: Standard Edition – $39.99 / £34.99
You can pre-purchase the expansion in any of those versions right now and you'll receive a selection of in-game rewards to use immediately, including a selection of new Diablo 4 Pets to join you on your adventures. Here's a breakdown of what you can collect from each edition:
- Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: Ultimate Edition
- Nahantu Veilwalker Spiritborn Armor (available at DLC launch)
- Nahantu War-Cat Mount and Armor Bundle
- Nahantu Unearthed Armor Bundle (5 class armor sets)
- Nahantu Themed Town Portal
- Alkor, Snow Leopard Pet
- Hratli, Canine Pet
- Natalya, Tiger Pet
- Wings of the Faith Cosmetic
- One Premium Battle Pass Token
- 3,000 Platinum
- Mother's Lament Legendary Gem for Diablo Immortal
- Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: Deluxe Edition
- Nahantu Veilwalker Spiritborn Armor (available at DLC launch)
- Nahantu War-Cat Mount and Armor Bundle
- Alkor, Snow Leopard Pet
- Hratli, Canine Pet
- One Premium Battle Pass Token
- Mother’s Lament Legendary Gem for Diablo Immortal
- Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: Standard Edition
- Alkor, Snow Leopard Pet
- Mother’s Lament Legendary Gem for Diablo Immortal
The Diablo 4 DLC is set in a new (but familiar) location
The Diablo 4 DLC will add an entire new playable region named Nahantu, which has also been referred to as Toraja, Torajan, or the Torajan Jungles. This a wild jungle area that exists within Diablo lore in Sanctuary, to the south of Kehjistan, so it's likely that the Vessel of Hatred expansion will extend the existing Diablo 4 map into the currently inaccessible area to the southwest. This region previously featured in Act 3 of Diablo 2, so may already be familiar to long-standing players, though back then it was still considered part of Kehjistan rather than being a distinct zone. We have a guide for how to start the Vessel of Hatred in Diablo 4 so you can get to this fresh location as soon as possible.
The Diablo 4 DLC introduces a completely new Class
The Diablo 4 DLC will introduce a fresh Class that is not only brand new for the current game, but has also never been seen before in the entire Diablo series. Confirming previously leaked files, we now know the new Class for Vessel of Hatred will be Diablo 4 Spiritborn, which is heavily linked to nature and will tie in well with the jungle setting for the expansion. It is likely that changes will also be made to the five existing Classes, though it isn't known if that will involve raising their level caps. If you want to find out more, then check out our Diablo 4 preview for updated information direct from Blizzard.
The Diablo 4 DLC storyline involves Mephisto
During the main campaign of Diablo 4, the Herald of Mephisto appears to players a number of times in the form of a Bloodied Wolf, guiding them to assist in defeating his daughter Lilith. By the end of the story, he is captured in a soulstone by Neyrelle, and is last seen being transported by her on a ship, followed by the Bloodied Wolf.
The voice heard during the initial Diablo 4 DLC announcement trailer is that of Mephisto himself, who ominously says "We have each played a part in what has happened here. You abdicated your choice to this... child. And with every step she takes, I grow stronger. There will be no salvation in the Light." That suggests that Mephisto will have much more influence in the Vessel of Hatred expansion, and players may even end up battling with the Lord of Hatred himself.
The Diablo 4 DLC will introduce several gameplay changes
Although we don't have the full details yet, there are several gameplay changes we know about that will be introduced with Vessel of Hatred. There will be Diablo 4 Mercenaries you can recruit to fight alongside you, bringing their own unique abilities to help in combat while growing more powerful the longer they're with you. For the first time in Diablo, there will be an end-game dungeon available featuring PvE co-operative gameplay, where you'll need to team up with other players to get through it together. Other updates will also be introduced across the whole game, including new Skills for existing Classes, additional Diablo 4 Paragon Boards, Legendary Glyphs to discover, and fresh Dungeon types to explore.
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