Blizzard closed out The Game Awards with a promise: the Age of Hatred ends next spring. Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred—a sprawling new expansion that pushes the story toward a final confrontation with Mephisto—will launch on April 28, 2026. And for players eager to swing a hammer in the name of the Light, pre-ordering grants immediate access to the long-requested Paladin class.
What you get if you pre-order
Pre-purchase any Lord of Hatred edition and the Paladin unlocks right away. That’s not a teaser—Blizzard is letting players try the holy warrior in Season 11 before the expansion itself arrives. Every Lord of Hatred purchase also includes last year’s Vessel of Hatred expansion so newcomers can catch up without digging into old buy pages.The usual edition tiers are in play—Standard, Deluxe and Ultimate—each stacking cosmetics, additional stash tabs, character slots and cross-promotional trinkets. A cheeky crossover: pre-orders come with World of Warcraft housing decor inspired by Sanctuary, including a Wolphisto rug and a functioning chessboard. The Ultimate packs even more vanity items and in-game currency for players who want the deluxe trappings.
The Paladin, and a mysterious second class
Blizzard described the Paladin as Sanctuary’s “quintessential holy warrior”: sword-and-shield combat combined with divine abilities. Classic Diablo hallmarks—Auras, Blessed Hammer, Zeal—are returning with fresh animations and new skill variants that aim to blend Diablo II nostalgia with Diablo IV’s more grounded combat. Expect melee pressure, defensive playstyles and Light-powered utility to shake up the meta.Blizzard also teased a second new class that “looms on the dark horizon.” No name yet, only the promise that its arrival will reshape the battlefield when Lord of Hatred goes live.
Skovos, Mephisto, and how the story closes
Lord of Hatred continues the Age of Hatred saga after Vessel of Hatred. The campaign takes players to Skovos, an ancient, seafaring cradle of civilization said to be the birthplace of Lilith and Inarius. From ash-choked forests to sunken temples, the expansion sets the stage for a climactic push against Mephisto’s influence as he fans hatred across Sanctuary.Lilith returns in the narrative, old alliances are strained, and the stakes are literal: stop Mephisto before Sanctuary drowns in malice. For completionists, the expansion doubles as the story’s capstone to the arc that began in the base game.
Systems changes that affect everyone
Lord of Hatred isn’t just new zones and a new toolkit for players who buy it—Blizzard says a suite of core updates will touch every player.- Skill Trees get a major rework across all base classes, with new skill variants and expanded level caps.
- A new Loot Filter aims to make drops less noisy and more meaningful.
- Crafting gets a fresh take (and a nod to tradition) with Horadric Cube–style systems returning in some form.
- New item hooks like Talismans and bonus skill variants are being added.
For endgame players, War Plans will let you craft tailored progression paths—selecting activities, stacking modifiers and competing for high-value rewards. Echoing Hatred will be the new endless-wave test, while lighter activities such as Fishing will be added for players who want downtime between demon slaying.
These changes suggest Blizzard wants the expansion to be both a narrative event and a systems refresh: new toys for new classes, and quality-of-life and progression adjustments that affect every account.
Why this matters (and what to watch)
The Paladin’s arrival is a win for fans who’ve asked for a return to divine-centered melee play, but it also raises the usual balancing questions. Adding new classes plus a sweeping skill-tree overhaul will ripple through seasonal metas and build diversity. The immediate-access pre-order model means many players will show up to Season 11 ready to test holy builds long before balance patches land.If you follow Blizzard’s ecosystem beyond Diablo, note that the company is leaning into cross-promotion and live events again—pre-orders tie into World of Warcraft housing and other vanity items—so community momentum heading into next year looks deliberate. If you’re planning a convention trip or want to follow Blizzard announcements in person, the studio has already opened early-bird sales for BlizzCon 2026, which could be a place for more reveals and hands-on time (/news/blizzcon-2026-tickets). The Game Awards also served as a broader platform for reveals—other developers, including Larian, used the night to tease big new projects (see the fresh Divinity announcement) (/news/divinity).
If you play on console and are thinking about hardware ahead of next year’s big releases, Blizzard lists PlayStation and Xbox among supported platforms; some players may pair a refreshed Diablo run with a new console like the PlayStation 5 Pro.
Lord of Hatred is shaping up to be part content drop, part systems reboot and part final chapter. Whether you’re in it for the Paladin, the promised second class, the endgame overhaul, or just another crack at Mephisto, Blizzard has given players a lot to plan for once April rolls around.