At the recent Game Awards 2025, the developers of Diablo 4 announced some major news: the game’s next expansion, Lord of Hatred, will officially launch on April 28, 2026. Nowadays, players can pre-order through its official website and major gaming platforms.
This news excited all players, as many had predicted the expansion wouldn’t be released until the end of next year. With the release date will be scheduled for the first half of the year. It’s hard not to consider whether it’s truly going to compete with Path of Exile series.
However, what we are discussing here today is not their competitive relationship, but rather piecing together all the currently available information to figure out what kind of new expansion the developers intend to present to all players next April.
DLC Overview
Since Diablo 4 aims to develop its expansions into a series, the name of this Lord of Hatred DLC is very similar to Vessel of Hatred, which was released last October, and the campaign theme is also related to hatred. Additionally, this DLC offers three versions for players to choose from: Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition, and Ultimate Edition.
If you’re a new player who has never experienced this game universe before, the developers also offer a bundle that includes D4 base game, Vessel of Hatred DLC, and Lord of Hatred DLC, which might be a more cost-effective option, but some premium content such as mounts and cosmetic options will not be available.
Currently, the prices for each version and bundle have been fully announced. You can choose the corresponding expansion version based on your budget and exploration needs.
- Standard Edition: $39.99
- Deluxe Edition: $59.99
- Ultimate Edition: $89.99
- Age of Hatred Collection: $69.99
Just a reminder, regardless of which version you pre-order, as long as you own the base game, you can unlock Paladin class and Vessel of Hatred DLC for free. Furthermore, Deluxe Edition and Ultimate Edition will provide you with instant pre-order bonuses, such as an extra stash tab, a pet, and cosmetic items.
New Features
After a general overview of the new expansion, let’s take a closer look at the new features included in D4 Lord of Hatred. Based on the available information, there will be one new campaign area and two new classes; additionally, the character system and endgame content from the base game will undergo a major overhaul.
Skovos
Skovos, also known as Skovos Isles, is a new explorable area added to Sanctuary in Diablo 4 2nd DLC. According to the developers’ description, Skovos was originally the homeland of Lilith and Inarius, but it has now been occupied by Oracle and her formidable Amazon Queen.
Players, as explorers in this game world, must constantly strive to protect this new area in Sanctuary, which incorporates the scenery and landscape features of many other regions, such as, there are volcanic peaks to the east, lush green forests to the west, and in the middle, treacherous, waterlogged ruins, each of which is packed with tons of Diablo 4 gold.
This is the first time D4 has placed two different types of landscapes - both land and water - on a single map, which is sure to bring you a completely different kind of adventure. Hidden towns, dangerous dungeons, and terrifying new monsters await you.
New Classes - Paladin & TBD
In this expansion, two new classes have been added. One of them is confirmed to be Paladin, a character that players have been eagerly anticipating; the other class has not yet been revealed. According to the developers themselves, this new class will definitely surprise all players and provide a new gaming experience.
Thanks to this, we can only introduce Paladin class here, which is a character who uses holy light to inflict damage on enemies. Currently, you can play this class for free in Season 11: Season of Divine Intervention simply by pre-ordering the new DLC.
Paladins use swords, flails, and shields imbued with Holy Light for melee attacks, emphasizing strength, faith, and divine power. Much like the Barbarian, this class needs to accumulate Faith to continuously increase its damage output and focuses on melee attacks with Physical and Holy damage.
Furthermore, they can provide team support through their aura, becoming the most important helper in collaborative efforts. Depending on the chosen playstyle, Lord of Hatred DLC offers different Paladin build options, primarily determined by Oaths: Juggernaut focuses on defense, Zealot on offense, Judicator on debuffs, and Disciple on versatility.
Original Content Overhauled
As a new expansion for Diablo 4, in addition to new content, there are also revisions to existing content. For example, the skill trees for all six existing classes (including Spiritborn) have been completely revamped, and the previous D4 items and crafting system have also undergone some changes.
However, the most important change is the adjustment to the endgame’s linear progression. Previously, there were complaints about its lack of variety and limited customization options, so the developers have revamped the progression system in this DLC.
You can now choose your preferred world activities to explore and earn a large amount of loot. This increases player agency and provides a wider variety of gear options, leading to greater overall diversity - a positive outcome that both the developers and many players appreciate.
The above is all the currently known information about Diablo 4 Lord Of Hatred Expansion, which is scheduled for release on April 28, 2026. We hope the developers can achieve even greater success with this expansion series, building upon its excellent predecessors, and deliver a huge surprise for all players. Stay tuned!














