Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred Promises Players an Entirely New Experience – DLC Release Date, Price, New Spiritborn Class, Mercenaries, and Everything Awaiting Us in Nahantu

Diablo 4 was released on June 5, 2023, more than 11 years after the release of Diablo 3, and soon, Blizzard's creation will receive its first expansion. The debut DLC for Diablo 4 will be the Vessel of Hatred expansion, announced on June 9, 2024. It is expected to significantly change the game's experience.

Vessel of Hatred will introduce us to the new Nahantu region, which has not been seen in the game before, feature a brand new class for the series, bring back some mechanics familiar from previous installments, and much more. Let's get into the details.

Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred Release Date

The official release of Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred will take place on October 8, 2024, on all available platforms. Along with this, a new season will likely begin in the game, but it is also possible that we will see something like a "zero" preseason to get more accustomed to the innovations Blizzard is preparing.

Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred New Class – Spiritborn

For the first time since Diablo 4 release in June 2023, the game will receive a new class. With the DLC Vessel of Hatred, D4 players will have the opportunity to play as the Spiritborn – an entirely new class in the Diablo universe.

Although the Spiritborn has not been featured in the series before, it has prototypes in the form of the Amazon from Diablo 2 and the Witch Doctor from Diablo 3. Most likely, the Spiritborn will be a "mixed" version of these classes.

The introduction of the Spiritborn is quite logical and reminiscent of how the Crusader was presented in Diablo 3. Recall that the Crusader in D3 was released along with the Reaper of Souls expansion, and it was a highly thematic class. It seems we can expect a similar situation with the Spiritborn, as the main events of Vessel of Hatred will take place in the jungles of Nahantu, which is precisely where the Spiritborn feels most at home.

Nahantu – New Region in Diablo 4

The DLC Vessel of Hatred will not only present a new class but also a new region in Diablo 4 – Nahantu. These are ancient jungles where terrifying secrets are hidden among dense palms and tropical mists.

It is here that Neyrelle, the last of the Horadrim, went after defeating Lilith. She plans to finish off Mephisto here, but her journey will be very challenging. Without our help, she is unlikely to succeed.

Along with the new region, we can expect new cities, quests, enemies, and Citadels to cleanse from the spawn of evil.

Vessel of Hatred New Mechanics – Pets & Mercenaries

Journeying through sinister jungles is no pleasant task. Fortunately, Pets & Mercenaries, which will become an integral part of the DLC Vessel of Hatred and were previously featured in earlier Diablo series games, will aid you in this endeavor.

Pets can collect loot and accompany you on adventures as non-combat companions. Incidentally, they will debut in the game before October 8.

Mercenaries will join you as combat companions, helping you crush hordes of demons. In total, there will be 4 mercenaries, one for each region, similar to Diablo 2. Blizzard promises enhanced mercenary mechanics, allowing them to become more powerful as your character levels up.

DLC Vessel of Hatred Unique PvE Mechanic – Multi-faceted Dungeon

One of the endgame activities in Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred will be new dungeons. While dungeons are a staple of the Diablo series, making this seem like a routine addition, this time is different. The new PvE Multi-faceted Dungeons are notable for their complexity.

These new dungeons can be tackled in groups with other players and only at high levels. The steps towards increasing game difficulty were evident as early as Season 4, with the reworking of the Pits and more.

How to Play Vessel of Hatred

The Vessel of Hatred expansion for Diablo 4 is a major addon that costs money. You can already pre-order the game on Blizzard's official page, but remember that to access Vessel of Hatred, you need to own the original game.

In total, there are four pre-order options available:

• Diablo 4 Expansion Bundle (game + DLC)
• Vessel of Hatred Standard Edition (expansion + basic pre-order rewards)
• Vessel of Hatred Deluxe Edition (expansion + cosmetics)
• Vessel of Hatred Ultimate Edition (expansion + cosmetics)

Below, you can see what you will receive with pre-order and prices for different editions.

The DLC is available for pre-order on PC (Battle.net + Steam) and consoles (Xbox Series, Xbox One + PlayStation). The price of the expansion may vary depending on the region where you purchase it.

So, that's all we know about Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred for now. Throughout the summer, Blizzard will reveal more about VoH. While we wait, we recommend trying one of the endgame builds in D4 Season 4, or if you haven't started playing yet but want to try Vessel of Hatred, use one of the best D4S4 leveling builds for a comfortable start.