Summary
- Season 6 in Diablo 4 will bring a new seasonal mechanic alongside the Vessel of Hatred expansion on October 8.
- The Vessel of Hatred expansion adds a Masterworking crafting system, new monsters, dungeons, storylines, and mercenaries.
- Changes to the Paragon system aim to add depth and player choice without overwhelming complexity in Diablo 4.
Diablo 4 developers recently teased a new seasonal mechanic being introduced with Season 6. Season 6 is set to launch alongside the Vessel of Hatred expansion on October 8. Diablo 4 just recently launched Season 5 on August 6, with the addition of the Infernal Hordes activity, where players fight waves of strong enemies to earn Burning Aethers, which they can use to earn unique items for their class.
The Vessel of Hatred expansion marks a huge moment for Diablo. It brings major changes and additions, like the Masterworking crafting system, new monsters, dungeons, storylines, and more. The expansion also adds new companions to Diablo 4 called mercenaries, allowing players to explore a number of customizable playstyles. A new class called Spiritborn will also come along with Vessel of Hatred, where players can choose a Spirit Guardian to branch out into new abilities.
In an interview released on August 24, Wowhead and Diablo 4 content creator Jessirocks sat down with Diablo 4’s Systems Designer Aislyn Hall and Game Director Brent Gibson at Gamescom 2024 in Cologne, Germany. The interview went over several aspects of the upcoming season, and several details about the update were expanded upon. Hall was asked about a new seasonal mechanic coming in Season 6. She mentioned with all the new content, features, and the significant progression overhaul coming with the release of Vessel of Hatred that "bespoke mechanics and content" specific to Season 6 will also be included. A campfire chat for Diablo 4 is scheduled on August 29, which will go over further changes to the game, and the Dark Citadel endgame content coming in Vessel of Hatred.
Blizzard Developers Teases a New Seasonal Mechanic Coming to Season 6
Changes to the Paragon system are also happening with the upcoming patch. Hall mentioned in the Wowhead interview that the redesign of the system was to add depth and player choice without overloading it with complexity. Gibson went on to mention that there are no plans to make an infinite Paragon system like in Diablo 3, and they want to focus on achievable goals for the player. A debate within both the community and the development team was brought up about whether an infinite Paragon progression system adds to the fun, or if it starts to “feel like a chore.” A level squish is also rumored to come about, decreasing the level cap from 100 to 60 in Diablo 4. This will allow Paragon Boards to appear at level 60, and armor listing maximum reduction requirements at level 60 instead of level 100.
A loot filter was also mentioned in the interview. Loot filters are a highly requested feature for Diablo 4, and Gibson mentioned a list of things that have been popping up based on community feedback. An Armory was noted to be the loudest piece of feedback, which is at the top of their list. Gibson went on to say that they are road-mapping all the quality-of-life changes from season to season, so players should expect a quality-of-life update every season going forward.
Diablo 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
WHERE TO PLAY
Diablo® IV is the ultimate action-RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot.
Embark on the epic campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through a gripping story in a beautifully dark world, or explore an expansive end game: battle iconic bosses for powerful loot, fight back the encroaching onslaught of Hell in Helltides, master the Forge to create your ultimate weapons and progress powerful characters, with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.
Discover the critically acclaimed franchise that defined the Action RPG genre. As the battle between the High Heavens and Burning Hells rages on, hatred devours Sanctuary as evil spreads and a new wave of cultists and worshippers arise to embrace Lilith’s coming. Only a brave few dare to face this threat and bring light to the all-consuming darkness.
Expansive Open WorldForge your own path through the corrupted lands of Sanctuary, an ever-growing, fully explorable world teeming with challenges, quests, enemies, and loot. Join your fellow adventurers, rescue and retake besieged towns, delve into nightmarish dungeons and uncover lost secrets as you fight back evil. The many zones of Sanctuary are yours to explore, and with rotating areas of extreme peril like World Bosses and Helltide, danger lurks at every turn.
Immersive Character DevelopmentCreate and customize your character to face the encroaching darkness. Choose from one of five classes and build your hero with skills, abilities and cosmetics, creating a champion that is uniquely your own. Grow stronger as you progress through powerful Skill Trees and develop even more unique end game specializations with Paragon Boards.
Legendary Gear, Epic BattlesDiscover and experiment with a vast arsenal of powerful weapons, armor and more to fight back against the demons threatening Sanctuary. Explore unique combinations, create your own upgrades and collect a plethora of powerful tools to battle in immersive, action-packed combat against the deadliest of enemies.
Seasons & EventsThe tales of Sanctuary continue to unfold. Create Seasonal Characters and join in fresh adventures - master new mechanics and take on the latest threats in each new Season. Complete harrowing feats of the Season Journey and earn new Battle Pass rewards. Plus, sharpen your swords and get in the spirit of the seasons when Limited-Time Events sweep through Sanctuary.
End Game UndertakingsThere’s even more Diablo® IV to explore as you reach higher levels and more fearsome World Tiers. Face the greatest challenge yet as you take on the most powerful demons in The Pit, steel yourself against Uber Bosses to reap uber unique rewards, fight back overflowing armies of Hell as Helltides emerge across Sanctuary, battle larger-than-life World Bosses, and master the Forge to create the mightiest weapons fit for a hero.
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- All platforms
- Franchise
- Diablo
- Number of Players
- 1-2 players
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
- How Long To Beat
- 26 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- File Size Xbox Series
- 158.25 GB
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-2 players (console only)
