A few months after Diablo 4's successful launch in June 2023, Blizzard executive Rod Fergusson made the bold claim that the game would receive new expansions every year. Although Blizzard was no stranger to supporting its titles long-term, it had never really attempted annualized expansions with the Diablo franchise before. Diablo games typically only received one or two major DLCs throughout their lifespans, with Diablo 3 getting just two expansions over five years. Nonetheless, Blizzard seemed committed to its plans. It launched Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred a little over a year after the base game's release.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred was generally well-received and, at the time, seemed like proof that Blizzard was sticking to the plan. However, the expansion won't be getting a follow-up anytime soon. Blizzard confirmed earlier this year that the Diablo 4 expansion planned for this year has been delayed to 2026, meaning that the game will not receive yearly DLCs as initially planned. This was caused in part by Vessel of Hatred's three-month delay since that expansion was originally meant to launch in June 2024 instead of October. The delay of that DLC overall, according to Rod Fergusson, pushed Diablo 4's entire post-launch roadmap back considerably.
Diablo 4 Releases New Update for June 2025
Blizzard releases a new update for Diablo 4, continuing to improve the popular action role-playing game during its ongoing Season 8.
Upon hearing the news that Diablo 4's yearly expansion had been delayed, some fans may have been upset. Diablo 4's post-launch support hasn't been amazing, to say the least, and a lot of disgruntled gamers are disappointed that Blizzard hasn't been adding enough substantial content to the game's seasonal updates. The newly-announced Diablo 4 roadmap for 2025 is already light enough as it is, but the delay of the expansion is the real sting. That said, this may prove beneficial for both the expansion and Diablo 4 in the long run.
The Diablo 4 Expansion Delay Could Help the Game in the Long Run
Blizzard Should Fix the Problems in Diablo 4 Before Launching the Game's Next DLC
Part of the reason why Vessel of Hatred was postponed back in 2024 was because Blizzard had stopped working on it to give Diablo 4's core systems a major overhaul. This was, in retrospect, probably the right move to make. Perhaps Blizzard can fill in the gap left by the recent Diablo 4 expansion delay by continuing to improve the base game. As it stands, Diablo 4 has a few balancing issues and bugs that could be ironed out before the launch of the next DLC. This period could be a "season of support," although Blizzard itself has refrained from such a claim. It'd be nice if Blizzard added an offline mode to the game, as well, in the meantime.
Annualized Releases Would've Made the Diablo 4 Expansions Less Exciting
The expansion's delay to 2026 also has one other obvious benefit for Diablo 4: it makes the DLC's release more meaningful. If Blizzard had stuck to its original plan of annualized Diablo 4 expansions, then there would be an inevitable sacrifice of quality in favor of quantity. The timing would have also decreased excitement for DLCs as fans would have come to know when and what to expect from them. The Diablo 4 expansion's postponement will at least make it feel like a bigger deal for many fans. More people may come back to give Diablo 4's second major DLC a try, due to the long gap between it and Vessel of Hatred.
The 2026 Diablo 4 Expansion Could Bring a Lot of Players Back to the Game
If there's one thing that Diablo 4 needs right now, it's a resurgence in players as it seemingly struggles to keep up with the other live-service action RPGs like Path of Exile 2 and Last Epoch. Next year's expansion could kick off a boom period for the game, as long as it ends up being as good as people are hoping for.
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
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
