Vessel of Hatred is the first expansion for Diablo 4, which will be released in October 2024. MeinMMO provides all the information about the DLC’s release, its content, and its price.
In “Vessel of Hatred,” players can expect a new area in Diablo 4 as well as a new class. What editions of the expansion are available, when it will be released, and what content is coming your way can be found in our overview.
Vessel of Hatred: Release, Early Access & Preload
When is the release of Vessel of Hatred? The release date for Vessel of Hatred is October 8, 2024. The developers have announced that the expansion will be available starting at 1:00 AM our time.
Where can I pre-order Vessel of Hatred? You can pre-order all versions of Vessel of Hatred directly from Battle.net, Steam, the PS Store, and the Microsoft Store.
Is there a preload? The preload times are now known. You can find out when you can download the update on your platform in our overview.
Is there an early access? There is no early access for Vessel of Hatred. This means: All players can start the DLC at the “normal” release.
Vessel of Hatred: Prices & Editions
What is the price of Vessel of Hatred? The price varies by version. You pay €39.99 (Standard), €59.99 (Deluxe), or €89.99 (Ultimate). For €79.99 you get Diablo 4 + Vessel of Hatred in a combo package.
What additional content is available? The Standard Edition includes the Vessel of Hatred expansion and pre-order bonuses such as a snow leopard companion, which you can equip as a companion, as well as a Legendary Gem for Diablo Immortal.
In the Deluxe Edition, you receive an additional companion, a cat mount, and a token for the Premium Battle Pass. The Ultimate Edition also provides you with 3,000 Platinum and additional cosmetics. Here you can find the details about the contents of the editions.
Here you can see the intro cinematic of Vessel of Hatred:
Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: Content and Story
Where does Vessel of Hatred take place? With Vessel of Hatred, the new area Torajan comes into play, which locals also call Nahantu. The land is a jungle area and thus visually differs from what you know from Diablo 4 so far.
The area is located around the city of Kurast, which lies south of Kehjistan and Caldeum. There is a certain connection to the Iron Wolves, the new faction from Season 4.
Diablo veterans will be pleased, as Kurast is already known from Diablo 2. A character from back then still appears in Diablo 4, even though he dies during the story: Captain Meshif, who takes you to Kurast on his ship in Diablo 2.
What happens next in the story? At the end of Diablo 4, Neyrelle disappears with the soulstone on a ship somewhere – obviously to Kurast. We do not yet know what happens to her, but it will likely form the basis of the expansion’s story.
The chances are good that Neyrelle herself becomes the “Vessel of Hatred,” falling under Mephisto’s control. The Lord of Hatred is Lilith’s father and already appears in the story of Diablo 4. He will play a larger role in the expansion.
Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: New Class “Spiritborn”
What can the new class do? The new class is called Spiritborn and will be something never seen before in Diablo. Here you can find everything we already know about the Spiritborn. A full presentation will be available on July 18. Allegedly, the Spiritborns will function similarly to monks from Diablo 3, using mental powers. Other sources claim it is more like the Witch Doctor.
So far, however, there are only rumors about this. Officially, we know that the class is supposed to be closely tied to Nahantu. A kind of nature mage with blood magic and poison would be conceivable. Blizzard has recently gained experience with new classes:
- Blood Knights in Diablo Immortal are essentially vampires and werewolves at the same time
- The Storm is a new melee mage class, a mix of wizard and monk
Vessel of Hatred: New Features for Diablo 4
What else is coming to the game? Blizzard has already introduced some features that will come with Vessel of Hatred, including:
- new skills, legendary glyphs, and paragon boards for all classes
- Mercenaries that function similarly to companions in Diablo 3 or hirelings in Diablo 2
- a new endgame content with coop gameplay that greatly resembles raids
At gamescom 2024, we were able to talk to the developers about the new class in Vessel of Hatred. The interview covered topics like class balance in Diablo 4 and what that means for the Spiritborn, which is coming with the expansion. You can read more about it here: The head of Diablo 4 reveals what matters to him in class balancing.
