Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred Launches April 28 With Paladin Class, New Region, and War Plans Endgame System

Blizzard Entertainment's second major expansion for Diablo IV, titled Lord of Hatred, launches on April 28, 2026 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Battle.net and Steam. The expansion introduces two new playable classes, including the long-awaited return of the Paladin — whose pre-purchase unlock gives access to the class in the base game immediately upon purchasing Lord of Hatred. A brand-new story campaign set in a new region expands the Diablo IV world, with a narrative scope described by Fextralife as 'much bigger' than the first expansion, Vessel of Hatred.

The centerpiece systemic addition is War Plans, a new endgame framework that lets players build a structured progression path of five endgame activities, choosing the order of completion and applying custom modifiers that change how each activity behaves. War Plans replace the more open-ended endgame loop of the base game, providing a directed but customizable route through high-level content. Blizzard is also shipping a comprehensive skill tree overhaul with Lord of Hatred, raising the level cap from 60 to 70, adding a long-requested loot filter system that lets players define exactly which item types drop to the ground, and introducing fishing as a new casual side activity — a nod to player demand for non-combat content that has become a recurring theme in Blizzard's live service games.

Lord of Hatred is positioned as a more ambitious expansion than Vessel of Hatred, which launched in October 2024 and received mixed reviews for its relatively short campaign. Pre-purchase data from Battle.net and Steam suggest strong player interest, and the addition of a new class with day-one access through pre-purchase is designed to drive early adoption. Diablo IV's seasonal content continues alongside the expansion, meaning players can engage with both the Lord of Hatred campaign and the ongoing seasonal ladder. For Blizzard, the expansion represents a critical moment to re-energize the Diablo IV player base ahead of what is expected to be a competitive summer for action RPGs on PC and console.