Blizzard has dropped a ton of new info on Diablo 4’s upcoming expansion, Vessel of Hatred, during today’s Xbox Games Showcase event, while also confirming its release date and debuting a new cinematic trailer to hype its release.

The date to remember is October 8, 2024, which will take players into the jungle region of Nahantu, a new playable zone that will be introduced in Diablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred expansion.

Preorders are already live, and those who jump in early will snag a purr-fectly practical reward: pets that gather gold and crafting materials (yes, Diablo 4 is getting pets in today’s update — rejoice!). The Ultimate edition ups the ante with a snow leopard, canine, and tiger pet combo, a Nahantu war-cat mount with armor, plus a seasonal battle pass and a bunch of in-game cosmetics for the discerning demon slayer. There’s also a new bundled package containing both the base game and the expansion.

#VesselOfHatred is available October 8th, tune in July 18th to learn more about the Spiritborn, #DiabloIV's newest class.

While you wait, Pets have arrived in Diablo IV, claim your FREE canine pet in-game now 🐺

Pre-purchase the Vessel of Hatred Ultimate Edition for even more… pic.twitter.com/De2sHMFWSk

— Diablo (@Diablo) June 9, 2024

Can’t wait!

But enough about loot — let’s talk about what you’ll be slaying it with. Vessel of Hatred introduces the Spiritborn, a brand-new character class shrouded in mystery. We’ll have to wait until a July 18th livestream for a full reveal, but for now, Blizzard describes them as “apex predators” and “battle-hardened with mystical synergies,” channeling the power of the ethereal spirits that bind them to their jungle home of Nahantu.

Among other exciting new additions are the return of Mercenaries, which are making a comeback in Diablo 4. These trusty (and, hopefully, tanky) NPC allies will fight by your side, growing stronger and unlocking new abilities as you progress.

Vessel of Hatred also throws Diablo 4’s first-ever PvE endgame co-op activity into the mix. This dungeon-based challenge tasks you and your squad with tackling “various perils together” — a description that sounds a lot like MMO raids.

The upcoming expansion picks up the main story from Diablo 4, which launched to record-breaking sales back last year. It became Blizzard’s fastest-selling game ever, raking in a cool $666 million in sales in less than a week.

Since launch, Blizzard has released a number of content updates as part of a seasonal structure, and, most recently, launched an overhauled loot system with the well-received Season 4: Loot Reborn. Vessel of Hatred is the first of two Diablo 4 expansions known to be in development at Blizzard.

The battle against Hatred has only just begun.

Pre-purchase #VesselOfHatred today and instantly unlock #DiabloIV in-game rewards.

Available October 8th: https://t.co/sCdcAkgm0j pic.twitter.com/7LkPs2K9zw

— Diablo (@Diablo) June 9, 2024

Cinematic trailer of Diablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred expansion

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