What you need to know
- Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred launches on October 7 or October 8 depending on your region.
- It will be available to pre-download along with a Season 6 patch on September 30 for PC and October 5 for consoles.
- To celebrate the launch there will be free items in the store and Twitch drops to earn.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred is on the horizon, launching on October 7 in the US and early October 8 in the rest of world. Blizzard have just dropped the launch times map and preload details so we can get ready to enter the jungles of Nahantu right on time.
The expansion will launch at the same time as Season 6: Season of Hatred (which we know is the title thanks to this Wowhead leak). The Season content is available to all players, not just those who have purchased the expansion. Here's everything you need to know about launch day and what to expect, whether you have purchased the expansion or not. If you haven't, I even have a discount to share!
What time does Vessel of Hatred launch?
While advertised as an October 8 launch, this translates to different times all over the world and will actually be October 7 in US territories. Here's the times Vessel of Hatred and Season 6: Season of Hatred goes live in your timezone:
October 7, 2024
- 4 p.m PDT
- 7 p.m EDT
- 8 p.m BRT
October 8, 2024
- 12 a.m BST
- 1 a.m CEST
- 2 a.m TRT
- 8 a.m KST
- 10 a.m AEDT
- 12 p.m NZDT
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred preload times
Pre-download is available on PC (Battle.net) and console. You will be able to pre-download the patch that contains Vessel of Hatred and Season 6 content regardless of whether you have purchased the Vessel of Hatred Expansion.
How do I preload Vessel of Hatred on Steam?
Unfotunately you cannot pre download Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred if you purchased through Steam. Steam users will be able to download the update when Vessel of Hatred goes live on October 7, at 4 p.m. PDT.
Best place to purchase Vessel of Hatred?
Currently if you want Vessel of Hatred on Xbox, it's actually cheaper on CD Keys than via Microsoft. If you're looking to get the game on PC for Battle.net or Steam though, it's still full price which is $39.99 for the base edition.
What is in Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred?
If you purchase Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred you will get access to the following new content:
- Nahantu Region (new map area) –including Dungeons, Strongholds, Side Quests, new Legion Events, and Nahantu monster families.
- New Spiritborn Class.
- Vessel of Hatred Campaign.
- Nahantu Region Renown.
- Runewords.
- Dark Citadel (new co-op PVE dungeon).
- Mercenaries.
- Kurast Undercity.
- Trading for Vessel of Hatred-specific Resources.
Read our full Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred review in progress
New content for all players, even if you don't buy the DLC
If you're not sure about commiting to purchasing the new expansion yet, and just want to play Diablo Season 6, then no fear there is new stuff for everyone to enjoy without having to purchase Vessel of Hatred.
- New max level of 60.
- New difficulties.
- New Paragon max level of 300.
- Paragon system rework.
- Item quality rework.
- 2 new character slots.
- New class skills and passives for each class.
- New Party Finder feature.
- New Seasonal Content (Season of Hatred).
- New Season Rewards (Season Journey, Battle Pass, Reputation Board).
Do I need to purchase Vessel of Hatred for each platform I want to play?
Yes. If you want to play Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred on Xbox, and also on PC, you will need to purchase it on both platforms. The same applies to Steam. However, if you purchase the Ultimate Edition for extra cosmetics, these cosmetics are linked to your Battle.net account. For example, you can purchase the Ultimate Edition on Xbox and the Standard Edition on PC, and the cosmetics will carry over.
Additionally, if you buy the game on one platform and use expansion-specific equipment like Runewords, these will not disappear if you start the game on another non-expansion-owning platform. The only parts that will be locked to you are the Nahantu area and gameplay elements like the Dark Citadel.
Is Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred on Xbox Game Pass?
No. The base game of Diablo 4 is on Xbox Game Pass for Ultimate subscribers, but if you want to play the Vessel of Hatred expansion you will need to purchase it. This is similar to how Starfield Game Pass players are required to purchase Shattered Space.
Free items in the store to celebrate the launch
When logging in at Vessel of Hatred launch, there will be 3 new cosmetic items in the store for everyone to claim for free. Additionally, from October 8, 2024 through to November 8, if you complete The Dark Citadel you will earn a new cat mount, the Reins of the Longfur Beast alongside the weekly reward cache.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred Twitch drops
To celebrate the launch of Vessel of Hatred, from October 8-November 5 you can earn in-game cosmetic rewards simply by watching your favorite streamers (or leaving them on in the background while you play yourself.) Owning an edition of Diablo IV or Vessel of Hatred is not required to gain progress toward and earn Twitch drops, so you can earn them and claim them later!
Each week of the event will have items for each class. You need to watch 3 hours of eligible Diablo 4 content to claim each week's rewards. Please note that after watching any eligible streamer for 3 hours, you must claim the corresponding reward prior to gaining progress towards the next reward.
From October 8—November 5,, you can also show your support for streamers within the Diablo IV category by purchasing or gifting their channel Twitch subscriptions of any tier. Purchasing or Gifting 2 Twitch Subscriptions will earn you the Ghost of the Conquered Mount. 4 Twitch Subscriptions will earn the Glory of Victor Mount Armor.
You can earn progress toward a drop by watching any eligible content creator in the Diablo IV category on Twitch. For instance, you can watch 30 minutes on one channel, then switch to another without losing your progress. Keep in mind, watching multiple channels simultaneously won’t speed up your progress. Additionally, streams playing in the background or inactive tabs won't count toward the required watch hours.
Make sure you have your Battle.net account connected to your Twitch account before you take part.
Pre-launch live stream on October 2
The next stream will aid you in your final preparations for #VesselOfHatred and give an in-depth look at the upcoming season.Tune in to the Pre-Launch Livestream for a swarm of knowledge.📅 October 2🕚11AM PTRight here on X. pic.twitter.com/bDgM4LAarJSeptember 30, 2024
The Diablo 4 developers will appear on a live stream on October 2 at 11 a.m. PDT / 2 p.m. EDT / 7 p.m. BST to discuss what they learned from the Patch 2.0 Public Test Realm, Season 6 activities and more on Vessel of Hatred.
