Key Takeaways
- Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred expansion launches officially on October 7 at 4pm PDT.
- Blizzard has confirmed players can preload the game early starting on Spet 30 for PC and Oct 5 for console.
- The preload not only includes the Vessel of Hatred update but the Season 6 patch as well.
Blizzard confirms the exact release date and time for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred, letting players plan ahead of time for the expansion launch. Following a rocky launch, Diablo 4 has steadily gained momentum over the past year thanks in large part to major game updates from Blizzard. Season 4 overhauled many aspects of the game’s loot to the delight of players, with Season 6 apparently planning to do something similar to progression.
However, alongside major Season 6 changes for Diablo 4, the Vessel of Hatred expansion is also on the horizon. As expected, the DLC adds a new campaign that continues the story where the base game left off, picking back up with Neyrelle struggling to contain Mephisto’s Soulstone. Players will be visiting the jungles of Nahantu, where the newest class known as the Spiritborn hail from. NPC Mercenaries are making their return, and Blizzard is adding in a brand-new co-op endgame activity called the Dark Citadel, offering both challenges and greater rewards. For those excited about jumping into all new Diablo 4 content, Blizzard has finally confirmed when the full experience is set to launch.
While Blizzard confirmed the Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred official launch date for October 8, the actual game rollout may be a bit different depending on where players live. In a new post on social media, Blizzard outlined the various time differences for the Vessel of Hatred launch, which officially begins on October 7 at 4pm Pacific Daylight Time in the United States. The map shows the conversion for various regions of the world, including locations like Sao Paulo, Brazil, to London, England, and even Sydney, Australia.
Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred Release Time
- October 7, at 4 pm PDT/7pm EDT/12am BST
Prior to the launch date, players still have a chance to preorder the expansion and gain access to a handful of goodies like Mother’s Lament Legendary Gem for Diablo Immortal, as well as a new Diablo 4 pet called Alkor the Snow Leopard. For those who have already preordered the experience, Blizzard is letting players preload both the Season 6 patch and the Vessel of Hatred update beforehand to eliminate any waiting on the day of release. For Battle.net players, preloading begins on September 30 at 4pm PDT, while console players can start a few days later on October 5 at 4pm PDT.
While the Vessel of Hatred expansion is expected to continue the game’s positive trend forward, Diablo 4 has already become a huge hit for Blizzard. Recently, it was confirmed that Diablo 4 players have spent $150 million on microtransactions, even following the controversies that impacted the title closer to launch. While many may still question the prices of some of the armor and gear on sale, the microtransaction systems Blizzard has in place have clearly been effective to generating additional revenue post launch.
