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Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred Launch Guide: Release Times, Prices, New Classes, and More

Blizzard Entertainment is all set to release Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred, the second major paid expansion to its action RPG, on April 27, 2026. The expansion is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.


Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred.

Lord of Hatred picks up right where Vessel of Hatred left off. Mephisto, one of the Prime Evils and the titular Lord of Hatred, finally steps out of the shadows. He takes on the guise of the false prophet Akarat and begins gathering followers across Sanctuary.


The story takes players to the Skovos Isles, an ancient archipelago tied deep into Diablo lore as the homeland of Lilith and Inarius. The isles are now ruled by an Oracle and the Amazon Queen, and they are not exactly happy about what is coming their way. Returning characters like Lorath and Lilith are back in the mix, and according to reports, the writing carries a noticeably darker tone than previous entries in the series.


Early critical reception has been strong. The expansion holds a Metacritic score of 84 at launch.


Release Times by Region

For those still waiting for the servers to go live in their timezone, here is the full breakdown:

  • Pacific Time (PDT): 4:00 PM, April 27

  • Central Time (CDT): 6:00 PM, April 27

  • Eastern Time (EDT): 7:00 PM, April 27

  • Brasilia Time (BRT): 8:00 PM, April 27

  • British Summer Time (BST): 12:00 AM, April 28

  • Central European Summer Time (CEST): 1:00 AM, April 28

  • China Standard Time (CST): 7:00 AM, April 28

  • Korean Standard Time (KST): 8:00 AM, April 28

  • Japan Standard Time (JST): 8:00 AM, April 28

  • Australian Eastern Time (AET): 9:00 AM, April 28

  • New Zealand Standard Time (NZST): 11:00 AM, April 28


Editions and Pricing

Lord of Hatred comes in four editions, so there is a tier for most budgets:

Standard Edition: $39.99

  • Lord of Hatred expansion

  • Vessel of Hatred expansion

  • Paladin Class (early access)

  • Warlock Class

  • 3x WoW Decorative Items

  • 2 additional character slots

  • 1 extra stash tab


Deluxe Edition: $59.99

  • Everything in Standard Edition

  • Highheavens Guard Paladin Cosmetic Bundle

  • Infernal Apostle Warlock Cosmetic Bundle

  • Skartaran Basilisk Mount and Armor Bundle

  • Skorch, Mini Chimera Pet

  • 1 Premium Battle Pass Bundle


Age of Hatred Collection: $69.99

  • Diablo 4 base game

  • Everything included in the Standard Edition


Ultimate Edition: $89.99

  • Everything in the Deluxe Edition

  • Steed of the Shining Realm Mount Bundle

  • Umbral Knights Cross-Class Armor Bundle (6 Class Armor)

  • Tymn, Echo of the Spire Reactive Back Trophy

  • Avel'hud, Nucleus of Perdition Reactive Back Trophy

  • Ascent of the Just Town Portal Skin

  • Embrace of Evil Town Portal Skin

  • 3,000 Platinum


Two New Classes: Paladin and Warlock

The two new classes are arguably the biggest draw here. The Paladin is a holy warrior built around sword-and-board combat, radiant auras, and Light-based abilities. It comes with four specializations: Arbiter, which unlocks an angelic form; Zealot, a fury-focused melee build; Judicator, centered around holy bombardment; and Juggernaut, designed for players who like to soak damage and stand their ground.


The Warlock is the more mysterious of the two. It is a dark caster who masters forbidden knowledge and binds demons to do its bidding. Its four specializations are Legion, which summons minion swarms; Vanguard, a frontline transformer; Mastermind, focused on control and debuffs; and Ritualist, built around hexes and rituals.


What Is New in the Expansion

Major Systems & Customization Updates (Available to All Players)

  • Skill Tree Reworks — All 8 classes get major overhauls: new skill variants, expanded options, level cap increases, up to 83 skill points. Passives move to Legendary Aspects/Uniques for more active skill focus.

  • Loot Filter — Long-requested system to highlight desired items.

  • Map Overlay & Pathfinding — Quality-of-life navigation improvements.

  • Itemization & Crafting:

    • Talisman system with Seals + Charms for extra affixes and set bonuses (first true sets in D4).

    • Horadric Cube returns as a powerful crafting station (transmute, reroll affixes, upgrade items, craft Charms, runes, etc.). Unlocked in the campaign.

    • Stronger weapon gems + new tiers (Horadric/Flawless Horadric).


Endgame Overhaul

  • War Plans — Custom "playlist" system chaining activities (Nightmare Dungeons, Helltides, Undercity, Lair Bosses, Infernal Hordes, The Pit, etc.) with modifiers for tailored progression and better rewards. Includes activity trees for deeper customization.

  • Echoing Hatred — High-stakes endless horde challenge for top-tier testing.

  • Fishing — Relaxing new activity in Sanctuary's waters (collect and trade fish).

  • Higher difficulties (up to Torment XII) and other Pit/gear/loot improvements.


What Critics Are Saying

Reviews have been largely positive, with a few mild reservations. GamingTrend gave it a 95, writing: "Felling demonic hordes as the Paladin and Warlock is as addicting as ever. The expansion's new systems are welcome variety for an already-rich game. When you add additional post-game content and a top-tier storytelling experience, you have one of the best modern expansions available. Diablo fans deserve excellence and Blizzard has delivered."


Game Rant scored it a 90, saying: "I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Lord of Hatred and think it goes a long way towards improving the Diablo 4 experience as a whole. I can easily see Lord of Hatred becoming one of the most beloved expansions in the Diablo franchise."


IGN landed at 80, praising the story and buildcrafting improvements but noting issues with co-op progression in the endgame and fewer reasons to explore Skovos outside of campaign missions. ComicBook also gave it a 70, taking a more measured stance but concluding that "Lord of Hatred leaves Diablo 4 in a stronger place than it found it."


The critical consensus seems to be that while the expansion is not entirely without flaws, it meaningfully improves the overall Diablo 4 experience. For fans who have been with the game since launch, or even since Vessel of Hatred last year, this one looks like a serious reason to jump back in.

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