Summary
It’s no secret thatDiablo 4has had a rocky reception after initial praise died down following the game’s launch in June 2023. After a disappointing first season,Diablo 4earned some goodwill back by improving the gameplay and content available in its second season while also announcing the first major content expansion, Vessel of Hatred, at Blizzcon 2023. However, now thatDiablo 4Season 3 has once again failed to live up to player expectations, the future of the game is now riding on the success of the Vessel of Hatred expansion more than ever.
While each season ofDiablo 4has introduced some degree of new content, like a seasonal questline and new gameplay gimmicks, the Vessel of Hatred expansion is planned to be a major content overhaul that includes a continuation ofDiablo 4’s story following Neyrelle and Mephisto. In addition to a new storyline, the Vessel of Hatred expansion is also set to bring players back to the iconicDiablo 2location of Kurast within the region of Nahantu. All of this new content could be just the shotDiablo 4needs to revitalize its playerbase, but it could be too little too late by the time it’s ready for release.
Diablo 4 is Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place with Vessel of Hatred
When it comes to active player count,Diablo 4is far from a dead game with an average of over 150,000 active players per day. However, the game has seen a steady decline in players since the Season of the Construct launched to heavy fan criticism surrounding underwhelmingmechanics like the Seneschal Companionand outright frustrating traps within the game’s new Vault dungeon type. While Blizzard has patched the game since season 3 launched and addressed some of these player complaints,Diablo 4is still at risk of losing out to stiff competition when titles likeLast EpochandPath of Exile 2are released.
As such, Blizzard faces a tough decision when it comes to theVessel of Hatred expansion: rush the expansion out as soon as possible to try and get ahead ofDiablo 4’s competitors, or take their time crafting a genuinely worthwhile experience to try and win back disgruntled players. Obviously,Diablo 4fans are hoping that the Vessel of Hatred expansion delivers on the quality content Blizzard has promised for their live-service game, but the desire to beat their competition to the punch might force Blizzard to release the content earlier than planned. It almost seems as ifDiablo 4is in a lose-lose situation, with either choice likely to draw criticism.
Vessel of Hatred Needs to Release Sooner Rather than Later
Ultimately, Blizzard is better off fast-tracking the Vessel of Hatred expansion and releasing it sooner than expected. It’s clear thatDiablo 4’s seasons aren’t enticing enough to keep players engaged for the long haul, and with games likeLast EpochandPath of Exile 2on the horizon, future seasons are going to have an increasingly difficult time keeping up with the game’s competitors. At Blizzcon 2023,Diablo 4developers teased that more information about the Vessel of Hatred expansion would be coming sometime around Summer 2024, putting the release target for the DLC likely within Fall 2024.
While this timeline would be expected under normal circumstances, the underwhelming reaction toDiablo 4Season 3 could warrant the expansion being released sooner. Part of what the game is in dire need of is a new class to shake up the gameplay meta, andDiablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred is confirmed to be adding a sixth class, but Blizzard has been tight-lipped about the class' details. Despite not even being a year old yet,Diablo 4’s live-service elements seem to be failing what is an otherwise solid base game, and adding onto that base game experience with the Vessel of Hatred DLC could be the saviorDiablo 4needs.
