Diablo 4's Next Expansion After Vessel of Hatred Won't Come Until 2026

Diablo 4 fans anticipating a new expansion in 2025 will need to adjust their expectations. Diablo general manager Rod Fergusson recently announced at the DICE Summit that the next major expansion won't arrive until 2026.

Fergusson highlighted Blizzard's commitment to improved community engagement, mirroring the strategies of Diablo Immortal and World of Warcraft by implementing content roadmaps. A roadmap detailing Diablo 4's 2025 plans, including seasonal updates, is expected soon. However, the 2026 expansion will not be included in this roadmap. He stated, "In 2025, or just before Season 8, we will have a 2025 roadmap for Diablo 4. Our second expansion won't be on that roadmap, because our second expansion is coming in 2026."

While Fergusson didn't elaborate extensively on the reasons for the delay, he offered insights earlier in his presentation. Blizzard's initial plan called for annual expansions, with Vessel of Hatred in 2024 and a subsequent expansion in 2025. However, Vessel of Hatred's release was pushed back to 18 months post-launch instead of the intended 12. This delay, Fergusson explained, stemmed from the team's responsiveness to player feedback and adjustments to live content. These efforts temporarily diverted resources from Vessel of Hatred, causing internal delays that subsequently impacted the timeline for all future content.

Diablo 4's recently launched Season of Witchcraft introduces significant new witchcraft abilities, a fresh questline, and more. The base game received a 9/10 rating from [Source Name - replace with the original source of the 9/10 rating], praised for its "stunning sequel with near-perfect endgame and progression design."

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