Gamescom gave us the best look at the Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred DLC so far, especially the new Spiritborn class. But now we know what to expect from the first expansion, what will the next ones look like?
We know that Diablo’s brother Mephisto will be unleashed on the poor Witch Doctors of Kurast – like he was in Diablo 2 – once again in Vessel of Hatred, yet the question remains. Where does Diablo 4 go after this? The game will be getting a second annual expansion in 2025, and presumably a third, fourth, and fifth in 2026, 2027, and 2028 respectively.
That is, of course, if it continues to be successful, so once Mephisto has been sent screeching back to the Burning Hells that spawned him, who else will step up to terrorize Sanctuary and give players someone fresh to hack and slash? The good news is that while we don’t know who’s coming, or when, we can make some educated guesses from what the developers told Dexerto at Gamescom 2024
Two of Diablo 4’s leading developers confirmed that nostalgia is influencing some creative decisions (along with fresh ideas) when crafting future expansions. They’ve also told us that the Prime Evils will remain the focus of the story, even hinting that The Lord of Terror, Diablo himself, will be returning at some point. With that in mind, let’s take a speculative stab at predicting the locations of the next few Diablo 4 expansions – and who the main villain of each will be.
2025: Baal, Destruction, and Harrogoth
If you didn’t know, Diablo 4’s first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, is paying tribute to Diablo 2’s third act which was also set in Kurast and featured Mephisto as its main villain. It’s also using Hatred as its theme. In the story, Diablo traveled to the Undercity of Kurast and released Mephisto from his imprisonment.
After a brief strategy meeting between the three Prime Evils, it was agreed that Mephisto would stay behind to slow down the band of warriors chasing Diablo, while he and Baal moved to consolidate their forces.
Of course, Mephisto was slain and cast back to Hell, but in Vessel of Hatred, he’ll pick up where he left off when the game returns to the region. We suspect that the second expansion will do something similar, but rather than using Mephisto, Kurast, and the theme of Hatred, we think it will focus on Diablo’s other brother Baal, the Lord of Destruction, using that as its theme and return to the Barbarian homeland of Harrogoth.
Diablo 4 likes referencing Diablo 2 and seems content to use it as a well of inspiration. Using Baal before Diablo also makes sense. Diablo is the most fearsome of the Prime Evils so they should build up to him as a likely contender for the third expansion. Setting the second in the cold mountains of Harrogoth would be a stark contrast to the dank jungles of Kurast.
Baal could possibly set his sights on what’s left of the World Stone, as he did in Act 5 of Diablo 2. This could also tie in nicely to Diablo Immortal’s lore, creating some crossover opportunities. Blizzard could then expand the map again, adding Mount Arreat and the Frigid Highlands, it’ll also be nice to check in on the Barbarians since their last war against Baal.
2026: Diablo, Terror, and Tristram
By Diablo 4’s third expansion, it will be finally time to bring back the Lord of Terror and the true villain (and namesake) of the series. Any sooner and Diablo won’t seem as threatening, but if Blizzard waits too long then people could move on to other games.
The third DLC in 2026 could see Diablo finally capitalize on whatever long plan he’s been cooking up in the shadows while taking advantage of the chaos sown by Mephisto and Baal. Terror could be the theme of this expansion, following on from Hatred and Destruction.
In terms of setting, multiple options could be used. The most obvious would be to return to New Tristram, the first location from Diablo 3 which is situated near the ruins of the original town from Diablo 1, which was destroyed in the sequel. This could give players the option to once again visit the cathedral from the original game and lean into the popular Darkening of Tristram events from Diablo 3. Tristram and the surrounding area (apart from in a dream sequence) haven’t been seen yet in Diablo 4 and should absolutely be added to the open world.
Of course, the third DLC could also be set in the Pandamonium Fortress from Diablo 2’s fourth act. This location protects Sanctuary from the mouth of Hell and was used as a base by the heroes before their final assault on Diablo at the end of that act. If Blizzard wants to continue stoking our Diablo 2 nostalgia, then another showdown with Diablo in the pits of the Burning Hells is exactly how they can do it.
Another idea for the third expansion could also see the return of Lilith, allowing the character to gain some redemption, take down her hated uncle, and prove herself to be a demonic ally to humanity. Blizzard didn’t create a compelling character like Lilith just to kill her off in the base game. The return of the Blessed Mother is as inevitable as Diablo’s.
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2027 and beyond
In truth, we don’t know how many Diablo 4 expansions there are going to be, but we’re confident that 2025 and 2026 will be included in the roadmap. However, if the game gets more in 2027 and beyond – and if Diablo himself has already returned and been defeated, a new villain and fresh locations would need to be added.
With that in mind, here are some ideas:
Lilith
If the Daughter of Hatred hasn’t returned yet, then now could be the ideal time. However, we think her being instrumental in bringing down Diablo, possibly by sacrificing herself, would be a fitting way to end her arc.
After all, Lilith is the mother of all humanity. Rather than ruling us, could the character’s maternal instincts outweigh her demonic nature? Many fans identify with Lilith and don’t see her as a villain, so leaning into the antihero angle could be exciting.
The Lesser Evils
Diablo 4 brought back the Lesser Evils Andariel and Duriel who sided with Lilith in an effort to stick it to Diablo and his brothers. The Lesser Evils are salty with Diablo for absorbing them in Diablo 3, and their alliance with him in Diablo 2 was mostly a marriage of convenience. While Andariel and Duriel have been cast back to Hell, Belial and Azmodan are still waiting to debut in Diablo 4.
The pair made a good team in Diablo 3 and are easily the most ruthless and less sympathetic of the Lesser Evils. They could cause a lot of trouble for the heroes in a future expansion.
Malthael: The Angel of Death
After Diablo rampaged through the High Heavens at the end of Diablo 3 and was eventually defeated at the end of Act 4, Act 5 of the game saw Malthael become the Angel of Death and launch an attack on Sanctuary that was more devastating than anything the Prime Evils ever did.
He too was soundly defeated, and the alliance between humanity and Heaven continued, however, angels and demons can never truly be killed in the Diablo universe, so, Malthael is out there somewhere in the void and could return in a Diablo 4 do-over of Reaper of Souls.
Skarn, Inarius, or something new
Skarn wasn’t a Prime or a Lesser Evil, but he made quite an impression in Diablo Immortal and would be an ideal candidate for a larger role in a Diablo 4 DLC. Such an expansion could include some of the northern, nautically-themed regions of Sanctuary, deepening its connection to Diablo Immortal. Classes like the Tempest or Blood Knight could be added too.
Of course, the fanatical cult of Inarious could represent a very human threat in a future expansion, the cowardly Angel himself could even attempt a comeback. Finally, Diablo 4 could simply create a new villain, or lean into the vampire threat, depending on how long Blizzard plans to support the game in upcoming seasons.
While the above is all speculation on our part, we’d be willing to wager at least a portion of our fantasy Diablo 4 roadmap will come true in the coming years.