Blizzard Drops Release Dates for World of Warcraft and Diablo IV Expansions at Xbox Showcase
Blizzard Entertainment just made waves at the Xbox Showcase in Los Angeles, dropping the deets on the next big expansions for World of Warcraft and Diablo IV. Mark your calendars, folks—World of Warcraft: The War Within is set to launch on August 26, and Diablo IV’s Vessel of Hatred will follow on October 8.
“It’s so exciting to be here alongside other amazing developers at Xbox Showcase to reveal our release dates for World of Warcraft: The War Within, and Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred,” said Johanna Faries, President of Blizzard Entertainment. “These releases are kicking off what is to be an exciting next few months, which will include World of Warcraft’s 20th anniversary – we will share more later in the year.”
World of Warcraft: The War Within
Ready to dive back into Azeroth? The journey to save the world from the looming void starts on August 26 with The War Within, the first entry in the ambitious new Worldsoul Saga and World of Warcraft’s 10th expansion. The release date announcement came with a killer cinematic premiere at the Xbox Showcase. Players who snagged the Epic Edition or the physical collector’s edition can jump in early on August 23.
World of Warcraft is celebrating its 20th anniversary later this year, while the Warcraft franchise itself hits the big 3-0. To kick off the festivities, the WoW team unveiled a limited-time “Welcome to Azeroth” bundle for new and returning players. Priced at $25 USD, this bundle includes:
- Dragonflight expansion
- Level 60 character boost
- 60 days of game time
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
Diablo IV set the gaming world on fire in 2023, and the hype train is far from over. The game’s first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, drops on October 8. The opening cinematic was revealed at the Xbox Showcase, and pre-purchases are live now, offering immediate access to some sweet in-game cosmetic rewards.
Get Ready for the Darkness:
New Class: Spiritborn Meet the Spiritborn, an apex predator from the jungles of Nahantu. This new class is battle-hardened with mystical synergies, ready to wreak havoc.
New Region: Nahantu Explore the dense jungles of Nahantu, teeming with secrets, dangerous dungeons, strongholds, and ferocious demons from warring tribes.
Continue the Campaign Vessel of Hatred picks up right after the events of Diablo IV. Neyrelle is grappling with Mephisto’s grip on her soul, and your mission is to save her while navigating the ancient jungle and uncovering Mephisto’s dark plot. New foes lurk at every turn, and the fate of Neyrelle’s soul—and Sanctuary itself—is in your hands.
New Game Updates Expect major updates for all Diablo IV players, including new class skills, paragon boards, legendary glyphs, dungeon types, Tree of Whispers activities, and more. Plus, you can recruit new mercenaries with unique abilities to aid you in combat. There’s also a new co-op PvE mode where you and your friends can tackle multi-level dungeons for loot and rewards.
Digital Pre-Purchase Editions & Bonuses
Vessel of Hatred is available for digital pre-purchase in three editions:
- Standard Edition ($39.99 USD): Includes Alkor the snow leopard pet and a Mother’s Lament Legendary gem in Diablo Immortal.*
- Deluxe Edition ($59.99 USD): Everything in the Standard Edition, plus Hratli the canine pet, the Nahantu War-cat Mount**, and a Premium Seasonal Battle Pass Unlock in Diablo IV.*
- Ultimate Edition ($89.99 USD): Everything in the Deluxe Edition, plus the Nahantu Unearthed Armor bundle, Natalya the tiger pet, 3,000 platinum, the Wings of the Faith Cosmetic, and a Nahantu-themed town portal.
- Downloaded separately. Availability varies by platform and region. ** Mount access must be unlocked in-game before using.
Cross-Platform Play
Diablo IV and Vessel of Hatred support cross-platform play and cross-progression on Windows PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Steam. Up to four-player co-op is available, including two-player couch co-op on consoles. Note that the base game is required to play Vessel of Hatred.
