Summary
Diablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred expansion has now been out for over a month, furthering Neyrelle’s story of destroying Mephisto and introducing the new Spiritborn class with all its bells and whistles. Now, all eyes are onDiablo 4’s next expansion, as its first has left things very open-ended for the story of Neyrelle and Mephisto, and the fate of Nahantu and Sanctuary.
Originally, it was suspected thatDiablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred expansionmight be outdone by the potential popularity ofPath of Exile 2, the long-awaited sequel to Grinding Gear Games' 2013 ARPG. Fortunately for Vessel of Hatred, it seems to have avoidedPath of Exile 2’s shadow (for the time being, at least), as the latter has been delayed to a December 6 early access release. Nevertheless, depending on whatPath of Exile 2does from here on out,Diablo 4could have its work cut out for it.
Diablo 4’s Next Expansion Needs to Keep an Eye on Path of Exile 2
Path of Exile 2’s Early Access Begins This December
It has been over 10 years since the release of the first game, butPath of Exile 2is nearly here, with its early access period beginning on July 19, 2025. It was originally scheduled for a November 15 release but wasdelayed to ensure players’Path of Exilemicrotransactions carry over. Nevertheless, it’s just around the corner now, and it plans to make a big splash in the ARPG genre.
Path of Exile 2aims to please both new and veteran players by maintaining the game’s challenge while lessening its learning curve to make it more accessible for newcomers. Included in the sequel are a multitude of new features, like new Skill and Support Gems, twelve character classes to choose from, a redesigned user interface, cross-platform play and progression, couch co-op, and more. Needless to say,Path of Exile 2may put up a fight againstDiablo 4once it launches, as the latter has been a bit divisive as of late.
Diablo 4’s Next Expansion Needs to Dodge Path of Exile 2’s Shadow
Vessel of Hatred isDiablo 4’s first expansion, continuing the story of Neyrelle after she was seen running off into Nahantu with Mephisto’s soulstone at the end of the main campaign. Unfortunately, while it did add the highly versatile Spiritborn to the base game’s selection of classes,Vessel of Hatred’s storyultimately falls flat due to some anticlimactic resolutions and unresolved plot points. The hope is that the next expansion will not only tie up some loose ends left in the wake by Vessel of Hatred but that it will also deliver more than its predecessor’s narrative. However, none of that may even matter if it can’t dodgePath of Exile 2’s shadow.
It’s currently unclear how longPath of Exile 2will be in early access, but it’s always safe to assume a game will be in early access for at least a year, which means it could potentially receive its 1.0 update in December 2025. It’s also currently unknown whatDiablo 4’s next expansion will be and when it might arrive. However, shouldDiablo 4’s next expansion arrive by this time next year, and shouldPath of Exile 2’s 1.0 update also be released around then, the two game launches coinciding with one another could make things difficult forDiablo 4, especially after the mixed reception of its Vessel of Hatred expansion.
Since the Vessel of Hatred expansion was released just over a year after the launch of the base game,Diablo 4’s next expansion could potentially follow suit, looking at a late 2025 release, potentially right alongsidePath of Exile 21.0.
WithPath of Exile 2launching very soonand no timeline yet on when its early access might end,Diablo 4presumably has plenty of time to make its next expansion everything it needs to be to stand out. Vessel of Hatred appears to have dodged aPath of Exile 2-shaped bullet, especially after the latter’s delay, butDiablo 4will need to, at the very least, keep its eye onPath of Exile 2moving forward.
