Blizzard executive Rod Fergusson recently announced that Diablo 4 would receive a new expansion every year. However, in a surprising turn of events, the company confirmed that this plan has been delayed to 2026 due to internal issues and quality concerns.
The delay was partly caused by a three-month postponement of the Vessel of Hatred expansion, which initially launched in June 2024. According to Fergusson, this delay pushed Diablo 4’s post-launch roadmap back considerably.
Despite initial disappointment among fans, the one-year delay could prove beneficial for both the game and its upcoming expansion. The extra time will allow Blizzard to focus on improving the base game’s core systems, addressing balancing issues and bugs before the launch of the next DLC.
In the past, Diablo games have typically received only one or two major DLCs throughout their lifespans. With an annualized release schedule, Blizzard risked sacrificing quality for quantity, which would have decreased excitement for future DLCs. However, with this delay, the expansion’s release will now feel more meaningful to fans.
The 2026 Diablo 4 Expansion is expected to bring a resurgence in players, as the game struggles to compete with other live-service action RPGs like Path of Exile 2 and Last Epoch. If executed well, next year’s expansion could kick off a boom period for the game, revitalizing its player base and cementing Diablo 4’s position as an ultimate action RPG experience.
Source: https://gamerant.com/diablo-4-expansion-when-2026-good-improvements-hype