Latest News

Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred is coming soon. The name echoes its predecessor, Vessel of Hatred, and pays homage to Diablo 2 Lord of Destruction.

Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred is the next chapter in Sanctuary's saga, and Blizzard has confirmed the addition of Paladin and Warlock classes.

In the story, to finally eradicate Prime Evil, we will form a dangerous alliance with Daughter of Hatred herself, Lilith, on an epic journey through the new region of Skovos.

Release Date

Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred will be released on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Both Deluxe and Ultimate Editions include a range of cosmetic items. Pre-ordering Lord of Hatred will grant you immediate access to Vessel of Hatred storyline and early access to Paladin class.

In addition, there will be an extra stash tab and two character slots, and you'll also enjoy three cosmetic items usable in World of Warcraft: Midnight.

Blizzard initially stated they would release a new Diablo 4 DLC every year, but because of player dissatisfaction with the current seasonal mode, they spent an extra year refining the core gameplay of Lord of Hatred, repeatedly adjusting balance, and optimizing the endgame experience, making it highly anticipated.

Lord of Hatred Classes

Blizzard wanted each class to have its own unique aspects, disliking excessive duplication of existing skills within classes. This means we expect classes that are distinctly different from other classes in Diablo 4.

First is the well-known Paladin. Former sinners and fugitives, Paladins are dedicated to protecting their nation from corruption. They use their justice to safeguard people and fight evil in every corner of the world.

Warriors wield gleaming golden swords and shields, possess cool angel wings, and can use primal blessing energy. Their skill set revolves around passive skills that affect enemies with auras and summoning spells, reminiscent of Dark Ages of Diablo 2.

Paladins also have a new Arbiter form similar to Tyrael, which will undoubtedly help you deal more damage. If you choose Paladin class, you can select from four different career paths.

Disciple guides the purest Holy Light, ascending to an angelic form of divine attributes, gaining divine speed, and becoming a blade of holy light to vanquish evil. Zealots use their fervor and unwavering faith as their offensive and defensive strength, and each victory intensifies their flames, allowing for a more aggressive playstyle.

Judicator manipulates the power of Holy Light, unleashing holy storms that can generate chain-reaction holy damage explosions. Juggernaut transforms defense into holy attack, accumulating higher damage with each strike, showcasing their power against the ever-emerging armies of Hell.

Lord of Hatred will see the return of Blessed Hammer, Blessed Shield, Condemn, Heaven's Fury, and Zeal, and these can be combined with the new Oath system. Oath system allows you to focus on a specific playstyle.

However, Paladin isn't the only new class in Lord of Hatred: there's a second class. Diablo series has previously limited the number of classes to seven, but Diablo 4 will break this limit with the addition of Warlock class.

Warlocks, burdened by fear, hunted, and misunderstood by the world, are masters of forbidden knowledge. They can wield demons and dark magic from hell with sheer willpower, turning hell into a weapon. Through rigorous discipline and unwavering resolve, Warlocks tear apart the veil between worlds, binding demonic power to fight fire with fire. If you choose Warlock class, you can select from four different career paths.

Legion can summon hordes of demons onto the battlefield, using monsters as expendable resources to dominate the battlefield, turn the tide of battle, and create chaos; Vanguard can transform into a powerful behemoth, wreathed in hellfire, controlling and commanding their demonic summons through sheer willpower.

Mastermind uses the cruel method of suppressing fear dominating demons and enemies, ruling the battlefield. Ritualists transform hellish energy into catastrophic spells, unleashing overwhelming power through forbidden rituals.

Lord of Hatred Endgame

Because of persistent player demand, a loot filter feature is coming soon, allowing you to automatically filter out useless Diablo 4 items and pick up only the gear you need.

A new endgame event, War Plans, is also coming. Players can choose their preferred activities and affixes to plan their unique progression path; Echoing Hatred is more challenging, testing even the most experienced players.

Simultaneously, the skill tree and crafting system have been revamped. The fishing feature is also highly anticipated, although the specific loot and Diablo 4 gold rewards are currently unknown.

Story

With Lord of Hatred, the game is more complete than ever before.

Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred expansion will officially launch on April 28th, concluding Age of Hatred chapter of the game. The jungles of Nahantu brought Kurast to life, ultimately allowing evil High Lord Mephisto to take center stage.

Players will fight alongside Lilith to thwart Mephisto's plot. The expansion's story takes place in the new game area of Skovos, an archipelago ravaged by volcanic eruptions and violent storms. You can get a sneak peek at the expansion's exciting content through the prequel novel Lost Horadrim.

Lost Horadrim tells the story of Lorath, a member of an ancient order of sorcerers. Lorath is described as the last Horadric, whose founder, Tyrael, remains missing. Lorath travels to Skovos, allies with Captain Adreona of Amazons, helps her defend against undead attacks, and investigates the truth behind an encounter encountered by a Horadrim expedition on their way to unlock a hidden treasure vault.

In Lord of Hatred, Blizzard will introduce Horadric Cube for the first time in Diablo 4, another nostalgic tribute. Horadrim will be a key component of Diablo 4.

Have you ever encountered late spawns in Arc Raiders and been affected by them? The new Flashpoint update for Arc Raiders completely changes the post-apocalyptic robot world created by Embark. Two new weapons have been added: the submachine gun and the energy shotgun, enriching Raiders' arsenal and providing a fresh shooting experience.

The introduction of these two weapons has led many players to try bringing their own loadouts into raids; and the value of loot in locked rooms has been changed to increase based on key rarity. However, it's undeniable that in previous versions, this inevitably caused late spawns, leading to numerous complaints from players.

But in the latest 1.22.0 version, a new matchmaking system is implemented. If you start with your own loadout, you're less likely to encounter late spawns. This means that when fighting the new aerial Arc Lightning enemies, you won't experience lag or lack of loot.

The Impact of Late Spawns on Players

Late spawns have long been a problem plaguing all Arc Raiders players. You've probably experienced this: you enter the game with valuable Arc Raiders Items only to find the match is already halfway through. You can no longer determine other players' positions through gunfire, drones, or actual observation. Other players will have advantageous positions and can easily wait for you to attack from rooftops.

Most of the good loot will be taken, leaving you to rely on luck to find a suitable spot or pick up some miscellaneous loot. By the time you've looted everything and are ready to extract, available extraction points are scarce, making you more likely to get caught up in extraction point battles. Especially when entering the game with a mission, late spawns can lead to mission failure and lost equipment. Many players have expressed a desire for a fair chance at loot.

However, late spawns are crucial to the smooth running of the game. While it's certainly frustrating, it's mechanically reasonable. Without late spawns, Arc Raiders would become a 10-15 minute sprint, after which the map would become lifeless and devoid of tension. Late spawns prevent your raids from becoming monotonous, and flexibility is the essence of raid shooters.

The real problem isn't the late spawn mechanic itself, but the imbalance it creates. It's either adapt or be eliminated. I think everyone just wants fairness, not empty dungeons. Late spawns are part of Arc Raiders' unpredictability, and that's part of the game.

How Flashpoint Optimizes Late Spawns?

According to 1.22.0 Update notes: If you start from Speranza with your own loadout, you're more likely to be assigned to a brand new server. This is the most anticipated change in this update, meaning Raiders with custom loadouts are more likely to reap the rewards of their gear investments.

In this risk-reward game, if you want to enter the game with zero risk, your chances of getting a reward should correspondingly decrease.

In its update notes, Embark stated that the new matchmaking system prioritizes players using custom loadouts for placement on new servers. However, the number of available players is affected by map selection, game time, and region, potentially impacting overall matchmaking times. Embark will continue to closely monitor the system's impact.

Conversely, players using free loadouts will experience faster matchmaking but are more likely to encounter late spawns.

Controversy Surrounding Free Loadouts

Since Arc Raiders' release, the impact of free loadouts has been a hot topic. Some players argue that custom loadouts are time-consuming, while free loadouts are convenient, loading in seconds and completely free, requiring only a few button presses.

With custom loadouts, any configuration requires material costs or items, and setup takes longer, making it difficult to earn rewards unless extremely lucky. Free loadouts feel more like a desperate gamble when all other options are exhausted.

Therefore, using free loadouts involves almost no resistance or penalty for failing, while players using custom loadouts lose equipment and have to spend time rebuilding their inventory to continue using custom loadouts, which is unfair.

Bungie's first-person shooter Marathon introduced one of the most generous yet demanding free loadout systems in its genre: novice players using free loadouts often experience late spawns and can only play solo. This prompted Embark to make similar adjustments to its mechanics.

However, Embark reiterated its original intention of introducing free loadouts in Flashpoint update notes - to protect players' personal economies and allow cautious players to collect enough ARC Raiders Items to complete missions or make progress.

After Flashpoint update, players using free loadouts can obtain free equipment spawn points late in combat, go to high-PvP areas, profit from the aftermath of battles, and potentially launch surprise attacks on low-health targets, achieving a high-risk, high-reward outcome. Furthermore, late spawns in free loadouts mean that the queen/matriarch has usually been eliminated, allowing for a safer exit from the map.

The new matchmaking system's optimization of the late spawns issue rewards players who invest more effort more, with minimal impact on players using free loadouts. If you rely on free loadouts during gameplay, you should still be able to accumulate wealth with free gear, utilize the new mechanics to start from scratch, and regain your footing.

Many players still struggle with Assessors in ARC Raiders. There are actually many simple techniques that can make the process easier and safer, and you don't necessarily need to rely on Smoke Grenades.

Below, we'll discuss reliable methods for defeating them even without Smoke Grenades, and also explain the locations of the blueprints and crafting materials for players who need them.

How to defeat without Smoke Grenades?

For players without Smoke Grenade blueprints, Li'l Smoke Grenade can still be used. Although its duration is only six seconds, it can be used smoothly if you time it correctly. Each breach requires three Li'l Smoke Grenades.

Just before starting the breach, throw a Li'l Smoke Grenade at your feet and start the breach. When the progress is about one-third complete, temporarily exit the breach, throw another Smoke Grenade, and continue. The progress will not reset. After breaching, exit the menu, throw out the third grenade, and then start looting. Once you've looted everything, activate Photoelectric Cloak and leave.

However, you can actually avoid using any Smoke Grenades. Simply approach Assessors, activate the hack, and immediately activate Photoelectric Cloak to hide in nearby bushes. In Buried City and Dam Battlegrounds, bushes will spawn near most Assessors, while they are slightly more difficult to manage in Spaceport and The Blue Gate.

As long as ARC's eyes are displaying a yellow search color instead of a red alert color, they haven't locked onto your location. Staying quietly in the bushes will prevent you from being detected.

Furthermore, after this update, ARCs will simply fly away and disappear if they can't find a target, so there's no need to worry too much about being continuously chased.

If other players nearby attract ARC's aggro, you can still loot in the chaos without needing Smoke Grenade. If you are spotted by the ARC, don't panic. Immediately activate Photoelectric Cloak and move to the nearest cover, then wait for the aggro to dissipate. Many players are unaware that bushes can serve as effective cover. Hiding within them prevents ARC from detecting you, allowing you to wait for your Photoelectric Cloak to recharge or quickly escape aggro.

Of course, both methods are riskier than using the regular Smoke Grenade. Obtaining a Smoke Grenade blueprint is recommended to improve your chances of winning.

How to obtain a Smoke Grenade blueprint?

Players seeking a Smoke Grenade blueprint can search for Residential Containers, as it only spawns inside these containers. Recommended search areas include most of Buried City, which has many Residential Containers. The Blue Gate village is also a good choice, with a very high container density. Some players also prefer searching the apartment area above Dam Battlegrounds.

Note that the drop rate for Smoke Grenade blueprints is relatively low. It's recommended to raid during the day when the blueprint drop rate is relatively high. During Night Raids or double drop events, more ARC Raiders blueprints containing high-level attachments will be mixed in, further reducing the drop rate.

How to craft a Smoke Grenade?

After successfully obtaining a Smoke Grenade, crafting materials become an issue. Crafting it requires a large amount of Canisters, and the frequently used Photoelectric Cloak also requires Speaker Components for repair. These resources also have fixed locations.

In some buildings in Buried City, Canisters have a high probability of spawning on tables, and Speaker Components often spawn in drawers on these tables. These drawers can be found in the departure and arrival buildings of Spaceport, the control room of The Blue Gate, and the research and administration areas of Dam Battlegrounds.

How to deal with Assessors?

Besides fighting against ARC, other players are also a problem to be aware of when dealing with Assessors. Many players like to compete for the first batch of Assessors to spawn at the start of the game, resulting in five or six people vying for a single target, leading to a very poor experience.

A more reasonable approach is to patiently wait for the next wave of spawns, pre-position yourself, and use visual cues to determine the spawn points. Meanwhile, avoid killing Surveyors too early. Their survival is crucial for spawning Assessors, which increases later-game rewards. Most players will die or quit early, leading to less competition later on. Waiting about ten minutes grants more freedom.

Completing the entire Assessor's Breach solo allows for quick acquisition of a large amount of necessary resources and increases the chance of obtaining Dolabra Blueprints. Solo play requires extra caution. Follow the cycle of breach, throw a Smoke Grenade, pick it up, hide in bushes, and wait for Assessors to leave, completing each breach sequentially.

Don't rush into consecutive actions. Each breach attracts nearby Assessors, and impatience can lead to being surrounded by many of them, a major reason for player failure.

Actively attacking Assessors prolongs their stay. The correct approach is to remain patient, using bushes, Smoke Grenades, and Photoelectric Cloak to easily avoid threats. Manage Photoelectric Cloak charging effectively and stay calm. Running away will only increase your chances of dying. Don't panic and fight other players for Assessors. Slow down, be patient, and you'll find Assessors are much easier to deal with than you think.

Stealth is the core strategy. With the right methods, Assessors can be killed easily and reliably.

A recent Foundation update for Arc Raiders introduces a new quest that's more interesting than ever before. It's not just about avoiding ARCs to survive; it's about creating noise to attract them, completely overturning our previous survival strategies.

This is Clamoring for Attention side quest. Shani believes ARCs react not only to gunfire but also to any loud noise. Therefore, she wants you to test whether you can use noise to distract ARC machines from key defensive positions, creating safer routes for Raiders.

Upon completion, you'll not only gain combat experience and strategy but also receive at least 13 key in-game items as a reward from Shani.

Without further ado, here's a quick, safe, and efficient guide covering the main content, detailed steps, and important considerations.

Essential Supplies

Before entering the map to complete the mission, it's best to bring three wires and one battery. These are consumable items for the mission. While they can be found on the map, it will be time-consuming and dangerous.

Wires and batteries can be found in electronic devices such as computers and servers. Pilgrim's Peak area is a good place to farm these items, with a higher drop rate.

Mission Content

This mission takes place at Blue Gate. You need to find three items scattered throughout the map that will emit loud noises: a siren, a horn, and a boom box.

Fortunately, these three interactive items do not need to be completed consecutively in the same game, nor is there a fixed order. Even if you are knocked down midway, the game will save your progress.

Warehouse Complex Siren

Warehouse Complex is located in the central area of ​​Blue Gate, very close to Checkpoint. ARC guards around it are not very tight, so it's not too dangerous. A word of caution: you may encounter patrolling Bombardiers and Rocketeers on your way to Warehouse Complex, so it's best to carry some Arc Raiders Items that can pose a threat to them, just in case.

The two new weapons introduced in Arc Raiders Flashpoint update, Dolabra and Canto, are very suitable.

The key to the mission is finding the alarm in the corner of the rooftop of the northernmost building in Warehouse Complex. A very noticeable marker is an antenna-like device; reach the base of the antenna, where you'll find an alarm with a yellow light.

However, the alarm is broken, so you'll need to use three wires to repair it. If you're unsure if you have them in your inventory, remember to check your gear before setting off on the mission, as searching for materials on the map is both dangerous and time-consuming. Once the alarm is repaired, interact with it and pull the trigger.

Pulling the alarm will attract a large number of nearby ARCs, so you'll need to evacuate quickly.

Bus Horn at Checkpoint

Checkpoint is located next to Warehouse Complex. Along the roadside are many abandoned vehicles, and in the middle is an abandoned bus. Note that it must be a bus on the road surface; buses in tunnels don't count. You need to get into the driver's seat, approach the horn, and trigger the interaction.

Be extremely careful here, as this interaction requires you to hold down the horn. The horn will emit a loud noise, almost instantly spawning a pair of Comet ARCs.

Comet ARCs have significantly higher attack power than regular ARCs, so you may need to be ready for combat immediately after the interaction. It's crucial to carry high-damage weapons and equipment before entering the map.

You can also deploy Surge Coil around you before interacting. Surge Coil is a new item introduced in this Flashpoint update. It periodically electrifies the surrounding area, briefly stunning any nearby objects. This not only helps prevent ARC ambushes but also prevents enemy players from looting.

Village's Boom Box

Village is located at the easternmost end of the map, and the key item for the mission - A boom box - is in the northwest of Village. You can enter Village from Reinforced Reception side, which will allow you to find the boom box faster and reduce detours.

On a small concrete terrace outdoors in the northwest, there's a bench with a boom box emitting a yellow glow. The boom box requires a battery to operate, so you need to carry it in your backpack before starting the mission.

Once activated, the boom box will start playing music. This mission produces slightly less noise compared to the other two, but it will still attract the attention of ARCs, so make sure to evacuate quickly after completing the mission.

Survival Strategy

• Use the zipline to quickly reach and retreat from Checkpoint.
• Take care of any nearby ARCs before triggering the noise.
• Choose the mission location closest to you based on your spawn point.
• Assess the danger level of different missions. Complete the less dangerous ones first to lure the enemies away, then tackle the more dangerous ones.
• Plan your escape route in advance and clear obstacles.

After completing all three tasks, speak with Shani to receive the following three rewards:

• 5 Lure Grenades
• 5 Noisemakers
• 3 Tagging Grenades

Before embarking on the tasks, have this top-secret guide with you, and completing them and earning the rewards will be as easy as drinking water. All the details and winning tips you need are in this guide.