The Diablo 4 team, led by general manager Rod Fergusson, associate game director Joseph Piepiora, product management director Kegan Clark, and associate director of community Adam Fletcher, recently provided a comprehensive update on the game’s first season, battle pass, and long-term progression. In a livestream that aired on May 10, 11 a.m. PDT, they shared significant details about how Diablo IV’s Seasons, Cosmetics, and Battle Pass would function.
The first season of Diablo 4, set to kick off in mid to late July, will include a new gameplay mechanic that will only be available for the duration of the season. To keep the game fresh and exciting, this mechanic will be retired once the season concludes and replaced with a new one for the next season. However, if a particular mechanics was popular, the devs would consider making it part of the main game. As part of each season’s offerings, the developers plan to introduce unique items that will become permanent fixtures in the game after the season’s end.
The team also shed light on the seasonal questline, a self-contained narrative that guides players through the season’s mechanics. It’s worth noting that these won’t be campaign extensions, but rather self-contained stories possibly introduced as open-world side quests. The seasonal journey from Diablo 3 will make a comeback, offering players objectives tied to new mechanics that will reward item caches, legendary aspects, and battle pass favour, the latter being equivalent to battle pass experience/levels.
The Diablo 4 livestream also revealed that the game will feature a battle pass system with 27 free tiers and 63 premium tiers. Gaining battle pass favour, either by completing the journey or simply playing the game with a seasonal character, will allow players to level up. The premium battle pass will cost $10, but an accelerated version with an additional 20 levels and an extra cosmetic item will be available for $25.
The battle pass system will also introduce smoldering ashes, a new feature that can be used to apply buffs to seasonal characters, such as improving rare item drop rates, experience earned, and gold earned. All gameplay-affecting items or buffs will be available from the free battle pass only, ensuring that there’s no element of “pay for power”.
Long-term progression was another focal point of the Diablo 4 livestream. Crucially, players will only have to complete the campaign once, with all future characters being able to skip it. Altars of Lilith, which provide permanent stat boosts, will only need to be collected once and will apply to all characters going forward. The livestream also emphasized the extensive customization options that Diablo 4 will offer, with hundreds of transmogs unlocked by salvaging gear and all gear being dyeable.
Addressing some queries during the Q&A session, the team clarified that in hardcore mode, player versus player (PvP) deaths will result in permadeath. The mount, a key feature of the game, will be unlocked around level 30, depending on the player’s style. The game will also feature unlockable mounts, trophies, and titles earned through achievements.
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