World of Warcraft: The War Within Launches 26 August, Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred Arrives 8 October

Blizzard Entertainment President Johanna Faries remarked, "It's so exciting to be here at Xbox Showcase with other amazing developers to reveal our release dates for World of Warcraft: The War Within and Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred." "We will reveal more details later in the year, but these releases are the start of what promises to be an exciting few months, including World of Warcraft's 20th anniversary."

World of Warcraft: The Darkness Within

Time to head back home! The War Within, the tenth expansion pack for World of Warcraft and the first instalment in the ambitious new World Soul Saga, opens globally on 26 August. This marks the start of the quest to preserve Azeroth from the advancing powers of the void. You can watch the trailer revealing the release date that debuted at Xbox Showcase here. When early access opens on 23 August, players who bought the physical collector's edition of the Epic Edition can access the game before its worldwide release.

World of Warcraft will commemorate its 20th anniversary later this year, while the Warcraft brand is now celebrating its 30th anniversary. The World of Warcraft team has unveiled a special limited-time "Welcome to Azeroth" bundle in honour of the upcoming worldwide launch. This bundle aims to entice new and returning players to explore this magical realm and equip them to face off against the formidable Xal'atath, the harbinger of the abyss.

Included in this bundle are:

• The expansion of Dragonflight

• Character bonus at level 60

• A 60-day gaming period

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred

After a massive explosion in 2023, Diablo IV's much-awaited first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, will launch on 8 October. Xbox Showcase hosted the launch of the opening cinematic. Pre-purchases can now be made to get instant access to cosmetic in-game incentives.

Get ready for the darkness that lies ahead of you:

NEW SPIRITBORN CLASS —Spiritborn is a brand-new class in the Diablo series, ranked among the top jungle predators. They had a mystical synergy that could only be awakened deep within Nahantu's jungles, giving them battle-hardened abilities. Embrace the ethereal Spirits interwoven with this ancient culture by becoming one of the Spiritborn. 

Explore Nahantu, a brand-new jungle area in Diablo IV that is teeming with mysteries, perilous new dungeons, strongholds, and vicious demons from rival tribes.  

GO AHEAD WITH THE CAMPAIGN—Vessel of Hatred picks up just after Diablo IV's events, with Neyrelle still suffering from her decision to restrain Mephisto and pits you against the monster to preserve her soul. You will venture far into the ancient jungle in quest of Neyrelle as she battles the imprisoned Prime Evil. Try deciphering Mephisto's sinister scheme as additional enemies follow you, plotting your downfall. You can decide Neyrelle's soul's fate and her capacity to prevent this Prime Evil from destroying Sanctuary.   

NEW GAME improvements: All Diablo IV players can now enjoy massive improvements in Vessel of Hatred, which include new class skills, paragon boards, legendary glyphs, dungeon kinds, activities for the Tree of Whispers, and much more.  

Stay strong since you may consistently recruit more Mercenaries to help you in your struggle through Nahantu's impenetrable foliage and beyond. These formidable friends gain strength as they advance and are each endowed with special skills to aid you in battle.    

A brand-new PvE mode where you and your friends cooperate to accomplish goals and defeat the boss in a multi-level dungeon, all while earning awards and treasure.

Bonuses & Digital Pre-Purchase Editions

Standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate Edition digital pre-purchases are available for the Vessel of Hatred. On Windows® PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Steam, and up to four-player cooperative play—including two-player couch co-op on consoles**—Diablo IV and Vessel of Hatred offer cross-platform play and cross-progression. Every digital version comes with one or more extras to make your Sanctuary experience even more enjoyable:

Standard Edition: Comes with a Mother's Lament Legendary Gem in Diablo Immortal** and Alkor the Snow Leopard Pet.

Deluxe Edition: Comes with everything in the Standard Edition plus a Premium Seasonal Battle Pass Unlock in Diablo IV*, the Nahantu War-cat Mount***, and Hratli the Canine Pet.  

The Nahantu Unearthed Armour bundle, Natalya the Tiger Pet, 3,000 platinum, the Wings of the Faith Cosmetic, and a Nahantu-themed town portal are all included in the Ultimate Edition, which has all the contents of the Deluxe edition.

* Must own the base game to play Vessel of Hatred

** Downloaded separately. Availability varies by platform and region. 

*** Mount access must be unlocked in-game before use.

Diablo IV is available on Windows® PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4 and Steam.