Blizzard Entertainment celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Diablo franchise on February 12, 2026, by announcing a new Diablo 2 character class, the Warlock, and releasing a dedicated downloadable content (DLC) titled “Reign of the Warlock.”
The “Reign of the Warlock” DLC was made available immediately for Diablo 2: Resurrection on Battle.net, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, and required a separate purchase. Blizzard also offered an “Inferno Edition” bundle that combined the base game and the expansion into a single package.
The Warlock class is centered on domination rather than passive summoning. According to developer interviews, players can summon up to three distinct demons, each with unique abilities, and issue precise commands that control the demons’ positioning and target selection. The design goal is to give players direct tactical control over summoned entities.
Mechanically, the Warlock can bind demons to unlock special powers or consume them to restore health and receive temporary buffs. High-level Warlocks gain access to powerful area-of-effect abilities such as “Apocalypse,” which is intended for the toughest end-game challenges. The class’s damage profile combines physical, fire, and magic damage, with skills like “Mazma Bolt” in the Chaos tree and “Eldritch Blast” in the Eldritch tree to avoid overlap with existing classes.
The DLC introduces a built-in loot filter system that lets players show or hide dropped items without third-party mods. Stash management has been overhauled: two free stash tabs are provided, and three specialized tabs are added for gems, materials, and runes, easing inventory constraints that long plagued the game.
A new “Chronicle” collection-tracking system records items and their origins, rewarding completionists with cosmetic effects such as a glowing aura or portal skins. These cosmetics are earned through gameplay rather than purchased, reflecting Blizzard’s stance on keeping microtransactions out of Diablo 2: Resurrection.
End-game content expands with “Terrifying Zones,” which allow players to designate specific acts as higher-difficulty, higher-reward areas. Defeating bosses in these zones grants statues that can be combined in the Horadric Cube to unlock the “Colossal Ancients” boss fight, a encounter Blizzard describes as comparable in difficulty to the historic Uber Tristram battle.
Seasonal competition continues with Ladder Season 12 concluding on February 12, 2026. Ladder Season 13 is scheduled to begin on February 21, 2026, offering four gameplay modes based on original and expansion content, each with a hardcore variation. The season maintains a race to level 99 and a focus on acquiring the best loot, supporting both single-player and multiplayer experiences.
Beyond Diablo 2, the Warlock will headline Diablo 4’s second expansion, “Lord of Hatred,” slated for release on April 28, 2026. The expansion adds a Mediterranean-inspired region called Scovos and a Greek-style metropolis named Themis. It also introduces a reworked skill-tree system, new item types such as relics and charms, and a “war planning” feature that lets players customize up to five activity playlists for tailored progression.
Diablo Immortal will incorporate the Warlock later in 2026 as part of a content roadmap focused on the demon queen Andariel. The mobile title will also reintroduce the city of Lut Gholein, redesigned with Moroccan architectural influences, and will add new quests, PvP events, and seasonal updates. In Immortal, the Warlock wields forbidden Vizjerei magic and commands a large soul-devouring demon, blending fire attacks and summoning in a format optimized for mobile play.
Blizzard’s leadership emphasized a commitment to the Diablo 2 legacy, noting that microtransactions have been excluded from Diablo 2: Resurrection and that Chronicle cosmetics are earned through in-game achievement. Developers expressed gratitude to the global fan base, highlighting the strong community in Korea and reaffirming that player feedback will continue to shape future updates.
