Blizzard has lifted the review embargo for Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred. The first reviews look strong. By April 23, the expansion held an 83 on Metacritic for PC and an 83 on OpenCritic. On OpenCritic, 90% of critics recommend it. Lord of Hatred launches on April 28, 2026. It continues Diablo IV’s Mephisto storyline.
Most critics seem to agree on the expansion’s main strengths. They praise the campaign, the darker payoff to the Mephisto arc, and the endgame changes. Many also like how Lord of Hatred opens up more build options. Wccftech called it a strong expansion. The outlet praised the story, the Warlock, and the new gameplay systems. The Metacritic review list shows a mostly positive response. Most scores land in the 80–90 range.
Not every outlet thinks Blizzard changed the game in a major way. Some reviews say Lord of Hatred improves the base game rather than doing something bold. ComicBook called it a solid expansion that leaves Diablo IV in a better place. At the same time, the outlet noted that the DLC is not very newcomer-friendly. Wccftech raised another familiar point. Even with the endgame updates, co-op still lacks strong incentives.
Even so, the overall picture looks good for Blizzard. Longtime Diablo fans will likely enjoy this expansion most. That is especially true for players who want a strong story ending, new classes, and more endgame depth. If the launch version holds up, Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred could become one of the better-received ARPG expansions of the year.
To see everything the expansion adds, from classes and story content to endgame systems, read our Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred Overview.