There’s no doubt that the Diablo 4 community has experienced a rollercoaster of emotions since the game’s initial debut back in June last year, going through both good and bad times. Blizzard brought some controversial updates and changes that damaged the game’s credibility among players, but its recent Vessel of Hatred expansion completely changed everything.
Diablo 4‘s Vessel of Hatred Expansion brings a plethora of content to the base game and a story in which players follow Neyrelle through the new Nahantu region on her mission to end Prime Evil Mephisto. The expansion’s new setting and locations have managed to grab the attention of players since they’re quite breathtaking. What’s shocking is that all of these new locations have been ripped from another legendary Diablo game.
Diablo 4‘s first expansion pack, Hatred of Vessel, introduces us to the new region of Nahantu, a jungle landscape that’s packed with dungeons, and various locations. All of these areas are dominated by the forces of evil who imprison Nahantu’s inhabitants. It’s an incredible addition that adds to the mysteries of the base game.
What you’ll be surprised to know is that this isn’t the first time we’re seeing Nahantu in the Diablo franchise. It appeared way back in Diablo 2, where it was simply referred to as “Kehjistan.” It was a popular location in the game, so the developers at Blizzard had no choice but to riff it off for Vessel of Hatred.
In an interview with the game’s associate narrative developer, Eleni Rivera-Colon, and environment art director, Chris Ryder, the developers open up about the pressures of bringing Diablo 2‘s most iconic location into the modern RPG.
“We have new technology, new techniques, and player expectations have changed as well. We’re definitely riffing off [Diablo 2’s] locations, but also considering how players play the game.”
Since its debut, Diablo 4 has been considered a controversial game due to various different issues. So it’s no surprise to see Blizzard returning to its previous hits to turn the ship around for the game.
Diablo 2 was an incredible achievement for the franchise, and to this date, some of its fans have kept the game alive. Blizzard truly gave us some of the most unforgettable experiences that have gone down in gaming history.
Considering its influence over the series, it won’t be much of a shock if developers return to this incredible game to draw more inspiration for future Diablo 4 expansions.
It seems like Blizzard’s decision to dig into the franchise’s roots has paid off. Diablo 4 has surged back to the top of Steam charts. According to SteamDB, the game registered 55,561 active players on October 13, just a few days after the debut of Vessel of Hatred expansion.
This is a gain of more than 100% compared to September when the title just had 25,799 active players. Previously, the peak count was reached back in June during the game’s fourth season.
Despite its issues, Diablo 4‘s first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, adds new content, such as stories and the new Spiritborn class. It completely elevates the base game and brings new challenges and foes for players to fend off against.
Even the game’s sixth season has also had a huge role in this surge of popularity as it brought dungeons such as Kurast Undercity, new skills, Mercenary companions, and passives for classes.
It’s great to see that after the game’s rocky launch, Blizzard has finally got things right, even though it’s been a year at this point. Let’s hope they can continue this momentum and make this game another Diablo title to remember.
With that said, are you enjoying Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred? If so, let us know in the comments below.
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