Diablo 4 datamine reveals the next expansion's new class, main villain, and the return of Kurast

Something big is brewing at Blizzard for Diablo 4, and it may just be the game's first expansion. The developer recently uploaded version 2.0 to a private test branch, which has since been datamined to reveal a lot of juicy details.

Diablo 4's current version number is 1.0, with every new patch pushing it towards 2.0. This suggests that major build numbers will be tied to new expansions, which lends this particular leak some context.

What was actually discovered is the main reason why people are excited, of course. According to YouTuber YbuBaKa (via ResetEra), the build includes several references to the first expansion, which is said to be called Lord of Hatred.

As the name suggests, Mephisto will be the villain of this one, which lines up with how the main story of Diablo 4 ended. The expansion will reportedly add a new region to the game: Diablo 2's Kurast, which is about the same size as the game's existing regions.

The datamine also reveals a new class dubbed Spiritborn, which appears to be a nature-based, glaive-wielding class. The first expansion is seemingly also adding a Mercenary system that will allow players to hire and level up companions, similar to Diablo 3.

Another rumoured addition to the game would be the first raid, which is the Kharza-based Tomb of Akarat, with five wings to fight through. A more detailed leak posted on MMO Champion has even more details about the new class, as well as the potential name of Season 3: Dreamscape.

The timing of all this, of course, is pretty interesting. BlizzCon officially returns as an in-person event next weekend. Blizzard said in previous Diablo 4 livestreams that you can expect the studio to talk about some of what's coming to the game down the line at BlizzCon.

Now, this could just be touching on high-level details about the next major patch, but we may get a teaser - or some sort of official announcement - about the game's first expansion. Blizzard likes to make big announcements at major events. Earlier than anyone could've anticipated, the developer unveiled Season of Blood just as Diablo 4 was deep into its first season, so it's not unrealistic to assume the studio would use BlizzCon as a way to get the word out about the first expansion.

Blizzard already said it plans to release a new Diablo 4 expansion every year. Considering the game launched in June this year, the release of the first expansion should be right around the end of Season 3 - if the current cadence continues.