The first Diablo 4 season is coming up soon, and Blizzard finally explained what we can expect in the RPG’s big update in a new livestream. Diablo 4 Season 1, officially called Season of the Malignant, begins July 20, 2023, and promises new loot, challenges, and ways to build your character.
You need a new character to start Diablo 4 Season of the Malignant, but all of your renown and exploration data – including Altars of Lilith – will apply to your seasonal character and other characters on your account. You just need to log in once after July 18, 2023, with the character whose exploration and renown progress you want to carry over, and it’ll apply across your entire account.
Season of the Malignant will drop you in Kyovashad at level one and introduces you to Cormond. Cormond is a former priest with the Cathedral of Light who’s trying to fight a new darkness spreading across Sanctuary, which of course means you’re fighting the darkness that spreads across Sanctuary for him.
Central to the season is the Malignant Heart, a new Gem-like item you slot into jewels and earn from defeating super-powered Elite monsters across the world. These Malignant Hearts come in four varieties – three color-coded hearts that fit into matching colored slots on jewlery and one heart that fits into any slot – and they augment your character’s abilities in highly specific ways that make new builds possible.
The season also brings new bosses, legendary and unique items, and battle pass rewards. The pass has a free and paid tier, though even with the free tier, you get cosmetics equippable by every class and Smouldering Ashes, a currency that lets you unlock buffs for the season.
Your campaign progress won’t be affected when the new season launches, and you can get the benefit of that season’s class buffs and other tweaks in campaign mode when the patch goes live on July 18, 2023.
Head over to the Diablo 4 website for the full details.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF
