With less than a month until the official release of Diablo 4, fans are looking ahead for what to expect come launch day. Between the beta period and the upcoming server slam, fans have gleaned a relatively strong idea of how the gameplay and mechanics will play out, at least in the early game, but many are still left wondering how the Battle Pass and its first season will be implemented in Diablo 4 as well as what else to expect during the first few months.
Luckily, Blizzard's early look at Diablo 4's battle pass offers fans a bit of insight into the structure of both the paid and in-game progression systems, and a look back at Diablo 3 and other Blizzard titles can inform gamers about what could happen come July—when the first season officially kicks off.
What to Expect From Diablo 4's Seasonal Content
Diablo 4 will feature both a Season Journey and a Battle Pass. With the Season Journey acting as the focal point for the majority of Diablo 4's post-launch content. Fans are likely familiar with a Season Journey-style system. Within the Season Journey, there will be Chapters, and within each Chapter, there will be a set of objectives. As players complete objectives, they will progress through the Chapters, unlocking rewards while moving closer to completing the overall Season Journey. Not only will players progress through the Season Journey as they complete objectives, but they'll also be earning Favor which will unlock tiers in the Battle Pass.
As to the structure of Diablo 4's Battle Pass, it's fairly straightforward. It's a linear progression with both free and paid tiers. The rewards in the Battle Pass should also feel familiar to most gamers as it consists mostly of cosmetics, emotes, and Smouldering Ashes. While the cosmetics appear to be primarily assigned to weapons and armor, it's not impossible that the higher tier rewards could be unexpected slots like backpacks. After all, the reward to beta players is the Beta Wolf Pack backpack.
Currently, Blizzard believes it will take around 80 hours to complete Diablo 4's Battle Pass, which is slightly more of a time investment than games like Call of Duty: Warzone 2 and Overwatch which both take around 50 hours. It's also worth noting that, as is, Diablo 4's seasonal system features no pay-to-win elements and is monetized in a much more fan-friendly manner than the widely criticized Diablo Immortal.
Diablo 4's Shop and Smouldering Ashes System
Last month, Diablo 4's Associate Game Director suggested that it would take the average player around 150 hours to hit Diablo 4's max level. Luckily, the Smouldering Ashes system associated with the Battle Pass could ease that grind. As players collect Smouldering Ashes from the free tiers of the Battle Pass, they'll be able to trade them in for bonuses during the season. As an example, players will be able to trade Smouldering Ashes for a boost to experience gained from monster kills. An important caveat for the Smouldering Ashes system is that it appears as though the bonuses earned from Smouldering Ashes are largely centered around easing grinds related to experience, crafting materials, gold, and the like.
In addition to the Battle Pass and Season Journey, Diablo 4 players will also have access to an in-game Shop where they will be able to purchase unique cosmetics. Interestingly, Diablo 4's Shop differs from iterations seen in other games as it promises to tailor offerings based on individual behavior and aesthetic preferences, though it's difficult to say exactly how this system will manifest upon the launch of the first season.
Diablo 4 will be available June 6 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
