Diablo 4’s next expansion still has one big open-world problem to solve
Lord of Hatred adds Skovos, but the real test is whether Blizzard gives players a reason to stay in the open world instead of teleporting past it.
With Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred drawing closer, attention has turned to a familiar issue for Blizzard’s action RPG: the open world looks great, but it still needs a stronger reason to matter. The new expansion will bring Skovos into the mix, and that raises a simple question about how much time players will actually want to spend there.
From the start, Diablo 4’s world has been one of its best presentation pieces. The regions are varied, the art direction is sharp, and the map gives Sanctuary a sense of scale that fits the series. The problem has never been the scenery. It has been what players do once they have seen it.
Most of the time, the game’s real rhythm still comes from teleporting between dungeons, the Pit, bosses, and other instanced content. Even after Vessel of Hatred, the open world mostly served as a route between objectives instead of a place people chose to live in. That is why Lord of Hatred’s April 28 launch matters beyond the new story and classes. It also brings another chance to fix how the world itself functions.
At the moment, the concern is that Skovos could repeat the same pattern. Blizzard has already shown that the expansion will add a new region, new quests, and Temis as a town hub, but none of that automatically solves the bigger issue. A fresh zone only goes so far if the best rewards still live elsewhere.
That skepticism lines up with what many players have been saying for a while. Exploration can often feel like a mere task to complete. Open-world events tend to repeat in predictable places, while progression still heavily relies on systems that divert you from the map rather than immerse you in it.
One feature that could change the mood a bit is fishing. It sounds small on paper, but it could matter if Blizzard gives it enough depth. Different environments, such as sea and lava spots, already suggest that the activity may have more variety than a one-off novelty. If location-based catches, rarities, and rewards like crafting materials, cosmetics, or gear show up, then wandering around could start to feel worth the detour.
That would not fix everything by itself, though. For Diablo 4’s open world to carry more weight, it needs more than pretty backdrops. Random encounters would need to pay off. Region-specific mechanics would need to matter. Rewards would need to compete with the game’s faster farming paths. And movement would need to feel better than simply hopping from one menu-friendly activity to the next.
Blizzard may already be heading in that direction with systems like customizable Helltides and War Plans, but the details still matter more than the concept. Lord of Hatred will almost certainly give players more space to roam. The real question is whether that space will finally feel worth the trip.
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Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred
Developed by Blizzard Entertainment
