The Lord of Hatred expansion is getting closer, and Mephisto is clearly being set up as the main threat this time. But what's interesting is how little has been said about Diablo himself. Considering the series carries his name, his absence from the spotlight has started to stand out
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. Trailers, previews, and preorder promos are all focused on Skovos, new systems, and class reveals, with Mephisto front and center. That naturally leaves fans wondering where the Lord of Terror fits into all of this, if at all.
Everything shown so far positions Mephisto as the narrative core of the expansion. The story continues threads from the base campaign and Vessel of Hatred, with players tracking him to Skovos, an island tied closely to both Lilith and Inarius. Blizzard seems intent on giving Mephisto a full arc here, treating Lord of Hatred as the payoff to the current "Age of Hatred" storyline rather than splitting attention between multiple Prime Evils.
From a lore standpoint, Diablo not appearing in marketing doesn't mean he's gone. If anything, it makes his presence feel more like a looming shadow. The Prime Evils have always rotated in prominence depending on the era, and right now the focus clearly belongs to Mephisto and his long-running schemes. Letting him fully occupy the villain role keeps the story cleaner while leaving the door open for Diablo to return later in a bigger way.
Blizzard has also been clear that Lord of Hatred is the second major expansion and the closing chapter of this specific saga, not the end of Diablo 4 itself. The game is still evolving, with new regions, progression changes, skill tree updates, and crafting systems like the Horadric Cube on the way. Holding Diablo back could simply be a pacing decision—saving his return for the next overarching storyline instead of rushing him into this one.
There's a marketing logic to that too. If every expansion revolved around Diablo directly, the character's impact could start to feel routine. By centering Mephisto, introducing the Paladin and another new class, and pushing major system overhauls, the expansion gets to stand on its own identity rather than leaning purely on the franchise's biggest name.
That hasn't stopped speculation, of course. Some players expect Diablo to appear in visions, lore teases, or post-campaign scenes. Wrapping up Mephisto's arc on Skovos could easily shift the power balance in Hell and set the stage for Diablo's resurgence. Even a short cinematic hint would be enough to set up the next saga.
Either way, Lord of Hatred still looks like a major turning point for Diablo 4. With its April 28, 2026 release date, the expansion brings new zones, two classes, endgame updates, and deeper item customization. Prepurchase bonuses like early Paladin access in Season 11 are already building momentum ahead of launch
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.
So the question of "Where is Diablo?" feels less like a problem and more like intentional suspense. Blizzard seems to be letting Mephisto take the stage now while keeping Diablo in reserve for a bigger payoff later. Lord of Hatred may close the current chapter, but it also feels like it's setting up something larger waiting further down the road.
