May 10 Livestream Summary and Breakdown

A 60-minute Developer Update Livestream for Diablo 4 (Diablo IV) was held on May 10, 2023, at 11 AM PDT, showcasing post-launch content. Check out everything we learned about Seasons, the Battle Pass, the cosmetic Shop, and more!

May Developer Update Livestream

Broadcasted 11 AM PDT on May 10, 2023

The May Developer Update Livestream was broadcasted at 11 AM PDT on May 10, 2023, lasting around 60 minutes. You can watch it on Diablo 4's official YouTube channel or official Twitch channel.

When Is the Next Developer Update Livestream?

Livestream Overview

Everything We Learned

What We Learned From the April Developer Update
Seasons Will Arrive Mid-to-Late July Seasonal Questlines Explained Fresh Gameplay Per Season Long-Term Progression with Season Journeys Battle Pass Features Revealed Post-Campaign Unlocks Dedication to Quality of Life More Shop and Customization Details Additional Endgame Features

Seasons Will Arrive Mid-to-Late July

After a brief Server Slam recap, the developers began the livestream by revealing the rough release date of Seasons in Diablo 4. Season 1 will begin post-launch, arriving mid-to-late July, giving players time to enjoy the game's main story, as they have to beat the campaign at least once to participate in Seasons.

The developers also mentioned that the game will have four Seasons every year, one for each quarter. Seasons will also follow unique themes that shape their gameplay, questlines, and the seasonal Battle Pass.

Seasons Require New Seasonal Characters

Later in the livestream, the developers also clarified that players will have to create new Seasonal characters, which start from Level 1, to participate in each Season.

Seasonal Questlines Explained

The livestream proceeded by delving deeper into the features of each Season, starting with the reveal of Seasonal Questlines. Seasonal Questlines follow self-contained stories independent of the base game's campaign and will showcase the current Season's theme and new gameplay mechanics.

Fresh Gameplay Per Season

The developers also explained that each Season provides fresh gameplay for all players by introducing new gameplay mechanics and other in-game content. These new gameplay mechanics are tied to the current Season and will often be new powers for players to earn.

In addition, seasonal gameplay mechanics are expected to retire and leave the game at the end of the Season. However, based on data and community feedback, the developers may consider keeping them as permanent additions to the game.

Long-Term Progression with Season Journeys

Regarding long-term progression, the developers delved deeper into the Season Journey system. Every Season will feature its own Season Journey, where players can complete objectives to earn in-game rewards, including currencies, item caches, and new Legendary Aspects.

Furthermore, while Season Journeys provide rewards based on the number of objectives a player completes, they will not need to finish all of them to advance to the Journey's next chapter.

Season Journey: Everything We Know

Battle Pass Features Revealed

The developers also revealed more details about the seasonal Battle Pass. They explained that Battle Pass progression is tied to Favor, which players can earn by leveling up their Seasonal characters and completing objectives in the Season Journey.

Battle Pass Has Three Different Tracks

The Battle Pass will also have the three following tracks.

• The Free Track, which all players receive, has 27 total tiers and primarily rewards Smoldering Ashes, which players can use to obtain Season Blessings that provide buffs that make seasonal progression easier.
• The Premium Track, which players can buy for roughly $10 (USD), has 63 total tiers and provides purely cosmetic rewards, such as themed armor sets, mounts, and mount armor.
• The Accelerated Track, which players can buy for roughly $25 (USD), is identical to the Premium Track but provides 20 free tiers and an exclusive premium cosmetic.

Note that all gameplay-affecting rewards, including Smoldering Ashes, will only be in the Free Track and have a secondary level requirement, preventing players from buying power.

Seasonal Battle Pass Guide and Rewards

Post-Campaign Unlocks

After discussing the Battle Pass, the developers revealed more details about what players unlock after beating the campaign at least once on any difficulty. Players gain access to Seasons after completing the main campaign and can choose to skip it on future characters.

In addition, Mounts and all permanent bonuses obtained from Altars of Lilith will carry over to future characters after you beat the campaign once.

Dedication to Quality of Life

The developers also briefly discussed their dedication to the game's quality of life. They mentioned that they review community feedback and carefully make changes accordingly.

While the developers want to be as responsive as possible, they note that larger updates may take the length of a Season to arrive due to their development pipeline.

More Shop and Customization Details

The livestream also showcased more details about the in-game Shop and character customization. The developers stated that Shop will provide players with a diverse range of cosmetics that are still grounded in Diablo 4's world and art style.

In addition, cosmetics from the Shop can be mixed and matched with transmogs and dyes from the base game, giving players plenty of freedom to personalize and customize their characters.

Additional Endgame Features

Toward the end of the livestream, the developers touched on a few additional features and content that players can expect in the endgame. These include the new Legendary Aspects and gameplay features each Season, a "mysterious level 100 boss at the level cap," and the ranked Leaderboards that will arrive sometime after the first two Seasons.

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