Diablo 4's demon-summoning Warlock is the Witch Doctor alternative I've been hoping for, and we're getting it in D2 Resurrected as well

The end is nigh. Sanctuary lies on a knife’s edge: a single tilt is the one thing keeping the tides from turning. Mephisto has possessed the heavenly Akarat, using his new form to spread corruption across the land. In Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred, you’ll team up with Lilith – the Daughter of Hatred herself – to put an end to the bloodied wolf once and for all. We’ve already added the mighty Paladin to the roster, but Blizzard teased that another champion would join the ranks of Diablo 4 classes. I was silently crossing my fingers for the return of the Witch Doctor, but the new ‘heavy metal’ Warlock feels like a pretty good alternative.

“Defined by its metal chains, flames, and destructive power that turn the wrath of Hell against itself, the Warlock is Diablo 4’s most ‘heavy metal’ class to date,” Blizzard’s official press release reads. We don’t know much more than that, but the class is also being added to both Diablo 2 Resurrected and Immortal, so we can maybe glean something there. In D2R, the Warlock is described as a “demon-summoner,” while Immortal’s version “summons demonic weapons” and “commands demons.” It certainly feels like a slightly more devilish take on the summoner archetype when compared to the Necromancer’s skeletal dark magic and Witch Doctor’s nature-focused approach, but either way, I’m okay with it.

We’ll find out more about Diablo 4’s Warlock during the developer update on Thursday March 5 at 2pm PST / 5pm EST / 10pm GMT / 11pm CEST. In the meantime, however, there’s a whole slew of exciting announcements.

Let’s start with Diablo 4. In addition to the Warlock, there’s the brand new War Plans system, which allows you to effectively ‘favorite’ five of the seven different endgame activities. As you complete your list, you’ll unlock a unique skill tree that allows you to customize how each event plays out. You can adjust rewards, and even add parts of other content into different modes. The general skill tree is also getting a much-needed expansion, and a full overhaul to boot. There are over 40 changes, and 20 brand new skill options, really allowing you to craft your perfect build.

In yet another blast from the past, The Talisman reintroduces Charms to the game. Once upon a time these simply sat in your inventory and provided boosts, but they’re pretty bulky and I found myself getting annoyed by how much space they took up. In Diablo 4, they’re contained within The Talisman itself, and if you can collect the full set you’ll get improved bonuses. The iconic Horadric Cube is also making a reappearance, allowing you to forge new, infinitely powerful items.

Finally, there’s the new Echoes of Hatred event, where players are pitted against waves of randomized enemies and tasked with surviving for as long as possible, as well as the much-requested addition of a loot filter, and the new fishing system. I expect I’ll be whiling away the hours with the latter, but all of these revamps feel like steps in the right direction, especially where the skill trees are concerned.

Now onto Diablo 2 Resurrected. The headliner is, again, the Warlock class (the first new character in over 25 years), but we’ve got a bit more information here. As aforementioned, you’ll be summoning demons, specifically Goatmen, Tainted, and The Defiler, presumably of The Festering Nest. You’ll be able to bind yourself to a one of your specific demon to make use of its particular abilities, and once you’re done with them, suck out their lifeforce for unique buffs that are specialized to each entity you consume. That, to me, sounds like far too much fun.

The update (aptly dubbed ‘Reign of the Warlock’) is also accompanied by – take a deep breath – a loot filter, as well as more advanced stash tabs. We can finally stack items, and there are now dedicated sections for materials, gems, and runes.

Terror Zones are also getting a slate of new features, offering better rewards while upping the difficulty. On Hell mode and above, players will now encounter the vicious Heralds of Terror, who will stalk your heroes relentlessly. If you defeat them, they’ll come back stronger, and stronger, testing your mettle over, and over, and over again.

And the best part of all of this is that Diablo 2: Resurrected – Reign of the Warlock is live right now. The game is also purchasable on Steam, with the Infernal Edition granting you access to the new Warlock class (the Warlock isn’t available to Game Pass subscribers). As someone who’s constantly looking for a reason to return to Diablo 2, this feels like the perfect time. It’s nice to see the game get some love (Diablo 4 will always be the focus, of course), and a new class really is the spark it needs.

Finally, there are a slew of additions to Diablo Immortal, including, you guessed it, the Warlock class. While Immortal’s iteration also has a focus on summoning demons, your creature of choice is the Soulgorger, which gains power by chowing down on other foes. Wielding a demon skull and a sacrificial knife, the Warlock can open portals, sling spells, and take names.

Perhaps the most exciting thing, however, is the return of Lut Gholein, the desert region that serves as the second zone in Diablo 2 and the host city of Baal, who’s hidden away in Tal Rasha’s tomb. Home to the Vizjerei, a magical clan synonymous with summoning demons, it makes perfect sense to celebrate the Warlock’s release with the return of this iconic location, and hopefully we’ll dig a little deeper into its secrets as part of the class’ story quest.

But corruption bleeds into the sandstone city streets, as Andariel, the Lesser Evil and Maiden of Anguish, brings new torments to Sanctuary with various new activities. She’s my personal favorite of the Lesser Evils, and after her all-too-brief stint in Diablo 4, I’m glad we’ll get to face off with her again.

The Diablo Immortal Warlock arrives in Summer 2026, with its exact release date still unknown.

There’s a lot of information there, so here’s a quick recap. The Warlock class is coming to every single Diablo game, with Diablo 2: Resurrected’s Reign of the Warlock update available right now, while Diablo Immortal’s Warlock update arrives this summer.

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred arrives on Tuesday April 28, 2026, and the Warlock class drops alongside it. We’ll learn more about it on March 5.

I’ve been gearing up for Lord of Hatred’s launch, grinding out my Helltides on the hour and honing my Spiritborn to be the greatest warrior out there. I’m excited to see how the update changes the game; I’d argue Diablo 4 needs a bit of a revamp, and I hope this breathes some new life (or death) into it as a result. In the meantime, however, you’ll find me trying to summon Lilith. It’s a Warlock thing, you wouldn’t get it.