Daily Archives: February 19, 2026

Diablo II Resurrected – Reign of the Warlock

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I did not have an update for Diablo II Resurrected on my 2026 bingo card, and certainly not for it to be stuck between the Anniversary Classic Burning Crusade and WoW Midnight expansion launches.  Has Blizzard given up on spacing out launches?  Or do they just have so much to launch this year that they are just packing it all in together?

Anyway, we have, available now, Diablo II Resurrected – Reign of the Warlock, a DLC pack for Diablo II Resurrected that includes a pile of updates.

Diablo II – Reign of the Warlock

Diablo II Resurrected was the late 2021 remaster of the 1996 classic Diablo II, something that even the original creators of the game said couldn’t be done… because they had lost the source code or some other tale.

It was an example of how a remaster ought to be done.  It felt so close to the original that you might swear that nothing had really changed until you swapped to original graphics mode… because of course that was an option and indicative of the level of effort that went into doing this remaster… and could see for yourself how much had been done.

Doing that big of a graphical update and somehow maintaining the feel of the original was amazing.  It sold well back in 2021, which was closing in on the 25th anniversary of the original game launch.

Now we’re heading towards the 30th anniversary of Diablo II and Blizzard has something new to revive interest in the game once more.

The main feature is a new class, the warlock, described as follows:

The Warlock arrives in Diablo II: Resurrected, a master of shadow who turns the power of the Burning Hells against itself. Command forbidden power through three unique paths: Demon focuses on enslaving hellspawn and binding them into loyal, fearsome allies that fight at your command. Eldritch channels searing mental magics into ordinary weapons, transforming them into conduits of devastating force. Chaos unleashes the raw elements of Hell, fire and shadow allowing you to rain elemental destruction upon your enemies from afar.

The warlock class is the theme of 2026 for Diablo it seems, as the class will also be arriving in Diablo IV and Diablo Immortal later this year.

And a new class to play might be enough, but Blizzard has more.

  • New Treasures to Reap
    • Collect more Unique items, sets, and runewords to unlock even more possibilities for crafting powerful builds across every class. Gain rewards as you track your progress with the new Chronicle system, which displays all the items you’ve collected account-wide.
  • Updated Terror Zones
    • Terror Zones now put you in control, letting you decide where to fight and how to progress. Enjoy more challenges, and new mechanics that reward strategy and class mastery.
  • The Ultimate Colossal Challenge Awaits
    • The Ancients return for an epic showdown that only the most seasoned players can hope to survive. Push your builds and party to the limit; prepare wisely or suffer the consequences.
  • Quality of Life Updates
    • Reign of the Warlock introduces powerful quality-of-life updates without compromising Diablo II’s iconic feel. The new customizable Loot Filter reduces screen clutter; helping you identify the gear that matters most to you. Managing resources across characters is also easier than ever with updated Stash Tabs; including dedicated tabs for gems, materials, and runes for quick sorting.
    • Feeling nostalgic? Switch freely between eras and experience Diablo II the way you remember.
  • Includes Cross-Game Rewards
    • Celebrate your journey through Sanctuary and beyond. Instantly unlock Kervek the Putrid Pet and the Forbidden Tethers Back Trophy in Diablo IV, giving your wanderer a touch of forbidden flair. You’ll also receive the Horadric Cube Housing Item in World of Warcraft, a timeless artifact to display proudly at your home in Azeroth.

All of that is fairly tempting.  But is it $25 worth of temptation? Or $40 to buy both the base game and the DLC?

For $40 you get the base game and the DLC

And do I have time to go down another nostalgia rabbit hole?

Probably not.  But it does look really good in the gameplay trailer Blizzard dropped and it was and remains a solid game.

If nothing else, being able to add a new class and updates to a nearly 30 year old game means… Classic Plus confirmed, right?

I can picture the Reddit threads even now.

Also, did they make classic graphics versions of the warlock and all his spells to retcon him into the 1996 version of the game?  I guess I won’t know unless I buy it.

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