The latest print issue of PC Gamer, now available, features Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred as its cover story. This issue dives deep into Blizzard’s second major expansion, alongside a lineup packed with titles like Directive 8020, Control Resonant, Crimson Desert, and a hands-on preview of DLSS 5.
This issue hits newsstands at a tense time for the Diablo 4 community. The base game launched in June 2023 with a Metacritic score of 90. However, its Steam rating has dipped to a mixed 67% positive based on 22,528 reviews. This decline reflects ongoing player dissatisfaction with Blizzard’s monetization strategies and expansion pricing.
Right now, the pricing model for Lord of Hatred has become a major issue. Players who bought both Diablo 4 and the Vessel of Hatred expansion are finding themselves paying more for Lord of Hatred than new players who can purchase a complete bundle for about $100. This difference has led to a surge of negative Steam reviews in recent weeks, pushing community sentiment firmly into the negative.
Currently, Steam concurrency shows 5,109 players, which is quite modest for a title like Diablo 4 and its $49.99 price tag. Whether Lord of Hatred can change this trend will depend on how Blizzard handles the loyalty pricing issue. The PC Gamer cover feature might explore this topic in-depth.
In addition to the cover story, this issue tackles a variety of upcoming and existing titles. Star Wars: Galactic Racer, Masters of Albion, and the previously mentioned Control Resonant all get their share of attention. Plus, there’s a section testing compact keyboards, a category that’s surged in popularity among desktop PC users over the last two years.
| Metacritic Score (Base Game) | 90 |
| Steam Review Score | 67% positive |
| Total Steam Reviews | 22,528 |
| Current Steam Players | 5,109 |
| Current Steam Price | $49.99 |
The community’s frustration over the expansion’s pricing is clear and persistent. One Steam reviewer shared: “The price for Lord of Hatred for people who have Diablo + Vessel expansion is insane vs the collection which comes with everything. New players get everything for like $100 while players from the beginning…” This sentiment shows up frequently in recent reviews, highlighting a loyalty penalty that Blizzard has yet to acknowledge publicly.
What To Watch
- Blizzard’s pricing response: If the developer modifies Lord of Hatred’s pricing or offers a loyalty discount for existing expansion owners, it could directly affect Steam review trends and player retention.
- PC Gamer’s review verdict: The magazine’s complete evaluation of Lord of Hatred’s content value may influence how the mainstream views the expansion’s cost. Keep an eye out for the score and how it balances content with pricing.
- Concurrent player trends: With Steam concurrency hovering just above 5,000, watch to see if Lord of Hatred generates a significant spike or if pricing issues stifle the usual expansion boost.
Sarah Chen
Sarah Chen is the Reviews and Guides Editor at Explosion.com. With a background in game design studies and 6 years of gaming journalism, Sarah brings technical insight to her reviews and creates comprehensive guides that help players get the most out of their games. She has reviewed over 200 titles across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo platforms. Her current obsessions include FromSoftware titles and indie roguelikes.
