Xbox delivered a packed and impressive showcase over the weekend as its contribution to Summer Game Fest, despite the publisher being previously surrounded by lay-off controversy. Nestled among the Gears of War: E-Day and Doom: The Dark Ages reveals, Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred, the first expansion for Blizzard’s 2023 dungeon crawler, was announced, and it may have been the best trailer of the festival.

Vessel of Hatred will follow Neyrelle into the Nahantu jungles, where a battle for her soul will commence against the imprisoned Prime Evil Mephisto. The game’s first expansion is now available for pre-purchase, which will bag players a litany of perks, including the Wings of Faith cosmetic, armor sets, and the Alkor the Snow Leopard Pet.

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Diablo 4: Vessel Of Hatred Trailer Praised For Its Intense Cinematics

The Vessel of Hatred trailer boasted pin-sharp graphics to contest the realistic visuals in this year’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2. Body horror imagery from Clive Barker’s Hellraiser series also came to mind when protagonist Neyrelle was bewitched by Mephisto, which resulted in one, jaw-dropping spectacle.

Diablo fans wasted no time in sharing their awe on social media, keen to give credit to the devs for making a trailer that actually scared many viewers. More praise flooded in for the “unbelievable” cinematic team and fans couldn’t get their heads around the production quality.

The demonic intensity was also touched upon by onlookers, with several users confessing they “had to go to church” after watching. Others claimed they “almost got possessed” while viewing the teaser, referring to Mephisto’s hold over Neyrelle.

Fans Want To See A Full Horror Movie From Blizzard

The accolades didn’t stop there, however, as several viewers felt like they were watching a trailer for a horror movie. The graphics quality and the cinematic narrative direction quickly convinced fans that Blizzard’s trailer team should be in charge of bringing a full-length horror movie or project to fruition.

One comment expressed “We need a show with this CG quality” and another wasted no time in being blunt, saying “Just make a f****** movie already, Blizz.” The community certainly loved rolling in the “dark and gore” of the nearly four-minute presentation despite some viewers reporting “All the crosses in my house flipped upside down after watching this video…”

You can pre-purchase Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred now and the expansion will be available to play on October 8, 2024.

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