Blizzard brought the goods at Gamescom this year. Diablo 4 fans didn’t just get treated to a new trailer for the upcoming Vessel of Hatred expansion, focusing on the Mercenaries, we also got to see more of the new Nahantu region, and learn about much of what we can expect when we get our hands on it.

But the developer had even more surprises for us, and a lot of them affect all players, not just those who intend to buy Vessel of Hatred.

There are two major updates coming to the game with Vessel of Hatred’s release in October. The first is arguably the most impactful, and it’s one many players predicted. The levelling experience in Diablo 4 is changing, with the goal of getting more powers into player hands earlier in the process.

Sadly, Blizzard didn’t share much about this overhaul to the levelling experience, but the developer will reveal more on August 29, likely as part of a developer update livestream. Whether it’s a level cap increase or decrease, Blizzard says its effects are going to be as wide-reaching and impactful as the itemisation overhaul in Season 4: Loot Reborn.

The other major addition all Diablo 4 players will be able to benefit from with the release of Vessel of Hatred is the new Party Finder feature. This is effectively the biggest update to the social side of Diablo 4 since its release, which was really in need of some bolstering.

This LFG feature lets you find parties of other players, or create your own. Its reach extends to the entire game, meaning you can specify the activity you want help with/join. There’s also a range of preferences you can pick from (casual, hardcore, no mic etc.).

Party Finder supports advanced search, too, if you want to really look for something specific. When it arrives, you’ll be able to access it directly from the map, the in-game menu or by simply bringing up the emote wheel.

Vessel of Hatred releases October 8 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The free update adding the features discussed in this article will likely arrive at or around that date.