When the eighth season of Diablo 4 debuts on April 29, players can expect a revamped battle pass. Instead of a linear track, it will be organized into distinct categories known as Reliquaries, allowing players to pursue specific types of cosmetic enhancements for their characters. This adjustment aims to align the battle pass with the way players engage with Diablo 4, similar to other successful live service games that offer enhanced choice.
In a recent interview with Polygon, Dan Tanguay, senior manager of game design, highlighted three main issues with the previous battle pass: the rewards often felt insignificant, they were too closely linked to specific seasons, and players had a “lack of agency” in choosing rewards.
I can personally attest to these shortcomings. I would jump into a new Diablo 4 season, briefly check the battle pass, and then forget about it until I saw a notification indicating something new had been unlocked. Frequently, these new rewards were for classes I wasn’t even playing at the time, decreasing my interest further.
Blizzard aims to change this experience with the introduction of Reliquaries, a redesigned battle pass system that emphasizes player choice. While there is still a cost associated with three of the four categories—similar to mini premium battle passes—players can focus on the rewards that matter to them. For instance, if you want a glowing tiger from the Beasts Reliquary, you can bypass the fancy sword from the Weapons Reliquary. Moreover, players who don’t create new characters every season will also have access to this system via the game’s Eternal Realm.
Tanguay noted that the previous battle pass felt out of place in an action RPG where decision-making is key. “You’re making choices about your build and your appearance, yet we had a battle pass that was very linear and deterministic,” he explained. “This left players with limited options.”
Each Reliquary reward will require Favor, a new in-game currency earned by defeating monsters. Players can use this currency to claim cosmetics from the free Reliquary throughout the season. Additionally, Event Reliquaries—like the one launching with the upcoming Berserk collaboration in May—will be available for a limited time and will need a unique currency. Tanguay mentioned that the team is still discussing whether returning events will have their own dedicated Reliquaries.
The introduction of the Reliquary system is part of Blizzard’s ongoing efforts to refine aspects of Diablo 4 that may have lagged behind. Tanguay explained that by decoupling battle passes from seasons, they can enhance the Season Journey—a free series of challenges like slaying bosses and completing dungeons that award loot and cosmetics. The team aims to encourage players to engage in more ambitious endeavors to finish later chapters; one example for season 8 requires players to defeat an endgame boss using a specific seasonal power, promising an engaging challenge when the new season arrives.
