Diablo 3 Season 26 start date set for next week

The next season of Diablo 3 introduces the new Echoing Nightmare activity, and an accompanying update will balance some gear and fix a few bugs

A warrior stands near a portal to the Echoing Nightmare in Diablo 3.

A new season of the enduring action RPG game Diablo 3 will be getting underway this month. Season 26 begins April 15 at 5pm local time across all time zones, and it’ll be the first season to add a brand new activity (more on that below). Before that, however, you can expect an update patch to arrive April 12, which includes updates to greater rifts, some item balances, and a few bug fixes.

Season 26 introduces the Echoing Nightmare. This new activity challenges players to seek out the cries of fallen Nephalem and to try to succeed where they failed. The Diablo team says this means “an intense, densely packed, increasingly challenging event” that will test players’ ability to remain in the fight.

During Season 26, you’ll be able to earn rewards that previously had only been available during Season 14, which includes the boots and pants components of the Conqueror Set. There’s also a series of themed portrait frames and an archangel-themed pennant available. There are new rewards, too: the Rakkis’ Remembrance portrait frame and a pet called the Toothsome Trooper, which carries a large lollipop in its loathsome little hands.

If you have yet to max out your stash tabs through the Season Journey, you can add one this season by completing the following tasks at Conqueror:

  • Complete a level 70 Torment XIII Rift in under 5 minutes
  • Complete Greater Rift 60 solo
  • Kill Greed on Torment XIII
  • Kill the Butcher at level 70 in Torment XIII in under 30 seconds
  • Reforge a Legendary or Set item
  • Augment an Ancient item with a Level 50 or greater Legendary Gem
  • Level three Legendary Gems to 55
  • Complete two Conquests

You can also earn a new class set in the Season Journey by finishing specific chapters, thanks to Haedrig’s Gift. The chapters vary depending on your character class, and here’s the complete list:

  • Barbarian – The Legacy of Raekor
  • Crusader – Armor of Akkhan
  • Demon Hunter – Embodiment of the Marauder
  • Monk – Inna’s Reach
  • Necromancer – Pestilence Master’s Shroud
  • Witch Doctor – Zunimassa’s Haunt
  • Wizard – Delsere’s Magnum Opus

Patch 2.7.3 includes an update to seasons to support the new Echoing Nightmare event. You can enter the event by picking up a petrified scream from a defeated Greater Rift Guardian, and then transmuting it in Kanai’s Cube to summon a portal.

The full patch notes include a list of the changes coming along with the patch, including some late-breaking alterations since the PTR.