The latest patch 2.4 update is the first for Diablo II: Resurrected after its last update 11 years ago.
Diablo II: Resurrected has been one of the games of the year ever since Blizzard decided to remaster one of its most popular titles to date. With the remaster also featuring the Lord of Destruction expansion, Blizzard thought it'd be a great time to roll out its first-ever patch update in 11 years. The last time Diablo II received an update was with patch 1.13c and in 2022, Diablo II: Resurrected will get its own with class balance improvements, item changes, and more. It will also be launching right before its first Ladder season.
Patch 2.4 also brings about new Horadric Cube Recipes alongside Set Item changes and new Rune Words, all the while bringing improvements to mercenary companions. The new Horadric Cube Recipes will allow you to upgrade Set Items, giving you even more item build options and possibilities. The item changes that will be introduced into patch 2.4 will update underperforming sets, giving players more incentive to pursue partial and full set items. As for the new Rune Words, it will be added to complement the changes coming to class skills and mercenaries. This will allow you to get creative with new builds or even recruit mercenaries you never thought of using before.
Blizzard will also be adding a competitive element to Diablo II: Resurrected via its first-ever Ladder season, which is slated to drop around the same time as patch 2.4. The Ladder season will grant players the opportunity to compete with one another for a top spot on the leaderboards. There will also be four different levels to the Ladder Rank system, giving you the opportunity to put your skills to the limit. This also gives players the chance to unlock a host of unique Rune Words only available in Ladder. At the end of the season, Ladder characters will be moved into a "non-Ladder" version of the game to continue playing until the next season begins with brand new rewards.
Patch 2.4 is slated to drop sometime in early 2022 on the Public Test Realm (PTR).