Blizzard Entertainment is reigniting the competitive fire within its ARPG community by offering 300 Diablo 2: Resurrected players a permanent spot in the company’s history. To celebrate the surprise launch of the Reign of the Warlock DLC and the start of Ladder Season 13, the developer has announced a race to level 99. The first 300 players to reach the level cap on Hardcore mode using the new Warlock class will have their usernames engraved on a physical statue located at Blizzard’s Irvine campus.
This challenge coincides with a landmark moment for the franchise, as the Reign of the Warlock expansion represents the first significant content injection for Diablo 2 in nearly a quarter of a century. The competition officially began when Season 13 went live on February 20 at 5 PM PST. Unlike timed events, this race will remain active until all 300 slots are claimed by verified Hardcore Warlocks, making it a grueling test of endurance, skill, and careful play where a single death results in permanent character loss.
The sudden arrival of the Warlock class serves as a strategic precursor to Blizzard’s broader plans for the franchise. While Diablo 2: Resurrected is the first to receive the class, the Warlock is also slated to appear at the launch of the upcoming Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred expansion. Furthermore, the class is scheduled to join the mobile-centric Diablo Immortal in the summer of 2026. By introducing the class in the classic environment first, Blizzard is giving veteran players a head start on mastering its mechanics.
For the Diablo community, this “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity mirrors previous physical rewards, such as the Diablo 4 Lilith statue challenge. However, achieving this feat in Diablo 2 carries a different weight due to the game’s notoriously slow experience curve at higher levels. Those looking to secure their name on the Irvine campus must now balance the need for speed with the absolute necessity of survival in Sanctuary’s most unforgiving mode.
