The Paladin hype in the Diablo 4 community has been building for weeks, but the last 48 hours pushed things into a completely different zone. What used to be a fun “what if” theory now feels way too supported to ignore. Between datamined dates, hidden icons, and even a new Paladin class page, the signs are stacking up fast.
Here is a quick look at why players are now convinced the Paladin reveal is happening at The Game Awards.
Strange Class Icons and Datamined Clues Keep Stacking Up
This all started with the second Barbarian-looking icon that appeared in the files, but players assumed it was a visual bug. Since then, dataminers resurfaced older info pointing at December 12 as an expansion reveal date, which lines up perfectly with The Game Awards timing.
During the Season 11 developer stream, players also noticed that the seasonal pet reward shows support for seven classes, even though the game only has six right now.
Add that to the fact that internal builds were labeled with things like 2.5.Xpaladin, and the picture is getting clearer.
Everything Points Toward a Holy Class
Most players already agree on the obvious theme. Season 11 is called Divine Intervention. A flail cosmetic was mysteriously added. The community has been joking for months about “Crusader when” and “Zakarum copium.”
At this point, the Paladin (or a Crusader-style class) makes the most sense.
In fact, there are already other big, known Blizzard fansites with a fully published Paladin Class Overview page. It is unconfirmed, but the timing is a bit on the nose, and many players are treating it as a serious signal that Blizzard is warming up the audience.
Pre-Order Bonus Theory Is Taking Over
The most popular guess right now is that the Paladin becomes playable early if you preorder the next expansion. This theory comes from:
- Older datamines
- Details on Chinese forums
- How Spiritborn was handled with no PTR
- The Season 11 delay until after The Game Awards
Players think Blizzard might let you unlock the Paladin during Season 11 as a bonus for preordering Expansion 2.
If true, it would be one of the biggest Diablo 4 reveals so far.
Season 11 Delay Makes This Even More Suspicious
Blizzard rarely delays a season for anything. Moreover, the release time itself does not align with a big portion of the playerbase, which makes this even more suspicious. Season 11 launching after The Game Awards feels intentional, and the community absolutely noticed.
The timing lines up perfectly with:
- A possible Expansion 2 announcement
- A class reveal
- A preorder drop
- A surprise “play it today” moment
Even players who are usually skeptical admit that it is strange to push a season back for this show unless Blizzard planned something big.
A New Paladin Guide Page Going Live Was the Final Trigger
This threw fuel on the fire.
Players are asking why one of the biggest Blizzard fan sites would publish a class overview for something that does not officially exist yet.
Accidental timing?
A scheduled article that fired early?
Or a quiet hint to get players ready?
Whatever the reason, it convinced a lot of people that the reveal is locked in.
So, Is the Paladin Really Coming at The Game Awards?
Nothing is confirmed, but right now the evidence is stronger than ever. If Blizzard really drops the Paladin as part of the Season 11 preorder bonus, it will be one of the biggest surprise reveals of the year.
If they do not, the community is definitely going to explode with memes, disappointment, and possibly a full day of “I cannot believe we fell for this.”
On top of that, the next big Path of Exile 2 patch is right around the corner, too. If Blizzard has nothing significant up their sleeve, chances are that a huge part of the community will simply try the Druid class on PoE2 instead. At least that is something new.
Either way, this reveal window is looking more and more likely. We will see tomorrow.
For more Diablo 4 coverage, you can check our Season 11 hub and all other guides here.
