How to start Season of the Malignant in Diablo 4

Season one of Diablo 4 is here, and players are wasting no time diving in, though it is now explicitly clear how to access Season of the Malignant content.

The concept of two realms within Diablo 4, the Eternal Realm and the Seasonal Realm, may be confusing for players new to the franchise, and it’s vital that you select the right options.

Thankfully, accessing the new content in the Season of the Malignant in Diablo 4 is not complicated and is available immediately—as long as two crucial requirements have been met.

How to start Season of the Malignant in Diablo 4

The first step to starting the Season of the Malignant in Diablo 4 is to create a new character and join the Seasonal Realm.

Characters on the Eternal Realm cannot access specific seasonal content, which is tied to the Seasonal Realm, nor can they be transferred to the new realm.

Players must have completed the campaign to access the Season of the Malignant content. Once in the Seasonal Realm, travel to the main town of Kyovashad. Near the spawn point, you can find a new character named Cormand—a priest once associated with the Cathedral of Light.

Related: All Malignant Hearts in Diablo 4

Speak to Cormand to begin the first quest in the Season of the Malignant, which will begin the questline that will teach you about Malignant enemies, Malignant Hearts, and the new content in season one.

However, you do not need to complete the questline to access the new features in the Season of the Malignant, as Malignant enemies can still spawn on the map regardless of your progress.

You also have immediate access to Malignant Tunnels, a new type of Dungeon, and the Seasonal Objectives, which provide additional rewards and help to progress through the Battle Pass.

We do advise completing the new questline at some point, as it introduces the new mechanics for the season, including how to craft Malignant Invokers.