Historically, one of Diablo's most iconic secrets has been the cow level, but despite Rod Fergusson saying there is no cow level in Diablo 4, some players aren't convinced.
The Diablo series – especially the latest entry Diablo 4 – offers up a grim, dark world full of unimaginable horror, that hasn't stopped Blizzard having some fun with the series. It started with rumours of a cow level in the original Diablo which does not exist (at least as far as we know). Following these rumours Blizzard stuck a cow level into Diablo 2, in which – following a fetch quest – players would be transported to a hidden realm and be assaulted by bipedal cows with polearms, in a quest to take down The Cow King.
Diablo 3 took a different spin on the legendary gag with 'Whimsyshire' which transports players to a super colourful land filled with sunshine and rainbows, where you're tasked with scrapping with magical unicorns. The ghost of The Cow King also shows up by the entrance to this level, so while there isn't a cow level in Diablo 3, it's spirit (literally) lived on.
Is there a secret cow level in Diablo 4?
Officially, Blizzard say there is no cow level in Diablo 4. Blizzard's Rod Fergusson appeared on the Kinda Funny Xcast around the launch of the game and said there was in-fact no cow level in Diablo 4. The Diablo series producer elaborated saying that the series' iconic cow level isn't in the latest entry because of the serious tone found in Diablo 4.
However, that hasn't stopped the Diablo community from trying to find it anyway. A group of players aren't taking Fergusson's word for it and are frantically searching for even the slightest hint of cow in the Diablo 4 world. PC Gamer has been keeping up to date with all of the latest info from the D4 - Not Finding A Cow Level Discord server.
The latest theory relates to the Ked Bardu fountain, which has statues of four oxen (which are cow-like enough we suppose) which request cleansing offerings to The Oxen Gods. Players have been datamining the game in search of any hint of what this might entail and have found reference to three relics: the Musty Tome , the Bloody Wooden Shard and the Metallic Fragment. With the former two items resembling the two items needed to access Diablo 2's cow level: the Tome of Town Portal and Wirt's Leg.
Nothing had been found yet, with players speculating these items may be doled out in the future (perhaps as a part of a world event down the line). Either way, Diablo 4 players aren't likely to stop until a heifer realm is found, so if Fergusson wasn't lying and there truly is no cow level, they'll be searching for a long time.