Category: Video Games

IGN had the chance to speak to Diablo 4 production director Tiffany Wat and associate game director Joe Piepiora at BlizzCon 2023, and they dropped a pretty big hint about the highly sought-after but yet-to-be-confirmed Cow Level.

Since the beginning of Season 2 of Diablo 4, players have taken a major step toward solving the Cow Level mystery that has caused players to search endlessly for the urban legend-turned-meme-turned-Diablo level in this latest game.

As it turns out, players can earn three “Items of Great Significance,” one at a time, if they kill 666 cows. Players can only earn one of these relics per week, but it appears all three can be used to craft a key to access the Forlorn Hovel, which is a location that many believe is where the elusive portal to Diablo 4’s Cow Level is hiding.

We asked Wat and Piepiora about this new development in the community, and they had a bit of bovine fun before dropping a tantalizing hint for fans.

“Did you say Cow Level?” Piepiora joked after we asked about the Cow Level.

“Yeah, Cow Level,” IGN’s Matt Kim responded.

“Sounds udderly ridiculous,” Wat said. “I mean, I think I have heard that a lot of players have been out there slaying cows.”

“Just poor innocent cows in the countryside of Diablo?” Piepiora asked with a smile.

“Poor, innocent cows in Sanctuary,” Wat said. “I mean, Sanctuary is not a good place to be, even as a cow. I will say, however, if people have picked up any items from their cow campaign… cow slay-age campaign… they should hang on to them.”

“I don’t know what she’s talking about,” Piepiora said in response.

While we may have to wait to fully solve this Cow Level mystery, Blizzard did reveal Diablo 4’s first expansion will be called Vessel of Hatred and that it will arrive in late 2024. We didn’t learn too much about the expansion yet, but it will take place in a region called Nahantu and will concern the fate of Mephisto and his plans for Sanctuary. Furthermore, it will include a brand-new, never-before-seen Diablo class.

For more, check out everything announced so far from BlizzCon 2023.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Level Infinite’s Goddess of Victory: Nikke celebrated its first birthday with a livestream on October 27. The stream revealed big celebration plans for this free-to-play shooter’s incredibly successful first year. There’s an all-new storyline, new characters, and can look forward to some top-tier fanservice. If you’re already a Nikke player, you’ve hit the jackpot. And if you’re a newcomer, there’s never been a better time to join the ranks.

Nikke drew in 25 million downloads in its first year alone thanks in part to its beautiful art, animations, and collaborations with popular properties like Chainsaw Man and Nier: Automata. Its development team also built up confidence over the past year by paying close attention to fan feedback from around the world when it’s optimizing the game or designing new content. Nikke was voted Best App at the Famitsu Dengeki Game Awards 2022 in Japan, and it’s on track to keep getting better.

Nikke players love their fanservice, so it goes without saying that its anniversary celebration had plenty to offer. A new major story event called “Red Ash” was one hinted reveal, an expansion with fully voiced story content and animated cutscenes seeded throughout.

We met new characters as well: Red Hood and Snow White: Innocent Days. Red Hood is a bit rough around the edges due to her tough upbringing, but she learned the benefits of friendship and loyalty when she joined the Goddess Squad. Fierce, brave, and wild, Red Hood will fight to the bitter end, no matter the personal cost. Red Hood’s story is reflected through the 1st Anniversary Story Event OST, also named “THE RED HOOD”, performed by Djerv (the band behind “Get Jinxed,” the theme song for League of Legends’ unhinged character, Jinx). No matter how deeply Red Hood’s past scarred her, she always finds the strength to stand back up and fight.

Of course, Nikke’s first anniversary meant exclusive gifts for players. Each player got 127 recruitment opportunities, and the aforementioned SSR character, Snow White: Innocent Days, character through a free giveaway.

Other upcoming in-game events include: The Miracle Snow, Nikke’s holiday expansion returning for 2023, this time with full animations and voices. For players who suffered from the upgrade materials, they can expect the Simulation Room 2.0 upgrade in the near future This ongoing development will let players get upgrade materials more quickly, a feature fans have been clamoring for.

For those who enjoyed the previous partnerships such as Nikke teaming up with Chainsaw Man, or NieR: Automata, should look forward to future collaborations in the year to come. The team has strived to provide meaningful collabs to its players which they hope to similarly meet the mark in year two!

With all these events and collaborations in the works, Nikke is only getting bigger and deeper. There’s no time like the present to see what Nikke fans have fallen in love with: the designs and assets of their favorite characters, the immersive, story-driven world, the appealing character animation, and the strategy that comes with managing a team where every character brings unique skills to the table.

Additionally, Nikke allows players to customize their own experience in-game, tailoring your team to a preferred playstyle, like building up a strong team to take down Nikke’s missions and huge bosses or building an aesthetically-pleasing team that’s just nice to look at. Or you can make a team that’s strong and sexy. With Goddess of Victory: Nikke, it’s possible.

To download the PC version and learn more about GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE, check out https://nikke-en.com!

For the mobile game, find the game on the iOS App Store and Google Play Store!