of the Diablo series, World of Warcraft introduced its version of the cow level in January 2017, which required players to slay a Treasure Goblin in order to spawn a portal that grants access to the level. Hearthstone Tavern Brawl mode also featured a bonus unlockable encounter with the Cow King via a Secret Level card in commemoration of the anniversary. For 2021's Diablo II: Resurrected, the portal to the cow level can reopen and the level itself is infinitely replayable even after the Cow King is slain unlike in the original Diablo II. Impact and legacy The cow level is cited as an influential factor for the Diablo series, with multiple sources drawing attention to its notoriety and origins as one of the most notable hoaxes or in-jokes in video game history. References to the cow level or its associated elements have appeared in every Blizzard game since the late 1990s. Developers involved with the Diablo series would maintain, in a mock serious manner, that there is no cow level when directly questioned about the subject. Will Fulton compared the prevalence of “There is no cow level” within the video game community to “the cake is a lie”. Gamingbolt described the notoriety surrounding the cow level to be "so big and self sustaining that it became a self realizing meme". The cow level continues to receive positive reception from critics and the video game community, and appears in multiple "top" lists of easter eggs, bonus levels or side quests by publications such as Complex, IGN, and GamesRadar+. In a discussion about the phenomenon of gigantism in Holstein Friesian cattle, James Gorman from The New York Times drew an analogy to the secret cow level, which he considered to be highly memorable due to the "weird and disturbing" nature of the player character being surrounded by giant bipedal Friesian cattle. Vice considered the cow level to be one of Blizzard's most outstanding moments throughout its game development history. The cow level has been subject to Easter egg references or imitations in other games. The PC port of Final Fantasy VII includes a reference which can be encountered by the player if the correct decision is picked during an in-game sequence. The level is referenced in the 2016 video game Watch Dogs 2 by a character to describe the difficulty level and stakes of an infiltration attempt. The cow level has