PETA Wants Nintendo to Change the Mario Kart World Cow

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In simpler terms, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is urging Nintendo to modify the Cow character in Mario Kart World by removing its nose ring. They believe that the current design is offensive as it seems to endorse animal cruelty and conflicts with the playful and enchanting image of the Mario Kart World characters.

For nearly a decade, an American animal rights organization known as PETA has repeatedly criticized Nintendo on multiple occasions. During the time of the Nintendo Switch, this was done several times, with the most recent instance being a protest against Blathers’ museum in the game ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’.

Mario Kart World’s Cow Design Promotes Animal Cruelty, PETA Says

Building on this pattern, the organization has now set its sights on the highly praised “Mario Kart World”, Nintendo’s exclusive game for the Switch 2. In a letter directed towards Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, PETA advocated for a redesign of the game’s Cow character by removing its nose ring. They argued that this accessory symbolizes animal cruelty. “This adorable Moo Moo character’s goofy grin has captured the hearts of gamers worldwide, but in reality, animals who are subjected to having their noses pulled and tormented have no reason to smile,” PETA’s SVP Joel Bartlett said in a prepared statement.

As a passionate gamer, I strongly believe that incorporating details like a beloved cow character in a family-friendly game can potentially tarnish our empathy towards cows and promote the glamorization of animal cruelty. After all, Cow quickly became a fan favorite in the Mario Kart World. Following this, I penned an open letter to Furukawa, and PETA even mobilized its youth division, Peta2, to rally supporters and urge Nintendo to rethink the design of the Cow character.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but be captivated by Moo Moo’s endearing, quirky grin that has won over gamers globally. However, it’s important to remember that the real-life counterparts of this character, who are often pulled around roughly by their noses, may not share our joy and appreciation for their portrayal in the game world.

The open letter presents vivid portrayals of how industrial farming employs nose rings, detailing inhumane acts like pulling animals towards slaughter and separating mother cows from their calves by deliberately making nursing uncomfortable. Typically crafted from brass, these rings are forced through a cow or bull’s nasal cavity, leading to continuous pain and discomfort, according to the same report. PETA contends that a slight modification of the Cow character in the Mario Kart World, as proposed by them, would enable Nintendo to make a constructive change with minimal effort. Additionally, removing the nose ring would also be consistent with the character’s generally kid-friendly appearance.

All the Times PETA Campaigned Against Nintendo Games

  • November 2008: published parody game Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals, calling for a vegetarian-only version of Cooking Mama
  • November 2011: published parody game Mario Kills Tanooki, denouncing Mario wearing fur in Super Mario 3D Land
  • October 2012: published parody game Pokemon: Black and Blue, portraying Pokemon battles as abuse following the release of Pokemon Black and White 2
  • October 2013: published follow-up parody game Pokemon: Red, White, and Blue aimed at McDonald’s Pokemon Happy Meal toys
  • July 2016: protested the launch of Pokemon GO by declaring PETA’s LA office a Pokemon “safe zone” and comparing catching Pokemon to real-world captivity
  • March 2017: sent an open letter to Nintendo asking for the 1-2-Switch milking mini-game to depict the “realities” of dairy farming because it is “too pleasant”
  • June 2019: ran the “I’m not your Wooloo sweater” campaign promoting anti-shearing messaging ahead of Pokemon Sword and Shield’s launch
  • March 2020: published a “vegan guide” for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, telling players not to fish, catch bugs, or build the museum
  • August 2025: asked Nintendo to remove the brass nose ring from Mario Kart World’s Cow character, arguing it promotes animal cruelty

Nintendo has yet to address PETA’s open letter regarding any issue, and given their past behavior, it seems unlikely that they will respond. It appears that PETA sent the open letter not to force Nintendo to redesign one of its characters, but rather to use the high-profile game “Mario Kart World,” with its wide global recognition, as a platform for educating people about industrial farming practices.

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2025-08-14 22:37