PETA Urges Nintendo to Remove Cow’s Nose Ring in Mario Kart World

Credit: Nintendo/PETA

Nintendo’s newest racer in Mario Kart World — a smiling cow — has become a surprising point of debate after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called on the company to change her design.

The character, a first for the series, has been warmly received by players. But PETA says the brass ring in her nose “glosses over real-world violence and cruelty to animals” and is urging Nintendo to remove it.

In a letter to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, PETA asked the company to “show empathy towards bovines and remove the nose ring,” describing it as a “small but meaningful upgrade” that would let the cow “race freely — without any painful reminders of the industries that treat animals like profit-making machines.”

As per PETA’s statement, nose rings are commonly used in the meat and dairy industries to control cattle, often causing significant pain. The group claims these rings can be used to drag animals or, in some cases, prevent calves from nursing by fitting them with spiked versions — leading to distress for both the calf and its mother.

PETA Senior Vice President Joel Bartlett said, “This marvelous Moo Moo’s goofy grin has charmed gamers around the world, but her real-life counterparts who are tormented and violently yanked around by their noses have nothing to smile about.”

The letter also ends with a tongue-in-cheek line referencing another gaming mascot: “Every animal is someone. So leave the rings to Sonic and let Cow breathe free!”

This isn’t the first time Nintendo has been on PETA’s radar. In 2021, the group suggested adding its “Not a Nugget” chicken mascot to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as downloadable content. The year before, it released a vegan gameplay guide for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, discouraging fishing in the game because it “harms animals and the planet.” Other studios have also faced PETA campaigns — such as Sony Santa Monica, which was asked in 2022 to offer a version of God of War Ragnarok without animal violence.

Nintendo has yet to respond to PETA’s latest request, meaning — for now — the cow’s nose ring remains in Mario Kart World on the Switch 2.