Latest news with #CowCharacter
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
PETA Urges Nintendo to Remove ‘Mario Kart World' Cow's Nose Ring: ‘It's-a Mean!'
Animal-rights advocacy group PETA wants Nintendo to remove the brass nose ring from Cow, the joyful anthropomorphic vehicle-driving character in the recently released top-selling game 'Mario Kart World.' Yes, really. PETA this week launched a campaign to urge the Japanese game maker to redesign the Cow character 'without the nose ring — a painful reminder of the cruelty cows endure in the meat and dairy industries.' More from Variety Nintendo's Switch 2 Sales Near 6 Million 'Legend of Zelda' Live-Action Movie Casts Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Zelda and Link With the Release of the Nintendo Switch 2, the Nintendo Switch 1 OLED Is on Sale Online 'The brass ring in Cow's nose glosses over real-world violence and cruelty to animals. That's why we're asking you to give this beloved bovine a small but meaningful upgrade: Remove the nose ring and let Cow race freely — without any painful reminders of the industries that treat animals like profit-making machines,' Joel Bartlett, PETA's SVP of marketing engagement, wrote in a letter addressed to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, which the group posted on its website. He added, 'leave the rings to Sonic and let Cow breathe free!' Reps for Nintendo of America did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 'Mario Kart World' was released June 5, 2025, as a launch game for the Nintendo Switch 2. As of June 30, the company had sold 5.63 million copies, according to Nintendo, making it the best-selling title for the new console. In the game, 24 players compete against each other to see who can zoom through open-world racetracks the fastest. Online commenters have pointed out that it's possible — in the context of the 'Mario Kart World' universe — that Cow chose to get the nose ring herself. 'How do they know the cow didn't go to a body piercing place to get it? The damn thing knows how to drive so it's not completely… ordinary,' an X user posted Friday about the issue. According to PETA, in a press release about Cow's nose ring that said 'It's-a mean!', the cattle industry uses nose rings as a tool of torment, not a fashion accessory: 'Nose rings are used by the meat and dairy industries to exploit, control and even drag animals to their deaths. These brass rings are crudely stabbed through the sensitive septum of cows and bulls, which can cause lasting pain and discomfort.' It's not the first time PETA has targeted Nintendo. For example, the advocacy group in 2020 criticized the game giant's 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' for 'encouraging abusive behavior toward fish and insects, where players can tear wildlife out of their homes and display them in cramped cases in a museum.' And in 2017, PETA said Nintendo had 'sold its soul' by partnering with McDonald's to include 'Super Mario' toys in Happy Meals. 'Nintendo should stay in the business of selling creative video games, not cruel and unhealthy chicken nuggets,' the group said at the time. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025
Geek Wire
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Wire
Nintendo's popular new ‘Mario Kart' cow draws a protest letter from PETA
Geek Life: Fun stories, memes, humor and other random items at the intersection of tech, science, business and culture. SEE MORE Cow, a breakout star in the new 'Mario Kart World' video game, wears a nose ring that is viewed as a painful accessory by the animal rights group PETA. (Screenshot via Nintendo on YouTube) The moos turned to boos over the depiction of a popular new video game cow character. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is protesting the design of Cow, a scooter-riding farm animal in the new 'Mario Kart World' because the character wears a nose ring. 'Nose rings are used by the meat and dairy industries to exploit, control, and even drag animals to their deaths,' PETA said in a letter (in full below) Thursday to Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa. Nintendo of America is headquartered in Redmond, Wash. The game launched exclusively on the new Nintendo Switch 2 game console, which released in June to much fanfare. And Cow has become a breakout star, as The New York Times reported in July, with videos on social media showcasing the bovine's popularity. PETA is less enthralled — at least when it comes to the nose ring. The organization is calling for Nintendo to redesign Cow's look, so it can 'race freely — without any painful reminders of the industries that treat animals like profit-making machines.' Read PETA's letter to Nintendo, and watch a trailer for 'Mario Kart World' below: Dear Mr. Furukawa: Greetings! I'm writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). PETA entities have more than 10 million members and supporters globally. We herd there's a new star in Mario Kart World: Cow! She is already winning hearts everywhere—including ours. But one detail has us hitting the brakes: The brass ring in Cow's nose. Would you please show empathy towards bovines and remove the nose ring? Here's why this is so important: Nose rings are used by the meat and dairy industries to exploit, control, and even drag animals to their deaths. These brass rings are crudely stabbed through the sensitive septum of cows and bulls, which can cause lasting pain and discomfort. The dairy industry will also clip spiked nose rings on baby cows so that the comforting act of nursing from their mother causes her pain and the baby is rejected and kicked away. To control bulls, a chain might be fastened from the nose ring to the bull's horn for even more pain-driven control. The brass ring in Cow's nose glosses over real world violence and cruelty to animals. That's why we're asking you to give this beloved bovine a small but meaningful upgrade: Remove the nose ring and let Cow race freely—without any painful reminders of the industries that treat animals like profit-making machines. Every animal is someone. So leave the rings to Sonic and let Cow breathe free!
