Overview

• PETA senior vice president Joel Bartlett sent a letter to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa requesting the removal of the brass nose ring from the Cow character in Mario Kart World.
• The group argues that the piercing is a painful symbol used in meat and dairy industries to control livestock and serves as a reminder of real-world animal cruelty.
• Nintendo has not responded publicly to the request and the character’s design remains unchanged in current game assets.
• Fans on social media have reacted with dismissive jokes and sparked debate over whether a fictional accessory warrants real-world ethical scrutiny.
• Mario Kart World launched on June 5 as a Nintendo Switch 2 title and sold more than 5.6 million copies in its first month, amplifying the visibility of any associated controversies.