Animal rights organization PETA has called on Nintendo to remove the nose ring from the cow character featured in its flagship racing title, Mario Kart World.

On its official social media accounts, PETA posted an image of the cow character from Mario Kart World while tagging Nintendo directly, urging the company to “remove the nose ring and let the cow run free.” The group added that nose rings are cruel devices used to control cattle, inflicting pain in the process.

Joel Bartlett, PETA’s Senior Director of Digital Marketing, also made public the contents of a letter he sent to Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa. In it, Bartlett emphasized that metal nose rings are used in the dairy industry to exploit and control animals, ultimately leading them to slaughter. He wrote that the rings cause ongoing pain and discomfort, and appealed to Nintendo to demonstrate compassion toward cows by removing the design element.

The announcement has sparked debate within the gaming community. Some argue that developers must take animal cruelty concerns seriously and respond sensitively when such elements are raised. Others counter that linking long-standing character design motifs in the Mario Kart series to real-world ethical issues is excessive. There are also voices sympathetic to animals who nonetheless feel that PETA should devote its energy to real-world animal welfare rather than focusing on design elements in games.

PETA’s latest request has also revived attention to its long and rocky history with Nintendo. In the past, the organization criticized Mario for wearing a suit supposedly made from the pelt of a Japanese raccoon dog (tanuki). To drive the point home, PETA even released a parody game featuring Mario carrying a severed raccoon dog’s head, while a skinned, bleeding tanuki chased him through the skies. Similarly, the group parodied Pokémon with Pokémon Black & Blue, a game designed to highlight what it described as trainer exploitation of Pokémon, equating it to cockfighting.

Beyond Nintendo titles, PETA has also targeted other popular franchises. It issued a statement criticizing Palworld, saying it wanted players to “help animals inside and outside game worlds by going vegan.” In regard to StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm, PETA claimed that the Zerg were treated like disposable animals, appealing to players with the slogan “Even Zerglings Have Feelings” and questioning how anyone could justify harming them.

This history has led some critics to argue that PETA is once again trying to piggyback on the popularity of a hit game to generate publicity.

As of now, Nintendo has not issued an official response to PETA’s letter. Mario Kart World, a launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2, marks the first time in series history that cows—previously appearing only as NPC obstacles—are available as playable characters. The cow drew praise during pre-release trailers for its charming design and has since become one of the game’s breakout favorites.

This article was translated from the original that appeared on INVEN.