The 'PETA’s Animal Crossing Guide' meme emerged in March 2020 following the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, when the animal rights organization published a controversial blog post outlining 'ethical' ways to play the game. The guide suggested that players should refrain from fishing, catching bugs, or donating to Blathers’ museum to avoid 'exploiting' virtual wildlife. The internet reacted with a mixture of confusion and mockery, turning the guide's extreme stances into a template for parodying performative activism or applying overly serious logic to low-stakes video game mechanics. The meme remains a classic example of gaming culture clashing with corporate messaging, often used to highlight the absurdity of taking digital avatars too literally.