Team Meat skewers PETA spoof

By Fred Dutton Published 2 December, 2010

Steaks claim to Tofu Boy, admits spamming.

Super Meat Boy's developer has launched a twin-pronged retort to animal rights group PETA's recent Super Tofu Boy spoof.

Team Meat's co-CEO Edmund McMillen didn't, ahem, mince his words in a lengthy post on the studio's website.

"Honestly this is a major high point for me personally," he claimed.

"Putting all my cards on the table right now, I actually repeatedly made fake user names in PETA's forum pushing the game at them in hopes something like this would happen but gave up, realising that PETA wouldn't ever put effort into something "meat related" that was so small and unknown, that's exactly why this parody is so important and eye opening for us.

"PETA is 1000 times more well known then Super Meat Boy and the fact that they went out of their way to make a parody like this is beyond flattering and amazingly helpful.

"First off," he continues, "I want to thank PETA for helping us turn Super Meat Boy into a house hold name and of course for making themselves look quite foolish in the process... see (as mentioned in countless interviews) Meat Boy isn't made of animal meat, he's simply a boy without skin whose name is Meat Boy... but sshh don't tell them that.

"Now don't get me wrong, I have NOTHING against vegans or vegetarians. I was vegetarian for many years, and was an animal control officer who saved animals for a living for a long time, I empathise, understand and accept why people choose to eat, and live as they wish, and obviously I believe everyone should have the freedom to express themselves in anyway as long as it doesn't hurt others.

"But," McMillen explains, "I don't support an organisation who is 100 per cent against all animal testing, because that would mean my best friend in the world would be dead, not to mention his mother and many of my family members and friends who also are diabetic.

"It's hard to make a come back to a company that is high brow enough to compare concentration camps to chicken coops," he adds, "but I'll try and close this with a joke that's a bit more light hearted.

"How many PETA members does it take to change a lightbulb? None - PETA can't change anything."

BOOM. And it doesn't end there. Team Meat is preparing an update for the PC version of its wonderful platformer that will add in its own take on Tofu Boy, a character it claims it invented long before PETA's effort came along.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (50) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • AnsemsApprentice #1 1 year ago

    I'm confused. . .I thought PETA just made a harmless parody, why is he insulting them exactly? Seems unnecessary but whatever. Sounds like he's purposefully trying to start a feud, have I misconstrued that?

    Anyway, Super Meat Boy is awesome, good game.

  • Apostle #2 1 year ago

    Does seem a bit harsh on PETA, not that I've paid much attention to them, but many have a negative opinion of them that I've read on here and elsewhere.

  • Kami #3 1 year ago

    I think it is a bit harsh, almost as if the intention was to bait PETA.

    I'm no fan of PETA, despite being mostly vegetarian myself (not vegan. If I eat meat, I prefer to know where it comes from. The side effects of being raised by a farmer... nowt to do with animal rights, just prefer quality over quantity). But they did a clever little parody, okay it was an obvious parody and it wasn't greatly executed at that, but the thought was there (aside all that PETA propaganda BS. But hey, PETA isn't known for its subtelty).

    I... am kinda... conflicted on this one. IS this one of those occassions where the co-CEO really should have shut up and let PETA make arses of themselves and give him tons of free publicity? I kinda think so... after this it will be kinda harder to take the moral high ground...
    Edited by Kami at 02/12/10 @ 20:37

  • darkmorgado #4 1 year ago

    Very witty byline btw. Made me smile :-)

  • Inquisitor #5 1 year ago

    What a twat. I had a quick look at the game and it seemed like a fairly endearing parody to me to be honest. Someone has obviously played and enjoyed the original before creating this parody and, as he points out, it's a little bit of free advertising for them too. I don't know too much about PETA if but this guy obviously seems to think he does, he's clearly got a vendetta against them. Creating socks on their forums to bring attention to Super Meat Boy for the sole reason of getting a parody made so he could launch this foaming at the mouth rant at them, beyond pathetic.

    If it becomes apparent that PETA meant this as an insult toward Team Meat then perhaps I'd understand but as it is a company I had a huge amount of respect for (launching at a 'sale' price and giving out a bunch of free levels via Microsofts notoriously stingy Live service) have ended up looking pretty darn childish.

  • Kami #6 1 year ago

    Exactly. All they had to do was sit tight, shut up and watch the money roll in - but trolling their forums? REALLY?

    To be pretty blunt here, you certainly don't want to be taking on PETA in a game of internet crazy - they've got a whole lot more experience on that front than most of the population of the world put together...

    edit; goddamned typos tonight, begone with you!
    Edited by Kami at 02/12/10 @ 20:50

  • Chaser #7 1 year ago

    In the best Harry Hill style... FIGHT!

  • darkmorgado #8 1 year ago

    His pathetic rant has actually made me decide NOT to buy SPM. Well done.

  • Freek #9 1 year ago

    Well, I think it's pretty funny. :D There's no fued here, just a mutual joke. With Tofu Boy now comming into Super Meat Boy everybody gets the publicity.

  • Dashnak #10 1 year ago

    "PETA is 1000 times more well known then Super Meat Boy"
    *ahem*

  • neoman #11 1 year ago

    heyyy i wan't TOFU BOY on 360 as well! cause i played that horrendous peta flashgame and i wish the little boy had a meaty gameplay

  • RobotRocker #12 1 year ago

    Grade A+ Trolling. You are rad, Team Meat.

  • coolbritannia #13 1 year ago

    + 10 team meat!

  • WJF #14 1 year ago

    Tbf, team meat also released a fake game on the app store, charged innocent gamers for it (oh, it was called Meat Boy, so it wasn't exactly obvious) as a 'joke' to get back at...er..Apple - [link url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/Super+Meat+Boy+Handheld/news.asp?c=19682
    ]http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/Su...[/link]

    ...to get back at Apple for their previous rip-off game that was removed from the app store because it was, essentially, a disgraceful way of f***ing over consumers. Again. - [link url=http://www.supermeatboy.com/3/Express_an_opinion__get_an_app_pulled_/#b
    ]http://www.supermeatboy.com/3/Express_an...[/link]

    And, no, that isn't justified, before the self righteous crew come running in, or are you saying that a person who says haha - JOKE!, before then saying, 'Either way, I couldn't care less they took it down, so long as they paid me for what I earned' is someone you should be defending?

    Great game and all, but they come across as arrogant shits.
    Edited by WJF at 02/12/10 @ 21:29

  • Zaiz #15 1 year ago

    He's pretty obviously just using PETA's hilarity against themselves, and played them for fools. Nothing wrong with that, honestly. If an organization wants to scream at everything, then they deserve the eventual hoodwink.

  • chargen #16 1 year ago

    Pet ownership is an absolutely abysmal situation brought about by human manipulation.

    Eating meat is primitive, barbaric, and arrogant.

    In the end, I think it would be lovely if we stopped this whole notion of pets altogether.

    Six million people died in concentration camps, but six billion broiler chickens will die this year in slaughterhouses.

    Humans have grown like a cancer. We're the biggest blight on the face of the earth.

    Would I rather the research lab that tests animals is reduced to a bunch of cinders? Yes.

    Even if animal tests produced a cure for AIDS, we’d be against it.

    When it comes to having a central nervous system, and the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy.

    She has worn fur, so the innocent did not get hurt. It wasn't friendly fire.

  • Kain201 #17 1 year ago

    Just you wait untill PopCap releases Johnny Minkley's Meat Ceiling and PETA makes a "parody" of it in which you can kill Johnny. Then we can talk again.
    Edited by Kain201 at 02/12/10 @ 21:20

  • patootik #18 1 year ago

    People don't like PETA for various reasons, mostly their scare tactics advertising campaigns which are often grossly misleading the one that most comes to mind for me as it's an issue that is important to me is the "Got Autism?" ad they had that said something to the effect of "Drinking Milk gives you Autism". Which is totally misleading and unscientific. The closest thing researchers have found is that SOME dairy products exacerbate the symptoms of autism in SOME people, and that cutting down can make these people a little calmer and sociable.

    How PETA went from that to milk gives you autism is anyones guess, it's things like this that turn people of PETA, even vegies and vegans.

    At least Tofuboy is better than their Cooking Mama parody

  • aldo_14 #19 1 year ago

    Chargen is some sort of OTT parody, right?

  • Kami #20 1 year ago

    I'm... not sure... if it is, chargen needs to do stand-up. I do kinda like a bit of deadpan sarcasm...

    At least... I hope it is...

  • darkmorgado #21 1 year ago

    Pet ownership is an absolutely abysmal situation brought about by human manipulation.

    I love my cat. I provide him with food, warmth, and love. I clean up whatever mess he makes without fuss, without admonishment. When he's upset, I get upset. When I'm upset, he gets upset. There's nothing manipulative about it at all and quite frankly to suggest otherwise is insulting, patronising and just completely fucking stupid.

    GTFO.

  • darkmorgado #22 1 year ago

    the one that most comes to mind for me as it's an issue that is important to me is the "Got Autism?" ad they had that said something to the effect of "Drinking Milk gives you Autism"

    Is that shit real? If so, then PETA can fuck off.

  • Kain201 #23 1 year ago

    Here is a little Twitter conversation including McMillen as @SuperMeatBoy and some PETA / Justin Bieber Supporters. And yes, it is as bad as it sounds.

    And a little fact sheet about PETA the Terrorist Organisation.

  • drhickman1983 #24 1 year ago

    I can see how some people will perhaps consider McMillen's tirade as perhaps childish, but in all honesty I have to admit to sharing his loathing of PETA.

    I have looked at the meat industry and animal testing, and after careful consideration I've come to the personal moral viewpoints that eating meat is fine. I'd like to see animals kept in good conditions and for them to lead comfortable lives, but I see no reason why that excludes them from then being humanely killed and eaten. And I think animal testing for medical research is just fine also.

    This post was going to be much lengthier as I went off on a bit of a rant, but decided to curtail it as it was becoming a bit of a wall of text. In short, I don't like PETA. Anybody who can claim a "victory" of sorts over them, however petty, gets a +1 in my book.
    Edited by drhickman1983 at 02/12/10 @ 22:12

  • darkmorgado #25 1 year ago

    I don't have a problem with animal testing, so long as human testing is also undertaken.

  • Shikasama #26 1 year ago

    I don't care if he is coming at this from the wrong way. Anytime someone bashes the terrorist organisation known as PETA is good for me.

  • Kami #27 1 year ago

    Oh I don't agree with PETA either, they do tend to be rather... ahem... eager to misquote (which is an understatement). But that said, the beauty of an organisation like PETA is that you give them a molehill, and they spend hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars treating it like Mount Everest. Super Meat Boy, on its own, was enough. Super Tofu Boy wasn't brilliant - it didn't get the mechanics right, the level design was atrocious and the amount of propaganda in it was downright disturbing... but it was enough, PETA responded to that tiny tiny little molehill. Out of context, uninformed, poorly executed and heavy on the BS. Classic PETA response. That was all it needed.

    I don't consider acting like a complete dick with PETA much of a victory - it's a bit like arguing with a potato, it's got eyes and ears but you're wasting your time. Sometimes there is such a thing as being a bad winner - in this instance, all PETA has to do is stay quiet now... and they'll come out of it looking better... and that, quite frankly, sucks more balls than would be humanly possible...
    Edited by Kami at 02/12/10 @ 22:46

  • Dr_Cowley #28 1 year ago

    Learn about P.E.T.A in 30 mins

    [link url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kXUPy-dCx4&feature=related
    ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kXUPy-dC...[/link]
    [link url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzQgfWYwTzg&feature=related
    ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzQgfWYwT...[/link]
    [link url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsUSDMclWQg&feature=related
    ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsUSDMclW...[/link]

  • chargen #29 1 year ago

    @aldo_14, @Kami, @darkmorgato

    Guys, those are all quotes from Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA. This what they actually believe.

  • darkmorgado #30 1 year ago

    Ingrid Newkirk, the woman who has single-handedly murdered thousands of animals during her lifetime?

    I'm very much pro-animal rights. I am anti-PETA. But I also think that these devs are displaying ridiculous arrogance and being completely unprofessional.

    But thanks for the clarification chargen (though you could have made your OP a lot clearer, you might want to edit before you get avalanched with negs).

  • Kami #31 1 year ago

    Ahh okay chargen, and I already knew the guys at PETA were hypocrites - put it this way, any "campaign" that requires Pamela Anderson getting naked on a regular basis is probably not one you should take very seriously anyway.

    I think my overarching view is - enjoy whatever the hell you want, whenever you want to. It's like most things in this world - eventually science is going to tell us everything has a chance of killing us or giving us cancer. If it's unavoidable, why avoid some guilty pleasures? If the end result of avoiding all these fun things is looking and acting like Gillian McKieth, I'll go to McDonalds first thing in the fucking morning if I have to...

  • dloob #32 1 year ago

    Good news tofu boy is now available on the PC version of super meat boy according to their twitter

    "Team Meat
    Patch is now live on Steam. Play as Tofu Boy by typing in 'petaphile' at the character select screen. ENJOY YOUR IRON DEFICIENCY!!!!"

  • darkmorgado #33 1 year ago

    ENJOY YOUR IRON DEFICIENCY

    Unless you eat any number of very iron-rich vegeatbles, or fruit.

  • DrMGinius #34 1 year ago

    They also made some nice free publicity for Overlord 2 because you could kill/command the killing of baby seals. So remember, if you ever make a game, don't waste your money in adverts. Put a lot of raw, bloody meat eating and cruel animal slaugther, preferably combined. PETA will do the rest.

    @Darkmorgado I'd say the iron deficiency thing refers to the tofu itself, or to Tofu Boy.
    Edited by DrMGinius at 03/12/10 @ 00:34

  • andywilkie35 #35 1 year ago

    Top work Team Meat! Absolutely owned a bunch of bath dodging hippies! Get a job, cunts!

  • Number1Laing #36 1 year ago

    Umm, I don't see the need to goad PETA into "reacting" to Super Meat Boy, and their reaction was utterly harmless besides (and actually fairly complimentary). So then the creator apparently unloads a bunch of pre-written "burns" to respond? I dunno, from where I sit this stunt made someone look bad... but it wasn't PETA. I'm not sure I would buy Super Meat Boy if I haven't already.
    Edited by Number1Laing at 03/12/10 @ 01:44

  • Xboxfanuk #37 1 year ago

    I agree PETA won't change anything but perhaps lighten the wallets of hollywood celebrities.

  • Andytails #38 1 year ago

    http://www.theonion.com/video/advocacy-g...

  • Riggers #39 1 year ago

    I love you, Team Meat.

  • Quint2020 #40 1 year ago

    LOL.

    Well said that man!

  • kinky_mong #41 1 year ago

    Anyone putting down PETA is alright in my books. Bunch of ill-informed hypocrites.

  • Darwa #42 1 year ago

    If it wasn't for South Park, I wonder how many people outside of the US would have heard of PETA ;)

  • Greggywocky... #43 1 year ago

    I don't like milk. It tastes of milk.

  • schnide #44 1 year ago

    Served!

  • Golgo #45 1 year ago

    Ed McMillen beats his meat.

  • aldo_14 #46 1 year ago

    @aldo_14, @Kami, @darkmorgato

    Guys, those are all quotes from Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA. This what they actually believe.

    I'm confused.... does this mean I look a total tit, or only a little bit of a tit?

    :)

  • StolenGlory #47 1 year ago

    Too..many...shitty...puns.

  • Phishfood #48 1 year ago

    I played through the entire Super Tofu Boy game, the entire thing is just PETA pushing their agenda and the controls are terrible.

    Its not as harmless as you may think, plus I bet most of you guys didn't bother checking out the other games on the site.

  • Hyoscine #49 1 year ago

    Obligatory link:

    http://www.petakillsanimals.com/

  • Spekingur #50 1 year ago

    PETA have more kills in their book than Al Qaeda. Wasn't there a War on Terror?