Nickmercs' COD skin removed from game (Image via Sportskeeda)

Why was Nickmercs' operator removed from Call of Duty? Entire drama explained

Modified Jun 09, 2023 08:55 GMT

Popular Twitch streamer Nicholas "Nickmercs" is now facing sanctions against him after his controversial remarks concerning the LGBTQ community. Consequently, Activision has decided to remove the Call of Duty skin associated with the streamer from the game (both Nick and TimTheTatman had their own customizable skin bundles in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2).

For context, Nickmercs responded to a video that depicted a confrontation between gay rights demonstrators and an anti-LGBTQ+ group, which ultimately led to a physical altercation. He tweeted (now deleted) that school children should be "left alone" and not receive education about LGBTQ+ topics. This tweet sparked a wave of criticism from the community, with some parents quoting his opinion and describing it as abject.

On June 9, 2023, in light of the controversy surrounding Nickmercs, Call of Duty made an official announcement stating:

Call of Duty

@CallofDuty

@charlieINTEL Due to recent events, we have removed the “NICKMERCS Operator” bundle from the Modern Warfare II and Warzone store. We are focused on celebrating PRIDE with our employees and our community.

Has Nickmercs responded to Call of Duty's latest sanction on him?

Nickmercs, a highly prominent figure in the Twitch community and widely recognized gamer, has found himself embroiled in controversy following a tweet that went awry regarding PRIDE month.

As mentioned above, the game developers have taken action against the streamer, and his operator bundle has been taken down from the game's stores and is no longer available. However, whether this removal is temporary or permanent remains uncertain.

As of now, Nicholas has not addressed this specific situation directly. However, during his recent stream, he expressed his thoughts and opinions on the drama. He said:

"So, the video bothered me. I just don't think it's any place for a teacher or a school, I don't think it's the place to speak about things like that. And it's not that I think it shouldn't be spoken about. If that's what you got from that Tweet, you're just wrong. I don't have any quarrels with anybody here, I don't have any quarrel with people on the internet."

He also said:

""I'll say this, I saw a tweet and I didn't like what I was seeing man. I saw parents brawling in front of a f*cking school with kids. I just didn't f*cking like it. I'm sure a lot of you will understand that would piss some people off, it pissed me off."

What has the community said about Call of Duty's decision?

The decision to remove Nickmercs' skin from the game has left many community members dissatisfied and disappointed. Here are some of the notable comments:

alex

@rushzap_

@CallofDuty @charlieINTEL he commented on why you shouldn’t go after kids, kids believe everything you say. L cod

𝑳𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑹𝑺 𝑭𝑨𝑵𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑪

@LakersBetta

@CallofDuty @charlieINTEL I have a brand deal with Call of Duty worth $4.5k. Just canceled it and threw out all of my COD products, merch, and will actively be boycotting call of duty from now on. We stand with NICKMERCS!!!

Emperor Vortex

@EMPEROR_VORTEX

@CallofDuty @charlieINTEL I barely play CoD and I still think this is ridiculous.

A huge streamer/influencer that has been part of the Call of Duty scene since the near beginning lost his bundle in the game just because he said he wants to raise his kid the way HE wants to.

What is this world?

Five2Nine

@Five2NineGaming

@CallofDuty @charlieINTEL We didn’t forget about all of the sexual assault allegations in the work place lil bro

tyler

@TylerGobl

@CallofDuty @charlieINTEL What specific part of what he said did you have a problem with?

TheDryerNewt

@TheDryerNewt

@CallofDuty @charlieINTEL Hold on, so someone's opinion that wasn't even homophobic gets a skin removed?

Zane Campbell

@zaneccampbell

@CallofDuty @charlieINTEL This is absolutely embarrassing… y’all got some issues to resolve.

Garza

@GarzaBeatz

@CallofDuty @charlieINTEL A company that had LGTBQ flags in a game at launch, but not USA flags in a game about the military is mad about someone who wants to be the one to talk to his child about LGTBQ issues, I would of never thought

@NICKMERCS 🫡

A few, however, voiced their support (particularly from the LGBTQ+ community):

Ciarratonin 🤍

@Ciarratonin_

@CallofDuty @charlieINTEL W! You love to see it Happy pride month! 🏳️‍

Nessa 🦊 🌸

@KitsunessaEN

@CallofDuty @charlieINTEL W

Whether or not the streamer deserved a boycott is a subject of debate. Nevertheless, this incident is a powerful reminder for the gaming community to prioritize inclusivity and respect for all communities.

Edited by
Ashmita Bhatt