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Twitch streamer and FaZe Clan member Nick Kolcheff, widely recognized as Nickmercs, is one of the eminent figures in the American gaming community. With a staggering count of nearly 7 million Twitch followers, this 32-year-old former esports professional solidifies his position in the top 1% of the platform's streamers. Before his foray into the Fortnite scene, Nickmercs made a name for himself during his teenage years as a member of TH3 NSAN3Z, a professional team in Gears of War 2.
His exceptional skills led him to achieve remarkable successes, including winning the Gears of War 2 National Championship in 2009 and triumphing at prestigious events such as MLG Anaheim, MLG Dr. Pepper, and the National Championship at MLG Orlando.
How Nickmercs became an online star
Nickmercs began his streaming career long before Twitch was even called Twitch (previously known as Justin.tv). He entered the streaming scene in 2010, starting with games like Gears of War and later transitioning to Call of Duty. With consistent dedication and a growing fan base, his popularity steadily increased over time.
However, Nickmercs' transition to Fortnite truly propelled his popularity to new heights. The explosive rise of Fortnite as a cultural phenomenon gave Nick a platform to showcase his aggressive, combative skills and comic personality to a much wider audience.
2018 proved to be a monumental year for Nick. He became a prominent figure in the esports scene, regularly participating in Fortnite competitions. For example, in July 2018, he won $40K in a Summer Skirmish event.
In the subsequent year, 2019, Nickmercs achieved a notable victory in the duos section of the Fortnite Pro-Am event. Paired with Mario Hezonja, a Croatian professional basketball player, Nick showcased his skills and teamwork, ultimately securing a prize of $30K.
Nickmercs' regular streaming collaborations with popular streamers such as Tyler "Ninja," Tim "TimTheTatman," and Ben "DrLupo" served as a testament to his stature as a prominent member of the gaming/streaming community.
Following the decline of Fortnite's popularity, Nick shifted his content focus towards another battle royale game called Apex Legends. These days, he predominantly focuses on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2, engaging his viewers with his gameplay, strategies, and entertaining commentary within these titles.
His position within the Call of Duty community was recognized and rewarded when Activision announced that he would have his gaming skin in the game. Fellow streamer TimTheTatman also had a similar reward.
Who is Nickmercs married to?
Currently, the Twitch streamer is happily married to his longtime partner, Emumita Bonita, whom he affectionately refers to as Emu during his streams.
During a stream in 2019, Nick proposed to his girlfriend. Fans widely shared and reshared clips of this heartfelt moment across the internet, capturing the joyous occasion. In 2020, the couple exchanged vows and officially married on a scenic ranch.
Earlier this year, in April 2023, the couple joyfully welcomed their first child into the world. The name of the duo's baby has not been officially announced as of yet. The couple has chosen to keep this personal detail private for now.
What is the recent controversy surrounding Nickmercs?
The FaZe member has recently faced controversy due to remarks he made during the ongoing PRIDE month.
In June 2023, Nickmercs addressed a video showcasing a dispute between LGBTQ rights activists and parents of a school. In response, the streamer expressed his opinion that children should avoid such issues.
Naturally, his comments sparked criticism, especially from the LGBTQ community. On June 9, 2023, in response to the controversy surrounding Nick, Call of Duty announced that they had decided to remove the operator's skin featuring Nickmercs from the game.
In response to the backlash, Nick clarified that his comments were not intended to offend anyone. He emphasized that, as a father, his concern was centered around not wanting his child involved in contentious issues at a young age. 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 added:
"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*cki*g school with kids. I just didn't f*cki*g like it. I'm sure a lot of you will understand that would piss some people off, it pissed me off."
His feud with 100 Thieves/Nadeshot
One notable controversy involving Nick was his departure from 100 Thieves in 2019, which resulted in a public dispute with the co-owner, Nadeshot. Nick stated that he decided to leave the organization due to unfulfilled promises that had been made to him.
One specific issue the streamer raised during the controversy was the alleged promise of a 5% ownership stake in 100 Thieves. He attributed the unfulfilled promises to Nadeshot's lack of experience as a CEO.
In 2020, Nickmercs expressed that he had forgiven Nadeshot regarding the previous controversy. However, he also made it clear that while he had forgiven, he had not forgotten the ordeal.
Despite the controversies and challenges, Nickmercs continues to grow in his career. He also holds a position as a part-owner of FaZe Clan, one of America's largest and most influential gaming franchises.
