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Call of Duty removes Nickmercs’ Operator Bundle from MWII and Warzone

Activision has officially removed popular Twitch streamer Nicholas “Nickmercs” Kolcheff’s Operator bundle from Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone after... Shubh | 9. June 2023

Activision has officially removed popular Twitch streamer Nicholas “Nickmercs” Kolcheff’s Operator bundle from Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone after he made an alleged anti-LGBTQ comment on Twitter.

A well-known streamer and Faze clan member named Nickmercs received his unique cosmetic pack in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 with his unique character skin, distinctive logo, and other cosmetic items associated with him. Activision, however, quickly pulled the bundle from the in-game store, as a result of a contentious tweet posted by Nickmercs that infuriated the LGBTQ+ community.

What sparked the controversy?

The incident began earlier this week when Chris Puckett, a retired Halo professional and executive for MLG, tweeted about a local altercation between LGBTQ+ protestors and bigots outside of a school board meeting in Glendale, California. Nickmercs posted a somewhat dismissive and inappropriate response to the tweet, saying that “They (LGBTQ+ protestors) should leave little children alone. That’s the real issue.”

The tweet from Nickmercs was widely interpreted as an anti-LGBTQ+ slur, suggesting that people who identify as LGBTQ+ are somehow harming or trying to indoctrinate children by being visible and accepted in society. As a result, Nickmercs received a barrage of criticism from the community on Twitter with many highlighting his ignorance and insensitivity on the matter.

Shortly after this controversial post, Activision, the maker of the Call of Duty video game franchise, decided to remove the NICKMERCS operator bundle from the Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone in-game stores. Activision claims that the decision was taken as a result of Nickmercs’ post, which comes at the moment when Activision is celebrating PRIDE—an annual celebration of LGBTQ+ culture and history—with its staff and the gaming community.

NICKMERCS double down on the comment

The content creator acknowledged the issue on Twitch after receiving a lot of criticism, but it didn’t help. He said that delicate subjects like LGBTQIA+ shouldn’t be discussed with children in the classroom. Nick said that he still does stand by his comments and claimed that talks about sexuality should be kept between parents and their children.

He clarified that he didn’t mean to offend anyone but said that his statement wasn’t an “anti-gay tweet” and that he wouldn’t take accountability for it. While many gamers expressed their displeasure with the withdrawal of the NICKMERCS operator bundle on Twitter, some members of the gaming community reacted favorably to the news, viewing it as a stand against intolerance or bigotry.

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