Call of Duty removes NICKMERCS bundle amidst his controversial Pride Month remark – NICKMERCS’ controversial opinions on the recognition of Pride Month at school have sparked a backlash, resulting in the removal of the Call of Duty bundle from the in-game store. Nick ‘NICKMERCS’ Kolcheff, a prominent Twitch streamer, and co-owner of FaZe Clan, faced backlash for his remarks suggesting that “little kids” should be left undisturbed when it comes to acknowledging Pride Month in schools. He wrote, “They should leave little children alone, that’s the real issue”.
The next day, the streamer took to Twitch to defend his previous remarks, clarifying that he did not intend to offend anyone. However, he reiterated his belief that schools are not the appropriate platform for discussions related to Pride Month. “It’s not that I think it shouldn’t be spoken about. If that’s what you got from that tweet, then you’re just wrong.”
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.
— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) June 9, 2023
Following the controversial stance, Activision removed the NICKMERCS skin from both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone 2. “Due to recent events, we have removed the NICKMERCS Operator bundle from the Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone store,” Activision confirmed. Call of Duty however noted they are removing the skin as they are focused on “celebrating PRIDE with our employees and our community.”
There are members of the LGBTQIA+ community in every part of gaming, from fan to development. The way I see people reacting is actually sickening. Actions have consequences, hate has no place in the scene. https://t.co/ogvgERYUpY
— Cori (DemShenaniganss) 🦝 | #TDST ⚡️ (@DemShenanigans) June 9, 2023
A few things are still up in the air at the moment. First off, it’s unclear whether this is a long-term choice by the CoD publisher or a temporary one. Also, it’s not yet understood whether this effect will soon apply to current bundle owners as well. Many members of the gaming community have responded positively to the news, viewing it as a stand against prejudice and discrimination.
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