Activision Blizzard has removed a skin based on FaZe Nickmercs from Call Of Duty, days after the FaZe content creator posted an anti-LGBTQ+ tweet.
On Wednesday (June 7), esports commentator Chris Puckett shared a video that appeared to show individuals assaulting “pro-LGBT demonstrators” outside of a school board meeting in California.
While Puckett condemned the attackers and urged them to “let people love who they love and live your own life,” FaZe content creator Nick ‘Nickmercs’ Kolcheff answered: “They [demonstrators] should leave little children alone. That’s the real issue.”
They should leave little children alone. That’s the real issue.
— FaZe Nickmercs (@NICKMERCS) June 7, 2023
As Dexerto has reported, the anti-LGBTQ+ tweet has been widely condemned by other figureheads in the gaming community, who have slammed the streamer’s comments as “harmful, incorrect,” and “dangerous“.
Today (June 9), Activision Blizzard has stepped in to confirm that Nickmercs’ playable Operator skin — added just over a week ago (May 31) — has now been removed.
“Due to recent events, we have removed the “Nickmercs Operator” bundle from the Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone store,” reads a tweet from Call Of Duty‘s Twitter account. “We are focused on celebrating Pride with our employees and our community.”
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
While Nickmercs is yet to acknowledge the removal of their operator skin, he has defended posting the controversial tweet.
“I didn’t mean to upset anybody,” he claimed on-stream (via Dexerto). “I know that I did. I’m not apologizing about the tweet, because I don’t feel like it’s wrong. I’m gonna stand by what I said.”
This isn’t the first controversy for Nickmercs, who was criticised for promoting an event with “no mask requirements, no vaccine requirements” in 2022, at a time when the protective measures were “strongly” recommended.
It’s also the latest in a string of bad press for FaZe, which recently saw Snoop Dogg exit the company amid a disastrous financial year.
Last month, Stranger Things actress Grace Van Dien joined FaZe — though the organisation’s co-owner, Nordan ‘FaZe Rain’ Shat, responded to her signing with sexist comments.