Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff, a popular Twitch streamer known for playing first-person shooter (FPS) games, has reportedly seen a surge in popularity after expressing views that led to what some describe as a cancellation attempt. Kolcheff’s comments were sparked by a confrontation outside a school board meeting in Glendale, California, where the board voted to officially designate June as Pride Month.
Kolcheff’s comments were critical of involving children in such cultural debates, stating, “They should leave little children alone. That’s the real issue.” In response, Activision, which had offered a set of Nickmercs-themed in-game armor and cosmetic items for purchase in its titles Warzone and Modern Warfare II, removed the promotion. Activision stated they were removing the “NICKMERCS Operator” bundle to focus on celebrating Pride with their employees and community.
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Since the removal of the promotion, outlets like ComicBook.com reported that Kolcheff’s popularity has grown. He addressed the incident on Twitch, stating, “They shot and missed… That was the corniest attempt to cancel anybody I have ever seen. For saying ‘leave children alone.’”
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ComicBook.com reported that Nickmercs’ searches increased by 100 times during the incident, and his viewership has also increased. Despite the potential complications with future promotional deals and sponsorships, Kolcheff’s estimated net worth, boosted by his streaming popularity, successful YouTube channel, and co-ownership of Faze Clan, means the incident’s negative effects are expected to be minimal.
During his streams, Kolcheff expressed that he represents many people who feel overwhelmed by society’s rapid social changes, particularly related to trans ideology. He suggested that issues of sexual identity should be addressed within families, saying, “I just simply feel that I want to be the one, and my wife wants to be the one, to speak with our child about stuff like that.”
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