Warzone streamer Nick ‘NICKMERCS’ Kolcheff faced a Twitch ban in the early hours of Friday, June 28, after violating the platform’s hateful conduct guidelines. The ban was due to his use of a transphobic slur during a stream, a move that has drawn significant backlash from the community, including from OpTic’s Shaun “Hutch” Hutchinson.
In a social media post, OpTic Hutch criticized Nickmercs for his harmful comments, highlighting the vulnerability of trans youth. Hutch shared a screenshot of Nickmercs’s post on X (formerly Twitter) and pointed out the alarming statistics about the mental health struggles faced by trans youth, urging influencers to use their platforms responsibly.
“Trans youth are nearly 8x more likely than their peers to attempt suicide. These kinds of numbers are truly heartbreaking,” Hutch wrote. “Influencers have enormous platforms and the choice to use theirs to bully such a vulnerable group with unrelenting cruelty is despicable, cowardly behavior.”
Nickmercs’s response to the ban further exacerbated the situation. He acknowledged using the derogatory term and made a dismissive comment: “Banned for using the word ‘Tra**y’ on Twitch. Apparently that’s a derogatory term. That’s on me. Next time I’ll use mental health disorder.” This flippant remark sparked outrage and was seen as a reinforcement of harmful stereotypes about the trans community.
The controversy surrounding Nickmercs isn’t new. He has previously faced backlash for comments about the LGBTQ+ community. In June 2023, he made headlines with a post on X that many perceived as anti-LGBTQ+. In response to a video of an anti-LGBTQ+ mob clashing with gay rights demonstrators outside a school, Nickmercs wrote, “They should leave little children alone. That’s the real issue.” This statement led to Activision severing ties with him, removing his likeness and operator skin bundles from the Call of Duty store.
Despite the backlash, Nickmercs doubled down on his views, refusing to retract his statements. In a more recent controversy, he went on a rant against trans people, claiming they “don’t exist” and dismissing their identity as a fabrication. “There’s no such thing as trans people. That’s something that you created. So, have fun in your little dreamland, but that s**t is not even real,” he said in a viral clip.
Nickmercs’s continued inflammatory remarks have kept him at the center of controversy. His recent Twitch ban, though temporary, signals the platform’s stance against hateful conduct. Given Twitch’s strict policies, any further violations could result in more severe penalties.
Meanwhile, the fallout from this controversy has also affected Nickmercs’s associates. His friend, Dr DisRespect, faced demonetization on YouTube amid the backlash. The ‘Join’ feature on Dr DisRespect’s channel was removed following revelations about inappropriate texts he sent to a minor in 2017.
The ongoing debates around Nickmercs’s comments highlight the significant influence of streamers and the responsibilities that come with their platforms. As the gaming community continues to grapple with issues of inclusion and respect, figures like OpTic Hutch are using their voices to advocate for marginalized groups, emphasizing the need for empathy and responsible conduct in online spaces.
