Comments by content creators on LGBTQ+ issues have provoked a broad response in the "Call of Duty" community, plunging the group into a heated Call of Duty Boycott Drama Timeline.
The issue began on June 7 when esports broadcaster Chris Puckett supported love and personal freedom in the wake of anti-LGBTQ protests. Nickmercs, a content developer, expressed his views on LGBTQ+ education, which sparked a reaction and led Call of Duty to pull his "NICKMERCS Operator" package. Dr. Disrespect's public support for Nickmercs and the voluntary removal of the TimTheTatman package added complexity to the developing scenario.
Follow the Call of Duty Boycott Drama Timeline below to gain a sweeping view of the events:
June 7: Protests Heat Up
Chris Puckett, a commentator on competitive video gaming, discusses a video showing anti- and pro-LGBTQ protesters scuffling outside a school board meeting in Glendale, California. Puckett tweeted, "Americans are in a sad place right now."
June 8: Nickmercs Controversial Remarks
In a video content reaction to a film depicting a clash between gay rights protesters and an anti-LGBTQ+ organization, content producer Nickmercs shared his thoughts on LGBTQ+ education, arguing that students should be "left alone" on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Some community members find Nickmercs' tweet offensive and have voiced their disapproval.
Nickmercs, who has 6.7 million Twitch followers, received immediate criticism after posting the offensive tweet. Given his popularity and the video's brutality, many viewers were dissatisfied with his apparent attitude.
June 9: Nickmerc Receives Backlash
Due to the uproar caused by Nickmercs' statements, Call of Duty has decided to pull the "NICKMERCS Operator" package from the Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone online stores, per Polygon.
Nickmercs apologizes to anybody he offended with his tweet but stands by what he said. In a tweet on Friday, he assured his followers that he was not a hateful person and thanked them for their loyalty.
June 10: Dr. Disrespect Lambasts Call of Duty
The well-known content creator Dr. Disrespect openly backs Nickmercs and condemns Call of Duty's conduct.
After Activision refused to apologize to Nickmercs or restore Dr. Disrespect's bundle publicly, Dr. Disrespect decided to delete the game from his stream and make it clear that he had no intention of playing Call of Duty again.
Dr Disrespect uninstalled CoD and said he won’t return until they apologize or add NICKMERCS’ operator bundle back into the game pic.twitter.com/aqyLdvSKOE
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) June 9, 2023
Dr. Disrespect has already called Call of Duty's choice a "pathetic" PR tactic, per Forbes.
June 11: TimTheTatman Stands by Nickmercs
To support Nickmercs, another popular content creator, TimTheTatman, asked Activision on Twitter, "In support of my friend, please remove the TimTheTatman bundle."
June 12: Activision Grants TimTheTatman's Request
In the latest Call of Duty Boycott Drama Timeline event, Activision complies with TimTheTatman's request to remove the TimTheTatman package from Call of Duty, a popular Twitch streamer.
In a statement, Activision's Neil Wood said that the company had scrapped the TimTheTatman operator bundle "from the Modern Warfare II and Warzone store" at the request of the content creator, The Verge reported.
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