Activision removes Call of Duty "skin" based on player after his anti-LGBTQ+ comment
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Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff, as depicted in Call of Duty. Screenshot: Activision
Activision has pulled a depiction of popular gamer Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff from its leading Call of Duty games, following a Tweet from the player that was widely viewed to be anti-LGBTQ+.
The big picture: Increased anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in the U.S. recently prompted the Human Rights Campaign to declare for the first time a state of emergency for people who identify as LGBTQ+ in America.
- Already this year, more than 75 bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community have been signed into law, per HRC.
Driving the news: The removal was spotted Thursday evening by Call of Duty fan site Charlie Intel and soon confirmed by Activision, stirring strong reactions for and against.
What they’re saying: “Due to recent events, we have removed the “NICKMERCS Operator” bundle from the Modern Warfare II and Warzone store,” the game maker tweeted from the official Call of Duty Twitter account.
- “We are focused on celebrating PRIDE with our employees and our community.”
Catch up fast: Kolcheff drew criticism on Wednesday due to his response to a tweet from esports commentator Chris Puckett.
- Puckett had tweeted his own reaction to a recent brawl outside a California schoolboard hearing on whether the Glendale School District would recognize June as Pride Month.
- “Americans are in a sad place right now,” Puckett wrote, atop footage of people in “Leave Our Kids Alone” t-shirts taking swings at pro-LGBTQ+ activists. “Let people love who they love and live your own life.”
- “They should leave little children alone,” Kolcheff replied, “That’s the real issue.”
- In a livestream, Kolcheff said his tweet “wasn’t an anti-gay tweet.” As new parents, he said, he and his wife “want to be the ones to talk to our kid about things like that.”
Of note: The Glendale School District, which unanimously voted to designate June as Pride month, says its elementary school curriculum supports diversity, “including LGBTQ+ issues,” and “is focused on highlighting all different types of families.”
- But the curriculum “does not include specific information about LGBTQ+ or gender identity.”
Be smart: Anti-LGBTQ+ activists often claim that discussions about LGTBQ+ issues indoctrinate children into supposed lifestyle choices, ignoring the biological aspects of gender identity and sexuality.
Between the lines: Kolcheff is one of the most popular players of one of the most popular video games on the planet — so much so that Activision announced last month that Call of Duty players would soon be able to buy a “skin,” or alternate look for their in-game character, that resembles Kolcheff, along with other themed gear for $20.
- Activision has since deleted that announcement.
- The company has repeatedly promoted pro-LGBTQ+ representation in its games, while it has faced heat from lawsuits and investigations around alleged sexual misconduct at the company (and agreed in 2021 to an $18 million settlement fund for victims).
- Kolcheff’s PR firm refers to him as “COD royalty,” pointing to his millions of social media followers and his average of nearly 41,000 viewers for every livestream he does of Call of Duty. His response to Puckett’s tweet has been viewed more than 12 million times.
What's next: Some online commentators have called for a Bud-Light-style boycott of Activision.
- The company has given no indication of backing down.
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