The Real Reason NickMercs Is Quitting Warzone

NickMerc's time with "Call of Duty: Warzone" has come to an end. The streamer took to YouTube on August 3 to announce the change to fans, saying, "I gotta do what's best for me, I gotta have fun doing what I'm doing ... I'm dipping from 'Call of Duty: Warzone.'" However, the reasoning behind NickMerc's decision isn't an easy one, nor is it simple.

First and foremost, NickMercs explained that "Warzone" just doesn't feel fun to him anymore. He remarked, "'Call of Duty' is just in a really, really bad spot... There's no sign of light at the end of this tunnel." NickMercs acknowledged that he's "blessed" to have a job in streaming, and said that he'd be doing a disservice to fans if he wasn't enjoying himself while doing his dream job. A lack of fun meant it was time for NickMercs to switch things up with a new game, like "Apex Legends." 

NickMercs said that he'd be streaming "Apex Legends" more frequently in the coming weeks, mostly because he's been playing the game in his off time and actually liking it. He set the lofty goal of achieving the game's Predator rank while playing the new season of "Apex Legends." Aside from his own changing tastes, NickMercs had a more specific reason why he wanted to leave the "Call of Duty" community for the time being — a problem that he's discussed at length before.

It's not a secret that NickMercs hates hackers. Recently, hackers actually forced some of the biggest names in "Warzone" to cheat, ruining the experience for everyone when players like NickMercs suddenly found their stats and items boosted beyond belief. 

A few months back, NickMercs attempted to address hacking issues by unloading on the "Warzone" developers. He explained that hackers have developed impressive skills, achieving the ability to end matches early or break the game's rules. That sort of behavior makes playing difficult for everyone, especially streamers that depend on being not only entertaining, but good.

Because "Warzone" just can't shake its hacker problem, streamers are leaving the game, at least temporarily. Even Dr Disrespect has banished "Warzone" from his PC on a few occasions, leaving the game behind when it became too frustrating.

Despite fans' pleas to address hackers in "Warzone," its season 5 trailer may have ironically sent a reminder that hackers are a constant part of the "Warzone" experience. The trailer actually featured a hacker character, who fans immediately noticed. 

"Very nice that you are going with a hacker theme to appeal to your core audience," one gamer said. Another player joked, "Ahh, I get it! You can't add anti-cheat until it's time to beat the hacker lady." For many fans, the inclusion of a hacker character seemed disrespectful to the players who had spoken out about cheating in the "Warzone" for months. However, hackers aren't the only reason why NickMercs wants to distance himself from the game.

NickMercs also briefly mentioned the recent controversy at "Warzone" publisher Activision Blizzard. "They got other things going on at that f***ing office," NickMercs said. "I'm not gonna get into all that, I'm not doing it, but, you know, it's a s***show is what I'm saying." So even though NickMercs didn't mention the ongoing lawsuit against Activision Blizzard specifically, there are few other things he could be referring to.

NickMercs also explained that it's an odd time of year for "Call of Duty" fans, who are eagerly awaiting the franchise's next entry in November. As he explained, fans feel bored with the current "Warzone" setup, but it's not quite time for it to change just yet. Coupled with hackers invading tournaments, it felt like too much for NickMercs to deal with.

Fans appeared supportive of NickMerc's decision, cheering him on in the comments section of his YouTube announcement. Even YouTube's own official account chimed in to declare NickMerc's departure from "Warzone" to be the "end of an era." With more streamers choosing to leave the "Warzone" community, it seems like there's more incentive than ever before for Activision to implement stricter anti-cheating software for its flagship franchise.