A recent Call of Duty glitch caused the banned Nickmercs operator skin to briefly reappear in the Black Ops 6 and Warzone in-game shops. Nearly two years after its removal, players were surprised to find the bundle back—though it appears this was purely accidental, and Activision has since addressed the issue.
The Controversial Removal of the Nickmercs Skin
The Nickmercs and TimTheTatman operator skins were originally introduced in Call of Duty in May 2023. However, controversy erupted when Nickmercs—real name Nicholas Kolcheff—commented on social media about a violent incident at a Pride Month school board meeting, stating, “they should leave little children alone.” This remark led to accusations of anti-LGBT sentiments, prompting Activision to remove his skin from the store. In solidarity, TimTheTatman requested his own bundle be removed as well, which Activision complied with.
How the Glitch Happened
The reappearance of the Nickmercs operator bundle was first noticed by YouTuber ItsHapa, who shared footage from a viewer showing the skin listed in the Call of Duty Warzone shop. However, the glitch only affected a small number of players, and even those who saw the bundle reported being unable to purchase it due to an error message.
Activision has not commented on the incident, but player reports of the banned skin declined after March 24, suggesting the issue has been quietly fixed.
Can the Nickmercs Skin Return?
While this glitch temporarily made the Nickmercs skin visible, the chances of Activision officially relaunching it are nearly nonexistent. However, the skin was never fully removed from the game—players who bought it before its delisting can still use it in matches.
Despite the controversy, Call of Duty continues to expand with its most recent title Black Ops 6 and ongoing Warzone updates. But this incident serves as a reminder that no content is ever truly gone, even when it’s officially banned.
