NICKMERCS, an Apex Legends pro and developer of FaZe Clan content, received harsh criticism for a tweet he sent out on June 7 from other gamers and members of the Apex community as a whole.
This prompted the streamer to address the criticism today in response to claims that the streamer is a “bigot” and that the remark was anti-LGBTQ+. The initial tweet in question came in response to Chris Puckett, a multi-game esports presenter and caster, who was commenting on the June 6 event in Glendale, California, when it was claimed that anti-LGBTQ+ protestors attacked pro-LGBTQ+ protesters outside of a school board meeting. To Puckett’s tweet, NICKMERCS replied, “They should leave little children alone. That’s the real issue.”
Puckett himself attempted to start a conversation but was met with angry responses and condemnation from other streamers and professionals in response to the tweet. Other Apex experts, including XSET’s Brandon “oh Nocturnal” Singer, responded with messages on how dangerous and detrimental it may be to continue to spread false information and stereotypes about the LGBTQ+ community.
More Apex players, including coach, analyst, and observer Loopy of Vexed Gaming, pledged to completely boycott future MFAM Apex events because he was hesitant to work for a “bigot.” NICKMERCS responded today on live in response to the reactions to the tweet. He further clarified what he meant by the tweet in his reaction by announcing that he would not retract it.
He said before launching into his view of the situation; “I’m making a lot of people mad, and it wasn’t my intention. My wife and I just had a baby. And her and I agree, we want to be the ones to talk to our kid about things like that… I don’t think it’s any place for a teacher or a school. I don’t think it’s the place to speak about things like that. It’s not that I don’t think that it shouldn’t be spoken about. If that’s what you got from that tweet, then you’re just wrong. It wasn’t an anti-gay tweet.”
NICKMERCS came to a similar conclusion, saying he “didn’t mean to upset anybody,” and maintaining that the tweet was not anti-LGBTQ+ but that he believed teachers and kids shouldn’t discuss sexual identity issues in the classroom. While the majority of his devoted supporters immediately stood by him, others criticized the non-apology and some of its contradictions, and it doesn’t seem like the backlash will abate any time soon.
