NICKMERCS calls out Call of Duty scene amid Vanguard hacking scandal

Jacob Hale

NICKMERCS has had his say on the state of the Call of Duty scene, after hacking accusations ran rampant in an online tournament featuring OpTic, LA Thieves and more.

Before NICKMERCS was one of the biggest streamers in the world, he made his name by grinding SnD tournaments with his friends, facing off against some of the best in the world.

While Nick has never made his disdain for the scene a secret, with the accusations that came out in this tournament, he let his feelings be known again.

With some choice names for the Search and Destroy grinders, and a shout out to the “real ones,” Nick advised anyone looking to make it to “steer clear” of the scene entirely.

CoD Vanguard firefight
The opening days of Vanguard haven’t been short of controversy, and Nick has made his opinion known.

“The CoD SnD community… By far the worst group I’ve ever been a part of,” he said, opening a series of tweets that definitely shed the scene in a poor light.

“Home to some of the dirtiest little creatures on the internet,” he continued. “Cheaters, booters, hackers – Anything for a buck.” He then advised his followers to “steer clear.”

It wasn’t long before LA Guerrillas CDL star Austin ‘SlasheR’ Liddicoat responded, saying that the “sad thing is its somehow worse than when you were grinding.”

“I’ll never forget & forever appreciate the real ones,” Nick responded. “But honestly they were just heavy outnumbered by all the losers. People getting shot over a 2.50. My family in handcuffs over weekly swats. Lag switchers, faker proofs, host f**ks. Never again.”

Long-time fans of NICKMERCS can safely rule out a return to the “dirty” world of Search and Destroy grinding, but by the sounds of it, he’s not too upset about that.

This isn’t the first time Nick has called out Call of Duty players, and has taken aim at some of the best out there in the past. In 2018, he went on a rant about two-time CoD world champion Tyler ‘aBeZy’ Pharris, calling him a “f**king a**hole” and a “pr*ck.” Safe to say, there’s no love lost between Nick and the CoD community.

About The Author

Jacob is Dexerto’s UK Editor and Call of Duty esports specialist. With a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Creative Writing, he previously worked as an Editor at Ginx TV. Jacob was nominated for Journalist of the Year at the 2023 Esports Awards. Contact: jacob.hale@dexerto.com.