TimTheTatman returns to Warzone 6 months after asking for operator bundle to be removed amid NICKMERCS controversy

Was it a boycott or an extended break?

A screenshot of TimTheTatman from his live stream.
Screenshot by Dot Esports via YouTube/TimTheTatman

TimTheTatman, a popular livestreamer who built the foundation of his streaming career playing Call of Duty, has returned to the game after a lengthy hiatus in a livestream today.

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Tim went live on YouTube with Call of Duty: Warzone for the first time since Modern Warfare 3’s new iteration, and the first time in about six months, according to his livestream history on YouTube. Tim said he got back on CoD after being asked to join Dr Disrespect and Cloakzy for some games.

TimTheTatman operator skin in MW2 and Warzone 2.
Tim’s operator skin is still in-game but can no longer be purchased. Image via Activision

On June 10, just days after his and NICKMERCS’ skins were added to the game, Tim asked for his to be removed in solidarity with the streamer who “has been my friend for years” and “we went in getting our CoD operators together.” Tim said at the time that “it feels wrong for me to have mine and him no longer have his.”

NICKMERCS had his operator bundle removed from the game on June 8 following a post on Twitter/X where he replied to a tweet by Chris Puckett regarding a video of anti-LGBTQ+ protestors allegedly attacking pro-LGBTQ+ demonstrators.

NICKMERCS’ message of “leave little children alone” is often considered a dog whistle for anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, and CoD removed his skin the next day in response to his post. The reaction from the community to the bundle’s removal was also quite mixed, with many both agreeing and disagreeing with the decision.

Only NICKMERCS knows what his intentions were with the tweet, but the removal of the bundle likely was not taken lightly by Activision. The launch of his and Tim’s bundles was meant to be the beginning of several partnerships with content creators, including Scump and FaZe Swagg, who said both of their bundles were canceled after the events in June.

Tim’s return to CoD may end up being short-lived, but it is interesting nonetheless. NICKMERCS, meanwhile, has found success while competing in Apex Legends after not returning to CoD since his operator bundle was removed.

Both Tim and NICKMERCS’ skins can still be found running around in MW3, Warzone, and Modern Warfare 2 today.

Author
Image of Scott Duwe
Scott Duwe
Senior Staff Writer & Call of Duty lead. Professional writer for over 10 years. Lover of all things Marvel, Destiny 2, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and more. Previous bylines include PC Gamer, Red Bull Esports, Fanbyte, and Esports Nation. DogDad to corgis Yogi and Mickey, sports fan (NY Yankees, NY Jets, NY Rangers, NY Knicks), Paramore fanatic, cardio enthusiast.