The streamer Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff (33) complains in his new video about the decline of gaming. He says modern games are no longer fun for him. Other than Elden Ring, there isn’t much good left. Therefore, he has turned away from games like Apex Legends, Fortnite, or Call of Duty. But there’s a twist to it, believes MeinMMO author Schuhmann.
Who is Nickmercs?
- The streamer Nickmercs was for a long time one of the most successful shooter streamers. He rose to fame on Twitch in the wake of the Fortnite hype around Ninja, then switched to games like Call of Duty and Apex Legends.
- But his career took a downturn when he lost a special deal with Call of Duty in June 2023 due to transphobic statements and then was banned from Twitch in June 2024.
- Recently, the popular shooter streamer has barely been on air.
Do video games still bring joy?
How does he justify his break? In a new video on Kick, Nickmercs reacts to a video on the topic: “Do video games still bring joy?” by Zenmai Goose.
The video from September 2023 posits the thesis:
- That video games today, while better on paper than before, are more immersive, advanced, and receive more respect.
- Video games also involve more money than before.
- But due to microtransactions and excessive commercialization, gaming is no longer as enjoyable as it used to be. Video games have lost their innocence and magic. Therefore, many “real gamers” have been put off, who now talk a lot about gaming but no longer play as much themselves.
Another reason cited for the problems in modern gaming is that games have become too complex and elaborate – and the culture of releasing unfinished games along with Day-1 DLC and more updates.
Moreover, marketing and excessive hype are criticized – which has become more important than the quality of the games.
Nickmercs supports this thesis and sees himself reflected in the video. He explains how much he loved video games as a child and today there is “barely anything he likes” except for Elden Ring.
He says: Games are not as good as they used to be
– he sees Pay2Win and microtransactions as problems. In principle, games with an in-game shop are okay, but new games take it too far.
Nickmercs’ criticism is sponsored by the crypto casino Stake
What makes this so strange? Nickmercs laments the increasing commercialization of gaming. That’s completely fine, many criticize that. However, he does so on the streaming platform Kick while the logo of the crypto casino “Stake” is displayed.
That’s about as if someone discussed the problems of alcoholism while being sponsored by Jack Daniel’s.
In the comments, people write: “Gaming too often has a hidden agenda. Gaming should be solely about entertainment” – this is a commonly expressed opinion, implying that leftist developers
spread their ideology in games. They focus on issues like diversity, equality, and inclusion, neglecting the actual game and enjoyment.
The accusation that developers follow a hidden agenda seems ironic when the comment is under a video sponsored by a casino that openly seeks to promote its gambling model through gaming: Twitch streamers earn millions € with gambling deals – Their viewers go bankrupt
