John Paul M. Joaquin Games 06.12.2023 05:Jun AM EDT

Activision Removes TimTheTatman Bundle From MW2 Following His Request

Call of Duty fans now have one less operator skin to enjoy.

Activision recently granted the request from TimTheTatman of removing his operator bundle from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 following his declaration of support for NICKMERCS after the recent controversy involving him.

Activision released TimTheTatman and NICKMERCS' operator bundles on both games in May due to popular support.

TimTheTatman Request Details

.@NICKMERCS has been my friend for years- we went in getting our CoD operators together.

It feels wrong for me to have mine and him no longer have his. In support of my friend, please remove the timthetatman bundle@CallofDuty
— timthetatman👑 (@timthetatman) June 10, 2023

TimTheTatman, also known as Timothy Betar, previously asked Activision to remove his operator skin to show his support for his buddy NICKMERCS after he replied to a tweet from Overwatch League host Chris Puckett about the confrontation between pro-and anti-LGBTQ protestors outside California's Glendale Unified School District, The Gamer.

You may recall that the school district called a board meeting to take action on a resolution proclaiming June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month, per CNN; anti-LGBTQ protestors expressed their concern over indoctrination and grooming, while those for the community pushed for inclusion and respect.

They should leave little children alone. That’s the real issue.
— FaZe Nickmercs (@NICKMERCS) June 7, 2023

NICKMERCS, a popular game streamer, said to Puckett that the LGBTQ+ community and its supporters should "leave little children alone." He eventually received backlash from his reply as people accused him of being homophobic and supporting anti-LGBT violence. NICKMERCS would address the backlash shortly, stating he won't apologize for his choice of words.

In response, Activision removed its operator bundle from the games that offer it, stating that it "focused on celebrating Pride with our employees and our community" in a tweet.

Shortly thereafter, Betar would ask Activision to remove his operator bundle as well; he stated in a tweet that NICKMERCS has been his friend for years and that it felt wrong for him to have his operator bundle available while NICKMERCS' was removed.

"[NICKMERCS and I] went in getting our CoD operators together," Betar said in his tweet. "In support of my friend, please release the timthetatman bundle."

In response to Betar's request, Activision removed his operator bundle from its games, per Game Rant and Kotaku, citing a statement from a spokesperson for Activision.

Community Backlash Against Activision's Actions

Many Call of Duty fans were quick to criticize Activision's removal of NICKMERCS and Tim's operator bundles, with many in the community stating they feel compelled to quit playing Call of Duty games altogether and uninstalling them in protest.

Popular streamer Dr. Disrespect also expressed his support for NICKMERCS by doing just that and stating he would do so during a recent stream.

Meanwhile, others in the community showed their support for Activision's decision to remove both streamers' operator bundles from their games, saying that Call of Duty shouldn't have skins with streamers with problematic views.

Regardless, it seems plausible that Activision would be hesitant in collaborating with real people in the future for their newest skins and operator bundles, per The Verge. The gaming community is likewise abuzz with discussions on how the controversy will change creator collaborations in the foreseeable future.

Tags call of duty NICKMERCS timthetatman call of duty nickmercs operator bundle call of duty timthetatman operator bundle Activision Activision Blizzard