A technical glitch in Call of Duty briefly resurrected the banned Nickmercs operator skin, almost two years after its removal.  Reports suggest the glitch was limited in scope and quickly addressed by the Call of Duty team.

The skin's removal stemmed from controversial comments made by Nickmercs, whose real name is Nicholas Kolcheff, in June 2023.  His remarks regarding a protest against LGBT activists led to accusations of inciting anti-LGBT violence and prompted Activision to pull the skin from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone. In solidarity, fellow streamer TimTheTatman also requested the removal of his own operator bundle, which Activision honored.

The reappearance of the Nickmercs skin in late March 2025 was initially highlighted by YouTuber ItsHapa, who shared gameplay footage of the operator bundle being available in the Warzone store.  However, reports indicate the bundle was not actually purchasable.  Those who encountered it experienced errors when attempting to buy it.

The glitch appears to have affected a small number of players across Black Ops 6 and Warzone.  Activision has not publicly commented on the incident. Given the decline in reports after March 24th, it's likely the issue has been resolved.

While the skin briefly reappeared due to this error, the likelihood of Activision officially reinstating it is minimal.  Removing the skin was a significant decision, and reversing it would be an unprecedented move for the Microsoft-owned company.  However, the skin hasn't been entirely erased from the game. Players who purchased it before its removal can still use it in online matches.