Glitch in Call of Duty Resurrects Previously Banned Skin

In an unexpected twist, the banned Nickmercs operator skin made a reappearance in Call of Duty’s Black Ops 6 and Warzone shops in March 2025. This surprise resurfacing, nearly two years after its removal, left many players puzzled, but it has been linked to a glitch. The mystery deepens as it seems not all players could see the skin, and those who did reportedly couldn’t purchase it.

A glitch within Call of Duty has unexpectedly brought back the once-banned Nickmercs skin, much to the community’s surprise. Initial reports suggest that this bug affected only a small portion of players. It seems that the Call of Duty team has swiftly moved in to resolve the issue.

Back in May 2023, Activision released operator skins for Nickmercs and TimTheTatman. Not long after, Nickmercs, officially known as Nicholas Kolcheff, found himself amidst controversy after commenting on a video related to violence against LGBT activists. His remark about “leaving little children alone” during a school board meeting about Pride Month led to a significant online backlash, with accusations of instigating anti-LGBT violence. Consequently, the Nickmercs skin was taken down from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone stores within two days. In solidarity, TimTheTatman requested his bundle’s removal, a request with which Activision quickly complied.

Fast forward two years, and the Nickmercs skin reportedly popped back into the Call of Duty store in late March 2025. This unanticipated return was brought to public attention by YouTuber ItsHapa, who shared a video showing the skin available in the Warzone shop. ComicBook noted that this footage was sourced from a viewer.

Despite the brief reappearance, the glitch’s impact seemed minimal, with few players reporting sightings of the bundle in the Black Ops 6 and Warzone shops. Even those who encountered the skin couldn’t buy it, facing unspecified errors during purchase attempts. Activision has remained silent on this issue, and with player reports of the skin’s visibility dwindling around March 24, it appears the glitch might have been fixed.

Activision officially relaunching the Nickmercs skin seems highly unlikely, as it would mark an unprecedented move for the Microsoft-owned giant. Although the operator bundle was removed from digital storefronts, it wasn’t stripped from the game entirely. This means players who purchased it before its removal can still use the skin in online matches.