The first-person shooter streaming space is packed with a variety of personalities showcasing their skills to their audiences. Whether it’s Call of Duty players demonstrating their quickscoping skills or Counter-Strike professionals competing against the best in the world, there’s plenty of choice on YouTube, Twitch, and Kick for those needing a fix of FPS action.
While many content creators focus on building a loyal and welcoming community of their own, several high-profile streamers have taken the spotlight recently due to situations beyond their skills on the virtual battlefield.
One of the more outspoken streamers often causing debate is FaZe Clan member Nick ‘NickMercs’ Kolcheff. On June 28th, 2024, he received a Twitch ban preventing him from broadcasting on the platform. Kolcheff claims the ban is due to using a derogatory term but this isn’t the first time the streamer has caused controversy. In June 2022, a tweet surrounding LGBTQ+ demonstrators being attacked resulted in the streamer’s Modern Warfare 2 Operator bundle disappearing from the in-game store.
Nickmercs is often the center of controversy
It’s not just NickMercs who’s the center of controversy within the FPS streaming space. In June 2024, the reason behind Guy ‘Dr Disrespect’ Beahm’s heavily reported Twitch ban surfaced. A Rolling Stone report confirmed that the streamer had sent inappropriate messages to a minor using the platform’s messaging system. The revelation led to Beahm being ousted from his own game studio Midnight Society, which is working on a free-to-play extraction shooter. This was along with his YouTube channel being stripped of monetization. With two of the biggest content creators often causing debate or being cancelled altogether, the old guard of FPS streaming is about to lose its gulag.
Thankfully, there are still plenty of content creators who are avoiding controversy and proving skills can pay the bills. 2014 Call of Duty world champion Tyler ‘TeeP’ Polchow has established himself as one of the largest Warzone streamers in the world. Often seen dropping into ranked matches and big-map battle royale, TeeP continues to showcase his Call of Duty skills to his thousands of fans. Michael ‘Shroud’ Grzesiek is another example of providing entertaining content through the power of world-class gameplay. The former Counter-Strike pro is often seen playing the latest extraction shooter or on Counter-Strike 2 proving he’s still one of the sharpest shooters in North America.
The controversy surrounding high-profile streamers often puts a negative light on the entirety of the sector despite many not having anything to do with the latest divisive X post or some inappropriate goings-on involving people who should ultimately know better. While the previous generation of FPS streamers is disappearing, there are still plenty of options for those looking to be entertained. A whole new generation of streaming stars are on the rise. Warzone streamer BeckyJoo has recently surpassed 50,000 followers on Twitch while aspiring XDefiant pro Rackzy is closing in on 30,000 followers on the platform, just in time for Ranked play to drop. The future is certainly looking bright for FPS streaming, even if it is currently under a cloud.