The Upsetting Reason Why NickMercs Won't Stream With His Family
Swatting – the phenomenon in which viewers falsely report streamers to the police in an attempt to send a SWAT team running into their home live on camera – sadly isn't anything new. Swatters forced xQc to move, scaring him to the point that he felt safer leaving his home. The streamer even said that on some occasions, he genuinely felt like he was going to die in one the repeated police raids on his house. Many streamers have been swatted live on stream, but that doesn't mean it's some sort of rite of passage. Many content creators with families are especially protective of their privacy in order to protect their closest love ones from experiencing the terrifying police raids, and NickMercs is no different.
In order to keep his family safe, NickMercs won't stream with them. In an April 23 stream, NickMercs was grabbing a quick bite before diving into "Apex Legends" when one viewer brought up the streamer's wife, suggesting they do a cooking stream together. The streamer agreed that his wife's cooking was always on point, and that he enjoyed everything she makes. However, he shot the chat's idea down quickly.
NickMercs repeatedly insisted that he was opposed to the idea of bringing his wife on stream, even though his wife's cooking is delicious. "It's just not gonna happen," he told viewers. "A cookbook of some sort, maybe? ... but like, a cookie stream? Nah." NickMercs said that viewers probably know why he wouldn't want to stream with his wife, but he eventually felt the need to clarify why going live with one of his most beloved family members was a bad idea.
It's a safety issue
NickMercs didn't mince words when it came to explaining why he wouldn't stream with his wife. "You know that I get swatted like three times a f***ing week. You know that?" NickMercs asked his chat. I don't want nobody to feel bad for me, I just want you to understand that if you were in my shoes, you wouldn't want to put your people up on the screen that often, either." NickMercs continued to say that he's gone after two people who've made false reports against them, ultimately landing them in jail for misusing law enforcement's time and resources. The streamer confessed that he's preparing to go after another false reporter in retaliation for the stress and trauma his family has experienced from the swatting incidents. He admitted that he's lucky to have such a dedicated following, and he's thankful for everything he's built, but that doesn't mean that he wants to put his loved ones in harm's way.
While some chat members still seemed confused, most understood the sentiment. One viewer commented, "How f***ed up are you to literally put multiple peoples lives in potential danger for pleasures? Your a serial killer." Intentionally bringing harms to other is sociopathic behavior, they inferred, and NickMercs wouldn't wish for his wife to be treated that way.
Perhaps the most upsetting thing about NickMercs' swatting confession is that longtime viewers know this isn't the first time the streamer has been victim to others' ill intent.
NickMercs is a prime target for swatters
Back in 2018, NickMercs tweeted some deep thoughts about swatting. He apologized for ending his stream quickly, saying, "Swat team showed up at the door. I'm good, everybody's good. But yo I can't stop thinking about it. It's just hard for me to understand why people still do this & find it funny. Strange world, strange times." Other streamers and fans alike poured into NickMercs' mentions, sharing that they were glad he was safe and that nothing else happened due to the misunderstanding. Video of the incident showed how panicked NickMercs felt during the swat. After his dog began barking, the streamer seemed aware something strange was going on. He then looked up from his game, telling someone "hello" before leaving the room. He came back to quickly tell his chat that he had to leave, then cut the stream. While this might have been one of the first incidents NickMercs experienced, it certainly wasn't the last.
In a podcast with "Scuffed," NickMercs shared that one raid even saw a helicopter come to his apartment. He told the police that had a wife and dog he wanted to stay safe, and that someone was swatting him, but the officers didn't know what that meant, they handcuffed NickMercs anyway.
Streaming seems like a fun, safe hobby – or even profession – but having police officers rush into your home isn't exactly stress-free. While viewers can continue enjoying his streams, don't expect NickMerc's wife to make an appearance anytime soon.