Twitch streamer NICKMERCS has caught the attention of many gamers on the internet after stating that hackers in competitive multiplayer games, such as Apex Legends and Call of Duty, should be sent to jail. While NICKMERCS is often not afraid to speak his mind on gaming issues, this latest comment from the Twitch streamer regarding video game cheating is doubtlessly bold.
It is no secret that cheaters and hackers are common issues in online gaming. Unfortunately, the competitive integrity of popular multiplayer games is often compromised by individuals that attempt to disrupt and negatively alter the game for others through various means, such as DDoS attacks, aimbots, and wallhacks, to name a few. It seems NICKMERCS has had enough of these issues after attempting to play Apex Legends.
In a recent tweet, NICKMERCS made some interesting comments regarding those not playing by the rules in video games. According to the message, the popular Twitch streamer said cheaters and hackers in video games “should 100% be sent to jail.” Based on the tweet, he felt compelled to make these comments after running into hackers repeatedly during a long gaming session. While it is unclear whether NICKMERCS really believes that those who hack while playing competitive video games should go to jail or if he was saying it to make a point, the tweet evidences his annoyance with the issue regardless.
Since NICKMERCS made this tweet about sending video game cheaters to jail, numerous members of the online gaming community have chimed in. In only a day, the message has received over 22.8K upvotes, with many agreeing that rampant hackers were an issue. Among the comments, many prominent streamers and competitive players weighed in. For example, content creator and popular Apex Legends player iiTzTimmy proposed that gamers should have a single profile connected to every game they play, noting that new ones could not be created. “If you cheat, then its on your gaming record and gg,” he said.
It is worth noting that the developers of many popular multiplayer games are often looking to improve their ways of defending against cheaters. For instance, Infinity Ward recently revealed a new update for its Ricochet anti-cheat software coming in Season 3 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2, adding a replay tool and other measures to thwart hackers' attempts. While these advancements are encouraging, comments from popular streamers like NICKMERCS indicate that there is still general frustration within many gaming communities.
It will be interesting to see where the discussion regarding hackers and cheaters in online gaming goes from here. While the suggestions proposed by NICKMERCS and iiTzTimmy could improve the situation, there are obvious issues that would likely keep these ideas from happening. Hopefully, the developers of competitive games will continue to make advancements to their anti-cheat systems so that those wanting to play competitive games can have a more enjoyable experience.
Source: Dexerto