That Anti-LGBTQ ‘Call of Duty’ Boycott Has Utterly Failed

After calling for boycotts on everything from Bud Light to Chick-Fil-A, the far-right has tried to create another anti-LGBTQ backlash against a major corporation. Fortunately, right-wing gamers’ attempt to boycott FPS franchise Call of Duty has been less than successful, to say the least. Initial data reveals the right hasn’t just failed to boycott Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and its battle royale mode, Warzone. Somehow, the game’s player base grew in the wake of the boycott, at least on PC.

On June 9, Activision Blizzard removed a gun skin bundle for FaZe Clan’s Nicholas “NICKMERCS” Kolcheff after the esports figure tweeted anti-LGBTQ remarks implying queer adults are grooming kids. The far-right internet sphere quickly came to NICKMERCS’ support, with conservatives promising to part ways with “Call of Groomers.”

Despite streamers like Dr Disrespect and TimTheTatman throwing their weight behind the boycott, all that far-right handwringing resulted in the exact opposite of the intended effect. For the first time in months, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has seen an increase in users on Steam. Over the past 30 days, the game rose its average player baseline by 1,483 players (or 2.32 percent), ending a six-month bleed off since the game’s November 2022 release, per Steam Charts data from June 27. The game also saw its highest peak player count since April, with over 113,000 players hopping on at one point in the past 30 days

To make matters worse for right-wingers, anti-trans crusader Matt Walsh crossed the digital picket line by playing Call of Duty on his YouTube channel. One alarmed right-winger said his timing was “terrible.” Others questioned whether he was aware a boycott was even going on, speaking to the protest’s sheer futility.

The boycott has not had a clear and obvious impact on Twitch, either. Over at SullyGnome, a Twitch stats tracker, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 saw a brief dip in viewers between June 12 and 14, but the game has generally maintained its baseline traffic peaks all month. Over the past 30 days, overall hours watched are down, as are average viewers, but max viewer numbers have increased, and more players are broadcasting the game than in the last 30-day period.

Call of Duty: Warzone has seen a similar fate. Hours watched and average viewers are down for the title by 8.4 percent apiece, but there’s no clear, sustained longterm dent in viewership when looking at the overall baseline for the game. In fact, the game saw an increase in max viewers in the past 30 days compared to the last period, up by 12.3 percent.

Those minimal declines for both Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone on Twitch are likely driven by Call of Duty’s seasonal nature, and not some right-wing boycott gaining traction. So no, no luck on that Call of Duty protest, conservatives. PC gamers clearly remain undeterred from playing their favorite shooter.

(feature image: Activision Blizzard, Remix by Ana Valens)