In a groundbreaking move that has sent shockwaves through the gaming industry, Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff, a prominent figure in the world of live streaming, has made history by leaving behind a decade-long exclusive partnership with Twitch. Instead, he has chosen to embark on an exciting new journey with the upstart competitor Kick. This bold decision comes as a result of an irresistible offer, with Nickmercs set to begin streaming primarily on Kickstarting in late October, thanks to a remarkable one-year contract worth an estimated $10 million.

The allure of this extraordinary deal, which has been confirmed by a reliable source familiar with the negotiations, solidifies Nickmercs’ position as one of the highest-paid gamers in the world. The gaming community is abuzz with anticipation as they eagerly await the creative and formal fusion of his content on this new platform.

Kick, a relatively new player in the live streaming arena, has been making waves with its talent-friendly approach and its ability to offer astronomical contracts. Earlier this year, the platform successfully secured the signatures of other prominent Twitch stars, Felix “xQc” Lengyel and Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa, with deals worth an estimated $35 million and $7 million respectively. Kick’s unique model allows content creators to retain an impressive 95% of subscription revenues on their channels, while also refraining from running ads during streams.

Despite Kick’s smaller audience, which currently stands at an average of 140,000 viewers compared to Twitch’s 2.4 million, the platform’s founders, Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, remain confident in its economic viability. Their substantial cryptocurrency war chest, amassed from their other venture, Stake, a crypto-backed offshore casino that generated a staggering $2.6 billion in revenue last year, has provided them with the resources to offer certain creators cryptocurrency as part of their overall compensation package.

Nickmercs’ journey in the gaming world began over a decade ago on Justin. tv, the predecessor to Twitch. With his bombastic personality and aggressive gaming style, he quickly amassed a dedicated fanbase. In 2019, he joined FaZe Clan as a co-owner, further solidifying his influence in the industry. However, the value of his shares in the publicly traded company has since diminished significantly.

During the pandemic-era gaming boom, Nickmercs became one of the faces of Twitch, securing an eight-figure platform-exclusivity contract with the Amazon-backed streaming giant in 2020. With almost seven million followers and a peak of over 80,000 monthly subscribers, he has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the platform.

However, Twitch’s recent decision to reduce the subscription revenue share for top creators from 70% to 50% starting in June 2023 signalled a shift away from big payouts for its biggest stars. This, coupled with Nickmercs’ insatiable ambition, led him to explore new opportunities and ultimately make the move to Kick.

In addition to the lucrative contract, Kick has also committed to supporting Nickmercs’ live events and digital gaming tournaments, further solidifying his vision of building a strong community around his entrepreneurial endeavours. With his MFAM (Mercs family) by his side, Nickmercs is eager to make an immediate impact on Kick and help shape the future of gaming on the platform.

As Nickmercs embarks on this new chapter in his career, the gaming world eagerly awaits the impact he will undoubtedly make on Kick. His decision to join the upstart competitor marks a significant milestone in the ever-evolving landscape of live streaming. It is a testament to his talent, ambition, and the immense potential of platforms like Kick to revolutionize the gaming industry.