Nick "NICKMERCS" Kolcheff has become one of the most popular streamers on Twitch, boasting over 5 million followers and an estimated net worth of $4-9 million.
As a former professional Gears of War and Call of Duty player turned full-time streamer and gaming personality, he has built an entertainment/esports brand that shows no signs of slowing down.
But how did NICKMERCS accumulate his fortune to date? Where does the bulk of his money come from? And what does his streaming empire look like from a business perspective?
As a small business consultant helping entrepreneurs monetize their passions, I decided to dive deeper into the numbers and strategies underpinning his success.
Here’s a look inside the wealth and rising career of Nickmercs as we estimate his net worth in 2024 and beyond.
The Start: Transitioning Recognition into Income
Nickmercs started live streaming on Justin.TV back in 2010, bringing over a small community of fans from his early days competing in Gears of War tournaments.
For those first few years, streaming remained more of a hobby—some casual entertainment alongside his eSports career rather than a major income source.
His big breakthrough came around 2018 when he joined 100 Thieves as one of their first content creators. This provided some financial stability thanks to a salary and sponsorship deals.
More importantly, his personality and Call of Duty highlights quickly attracted a wider audience; he averaged around 5,000 live viewers in his first year with 100 Thieves.
Then came the meteoric rise in followers. Nick and his squad made headlines by racking up 54 elimination in a single Fortnite match—a Twitch moment that temporarily crashed his channel mid-stream.
Overall Nickmercs amassed tournament winnings of $130,000+ competing in Fortnite, but his popularity—and earning potential—were just taking off.
Leaving 100 Thieves & Joining FaZe Clan: The Big Leagues
By this point, Nickmercs realized streaming was not just a lucrative side gig—it was a career. So when he felt dissatisfied with the direction of 100 Thieves in early 2019, he made a power move by joining rival esports juggernaut FaZe Clan.
This catapulted him into the top tier of variety streamers and content creators. According to TwitchTracker, Nickmercs currently averages over 20,000 live viewers and earns roughly $257k per month from subscriber revenue, donations, ad deals and sponsorships.
To put his popularity into perspective, that monthly income places him comfortably among the top 20 highest paid Twitch stars and likely in the top 0.01% of all streamers.
Since joining FaZe his subscriber count has skyrocketed. Nickmercs now has around 60,000 paid subscribers on Twitch who pay $5 per month for perks like custom emotes and badges.
That subscriber base alone nets him ~$300k per month before any other monetization. FaZe Clan also takes a cut of that subscriber revenue, usually 10-30%, for providing support around content, sponsorships deals, merchandise, events, etc.
The bulk of his estimated $4-9 million net worth comes from these subscribers, paired with YouTube ad revenue, gaming tournament winnings, partnerships, donations from viewers, and merch sales.
And his earning potential continues rising at an astounding rate.
Why Nickmercs Represents a New Generation of Streamer
As both a small business owner and avid esports fan myself, I’m fascinated by the way Nickmercs has capitalized on a commentating/variety streaming format more akin to a Paul brother than the MLG players of old.
He is loud, lively, unfiltered…and extremely watchable/relatable, especially for fans of fast-paced shooter and battle royale titles. This sets him apart even from streaming mega-stars like Ninja or Shroud who exploded on Fortnite/Apex but have seen declining viewership long-term.
Nick connects directly with his community like few others. Just look at his affiliated group MFAM which has become a defining sub-brand and passionate fanbase in itself.
Or the culture he’s created via viral catchphrases like “one shot, one kill” and "let’s ride.” This gives followers a sense of belonging whether they’re watching or even streaming themselves.
Most uniquely, he has established himself as arguably the best Warzone streamer utilizing a controller instead of mouse & keyboard. All while maintaining elite skills across any shooter he touches.
This gives him greater appeal among console gamers while cementingauthority as a meta-breaking movement & gunplay mastermind.
Simply put…there’s just no one quite like Nickmercs.
And brands have taken notice. On top of subscribers and ad splits, Nickmercs earns big money from high-profile sponsorships and endorsements. These include:
- GFuel– Energy drink & lifestyle brand for gamers
- Scuf Gaming– High-performance controllers & accessories
- Astro Gaming Headsets
- Razer– Leading gaming peripheral brand
These deals provide a nice recurring revenue stream on top of his core business. As an influencer with such clear market power around shooter games, he likely earns 5-7 figures annually from sponsorships with potential equity/royalties in certain cases.
The Road Ahead – $10 Million Net Worth on the Horizon?
At only 32, Nickmercs is just entering his prime both as an esports athlete and cult icon among shooter fans. The ceiling remains sky-high.
He shows no signs of slowing down, still playing 6-8 hours daily for his stream while engaging across social media and real-world events.
Barring any major career/mental health setbacks common for pro streamers, it’s reasonable to forecast his net worth reaching $10 million or more within 5 years.
But finances aside, the MFAM community and identity around Nickmercs feel like his longest-lasting legacy—something that will continue influencing gaming culture even after he eventually steps back.
For any gamers and streamers wanting to model their channel after a successful persona, Nickmercs remains the case study par excellence. He demonstrates exactly how to turn one‘s gaming passion into entertainment…into an empire.
