Helldivers 2 Community Manager Spitz appears to have been fired by Arrowhead Game Studios.
A screenshot from Helldivers 2 (2024), Arrowhead Game Studios
In the Helldivers 2 Discord, Spitz or Spitzerfx no longer has the Community Manager badge and he’s made a number of comments indicating he no longer has any kind of authority or leverage in the Discord and game.
As can be seen below, Spitz is no longer listed in the Discord’s Community Manager tab. It only includes Baskinator and Twinbeard.
Helldivers 2 Community Managers as listed on Discord
Furthermore, Spitz no longer has the Community Manager listed on his profile.
Spitz’s profile on the Helldivers 2 Discord
As you can see in Baskinator’s profile, the Community Manager role is clearly listed.
Baskinator’s profile on the Helldivers 2 Discord
Not only does he no longer have the Community Manager role and he is not listed in the Community Manager tab, he’s made numerous comments indicating he no longer has any authority in the Discord.
He posted, “I can’t confirm anything anymore lol.” In another comment he wrote, “Today is a dark day.”
When asked who would do # high-command-dispatches, he responded, “not me.”
A screenshot from Helldivers 2 (2024), Arrowhead Game Studios
As for why he got fired, Spitz stated, “Generally it’s not a good idea to tell people to refund and leave negative reviews when you’re a community manager. TIL.”
Former Helldivers 2 Community Manager Spitz
In another comment he wrote, “I appreciate all the support and I appreciate even more that everyone can play the game again without restrictions. I knew I was taking a risk with what I said about refunding and changing reviews. I stand by it. It was my job to represent the community, that’s what I did. Taking the rest of the day off, not feeling super well. Love you all.”
Former Helldivers 2 Community Manager Spitz
Still in another, he wrote, ” wanted to work for Arrowhead because they’re my all-time favorite studio. I got that chance. I’m thankful for that opportunity. I’d happily continue working for them if I had the choice, but that isn’t up to me or anyone else in here. I can walk away happy and I don’t want anyone causing trouble on my behalf, especially not to people I still have a lot of care and respect for.”
Former Helldivers 2 Community Manager Spitz
In one of his most recent comments he did admit that he should have been more professional in his statements, “I’d challenge anyone to be put in the position that the CMs or moderators have been in the last four days and not let a bit of attitude seep into their comments and statements. But I agree, more professionalism was needed in some of the things I said.”
Former Helldivers 2 Community Manager Spitz
Spitz had previously belittled and mocked gamers in the Discord. He initially claimed that negative feedback would not change Sony’s decision to require Steam players to connect their accounts to a PlayStation Network account. Sony did indeed reverse their decision.
Helldivers 2 Community Manager Spitz
In another comment he wrote, “It’s not like this is the first or even the fourteenth mainstream game to require a third-party account that takes a couple minutes to create, but if it’s a dealbreaker to have to take 120 seconds out of your day to enter an email and password and then forget about it, change your Steam review and make your displeasure known on a platform where it matters.”
Screenshot of Helldivers 2 Community Manager Spitz via SnowBallBoy777 on X
In another he responded to a player who wrote, “This will kill helldivers 2 on steam. Backpedal or lose your playerbase.” Spitz replied, “I thought you were refunding and leaving.”
Screenshot of Helldivers 2 Community Manager Spitz via SnowBallBoy777 on X
Spitz eventually called for players to express their displeasure with the policy by asking for refunds and providing negative reviews so Arrowhead Game Studios would have leverage with Sony.
He wrote, “Players making their displeasure known through reviews, refunds etc. gives us more pull in the discussions with Sony. They don’t read our Discord. It hurts to see the game’s popularity suffer in ratings, but discussions are ongoing and our team is on the side of the players in this fight. It’s unrealistic to expect people to make PSN accounts in different regions to get past the account linking requirement. We’re aware of that. Discussions are ongoing.”
Helldivers 2 Community Manager Spitz
Spitz’s firing comes in the wake of Mark Kern aka Grummz calling for the Community Management team for Helldivers 2 to be fired after one of the company’s moderators falsely accused him of sexual assault, being a right-wing influencer, and leading an harassment campaign against a community manager.
The moderators also banned the term “Grummz” from the Helldivers 2 Discord.
Kern posted on X, “Jokes aside, this is a dangerous precedent. If you become *too* effective a critic of Sony and Arrowhead Game Studios, and stand up for gamers, they will ban your name from the Helldivers Discord server and personally attack you. This is blatant abuse of Community Manager power. Worst CM team in history. Fire them.”
Jokes aside, this is a dangerous precedent.
If you become *too* effective a critic of Sony and @ArrowheadGS, and stand up for gamers, they will ban your name from the Helldivers Discord server and personally attack you.
This is blatant abuse of Community Manager power.
Worst… pic.twitter.com/xmIc54ofkr
— Grummz (@Grummz) May 6, 2024
Following Spitz’s firing, Kern reacted on X, “Helldivers has FIRED Discord COMMUNITY MANAGER Spitz, who inflamed the community with his flip defense of PSN, which he later walked back. All roles removed, and he cites asking players to do negative reviews as the reason.”
He then questioned, “Has the cleanup begun? Purple was also demoted (but not fired) after falsely accusing me of crimes.”
BREAKING:
Helldivers has FIRED Discord COMMUNITY MANAGER Spitz, who inflamed the community with his flip defense of PSN, which he later walked back.
All roles removed, and he cites asking players to do negative reviews as the reason.
Thanks to @RealJackkkkk for the… pic.twitter.com/BsytksMsqT
— Grummz (@Grummz) May 7, 2024
What do you make of Spitz being fired?
Well, he found out what “too little, too late” means. But perhaps he’s learned the power of the sleeping giant that is the gaming rank-and-file. Perhaps he’ll get another job in the industry, and bring his newfound respect for that power with him. Perhaps he’ll do some good with this knowledge in a new position.
Perhaps.
Looking at the new CMs profile. Well, hope the gamers enjoyed the game for what it was. Rainbow flag capes incoming.
When you trash talk and then lose the game, expect to feel embarassment.