Emily Pitcher Lands 1 Publishing Deal for 'Lily's World XD' After 2023 Meta Layoff
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · May 20
Emily Pitcher Lands 1 Publishing Deal for 'Lily's World XD' After 2023 Meta Layoff
1 articles · Updated · Business Insider · May 20
26-year-old Emily Pitcher said she has signed with a publisher to launch indie game "Lily's World XD" around the end of 2026 after being laid off from Meta in 2023.
Repeated job rejections pushed her to pursue entrepreneurship full-time, building income through social-media brand deals, content creation and voice acting instead of returning to Big Tech.
A TikTok video showing early mockups of the game drew a few million views, validating demand and helping shape the project before she had even learned to code.
Pitcher said learning programming from a friend, YouTube and online forums turned the idea into a viable product, while openly sharing her layoff struggles also expanded her audience and opportunities.
Her account underscores how some laid-off tech workers are trying to create independent careers, even as she noted many peers who explored passion projects later returned to corporate jobs.
Laid off by Meta, her viral TikToks built a new career. Is radical transparency the new key to professional success?
As AI investment drives mass layoffs, is the solo creator the new model for a resilient career in the tech world?