Emily Pitcher (SonderingEmily) interview
Emily Pitcher is an indie game developer and content creator. She was part of last year’s Forbes 30 under 30, and she’s currently working on her indie game lily's world XD.
Emily recently won Best Gaming Creator at the Asian Creator Awards, and we had a chance to chat with her following her big win. Let’s dive in!
We'd love to start with an intro! Could you please introduce yourself?
Hey, I'm Emily, a Los Angeles based game developer and content creator. I'm making lily's world XD, a psychological horror game about investigating a young girl's computer and discovering her darkest secrets. I am a content creator, and I make videos documenting my development journey and sharing my favorite indie games.
How did you get into game development?
I started at UCLA's game development club. I'd always loved playing games and wondered how I could get in the craft myself as a writer. Slowly, I fell in love with the medium and I'm still doing it today.
What do you like most about game development?
I love that game development takes mediums that are powerful on their own - art, music, writing, design - but when combined, can form something greater than the sum of their parts. I love problem solving in creative ways, and game development just scratches that itch. In other storytelling mediums, the narrative is usually linear, but I love that games have player agency, which creates an even more immersive experience.
Congrats on winning Best Gaming Creator at the Asian Creator Awards! What was it like winning the award?
Growing up, I looked up to creators like Nigahiga, Kevjumba, Michelle Phan, and WongFuProductions. I'm so honored to be part of the next generation of Asian creators. I went to VidCon when I was 12, so I've ben a fan girl since I was young. Still, I have difficulty comprehending that people are excited watching my content and meeting me. So I'm really excited and grateful to win this award!
What do you like to do for fun?
Besides playing and making games, I enjoy drawing, watching kdramas/anime, and learning Chinese.
What are your favorite Asian snacks?
Mochi — if you live in LA, you have to go to Fugetsu-Do. Tanghulu, shrimp chips — specifically the gochujang flavor — and lychee jelly. Now, I'm hungry!