Palmer Luckey's Post-Facebook Ventures Thrive After $100 Million Departure Amid Political Controversy

Lachlan Phillips, an individual identified as "exo/acc 👾" on social media, recently voiced strong support for tech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey, stating, "Palmer Luckey is the best of us. And they tried to cancel him. I'm not going to forget that soon." This endorsement highlights the enduring narrative surrounding Luckey's controversial departure from Facebook (now Meta) in 2017, following public backlash over his political activities.

Luckey, the founder of Oculus VR, sold his virtual reality company to Facebook for $2 billion in 2014. However, in 2016, he faced widespread criticism after reports revealed he had donated $10,000 to Nimble America, a pro-Donald Trump group that engaged in "shitposting" and billboard campaigns. This revelation led to a significant backlash from developers and the tech community, impacting Oculus's public image.

Internal Facebook emails, later revealed by The Wall Street Journal, suggested that executives, including Mark Zuckerberg, pressured Luckey to publicly support libertarian candidate Gary Johnson despite his allegiance to Trump. While Facebook maintained that Luckey's departure was not politically motivated, Luckey himself asserted that he was fired for "no reason at all" other than his political contributions. He subsequently hired an employment lawyer, negotiating a payout of at least $100 million, which included accelerated stock awards and bonuses.

Since leaving Facebook, Luckey has successfully pivoted to the defense technology sector. In 2017, he founded Anduril Industries, a company focused on autonomous drones and sensors for military applications. Anduril has secured substantial contracts with the U.S. government, including a $967 million contract for the Advanced Battle Management Systems and a $1 billion deal with the United States Special Operations Command.

More recently, in June 2024, Luckey's new venture, ModRetro, launched its first product, the ModRetro Chromatic, a handheld retro-gaming device. Luckey's continued entrepreneurial success, particularly in the defense sector, underscores his ability to rebound from the 2017 controversy, as noted by supporters like Phillips who view him as a figure unfairly targeted.