Next-Gen Development Consulting
Bridging 30 years of AAA industry expertise with AI velocity, Short Stax Media transforms how studios ship games by combining battle-tested production wisdom with cutting-edge artificial intelligence implementation.
Amplify: AI Readiness
AI-powered workflows that accelerate time-to-market
Optimize: Processes
AI-assisted project tracking, production pipelines, testing and review. Early Discord integration
Transform: Culture
GenAI tool training, team building and burnout prevention
Everything's Fine We're Shipping on Time
with Ric and Gary
The podcast where 30 years of AAA wisdom meets AI innovation. Hear the unfiltered stories behind your favorite games from the creators who built them. And learn how they're implementing AI solutions into their current workflows.
Watch/Listen on your favorite service:
59:46
YouTube
EFWSOT with Kelly Zmak
From One Step Above Dirt to 300+ Shipped Titles: 40 Years of Gaming Wisdom with Kelly Zmak What does it take to survive and thrive through four decades of video game history? In this episode, hosts Gary Gettys and Ric Neil sit down with industry legend Kelly Zmak—a veteran executive, consultant, and the man who famously turned the cowboy hat into a gaming industry trademark. Kelly shares his incredible journey, starting as a part-time game tester at Activision in 1986 (where QA techs were jokin
01:09:54
YouTube
EFWSOT with Glenn Chin
The Legend Behind the Mantra: Glenn Chin on EA Sports, Nike & Gaming History Have you ever wondered where our podcast name, "Everything is fine and we're shipping on time," actually comes from? In this episode, Ric and Gary sit down with the legend who started it all: Glenn Chin. As a powerhouse in sports branding with iconic runs at EA Sports and Nike, Glenn brings a wealth of insider knowledge, hilarious stories, and a look behind the curtain of the video game industry. Glenn's work ethic,
01:08:21
YouTube
EFWSOT with Lyle Hall
From 16-Bit Classics to Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 with Lyle Hall | EFWSOT How does a career evolve from faxing bug reports for Sega Genesis games to leading the charge on modern cooperative shooters? In this episode of Everything's Fine We're Shipping on Time, Ric and Gary sit down with industry veteran Lyle Hall. As the General Manager of Cold Iron Studios and the former GM of Heavy Iron Studios, Lyle has had his hands on everything from 90s classics like The Terminator and Gex, to massive Pix
01:12:07
YouTube
EFWSOT with Barry Dorf
John Madden Called Me a Nerd! Barry Dorf on the Early Days of EA Sports | EFWSOT Welcome to another exciting episode of Everything's Fine We're Shipping on Time with Ric and Gary! This week, we are joined by our good friend and gaming industry Biz Dev icon, Barry Dorf. Barry takes us on a hilarious and insightful journey through his career, starting from the trenches of Electronic Arts (EA) Customer Support to becoming a powerhouse in business development. Listen in as Barry shares legenda
01:06:42
YouTube
EFWSOT with Marjorie Martin
The Secret Sauce of EA’s Culture: Marjorie Martin on the Early Days of Gaming | EFWSOT Welcome back to another exciting episode of Everything's Fine, We're Shipping on Time with Ric and Gary! Today, we are honored to sit down with Marjorie Martin. Joining Electronic Arts in October 1983 as one of its first 25 employees, Marjorie wore every hat imaginable—from purchasing hardware and QA testing on Commodore and Apple II systems, to eventually founding EA’s very first HR department. In this epi
01:11:24
YouTube
EFWSOT with Jake Neri
Community Building, AI, Career Advice and so much more | EFWSOT This week, Gary and Ric sit down with their longtime friend and gaming industry veteran, Jake Neri. With a massive career spanning Electronic Arts (EA), LucasArts, Konami, and Wargaming, Jake shares a conversational and unfiltered look into the evolution of video games. Whether you are curious about the grueling but glorious early days of playtesting Madden, the massive community events for World of Tanks, or the polarizing role o
01:05:06
YouTube
EFWSOT with Matt Scibilia
40 Years of Game Dev & Why AI Empowers Indie Creators | ft. Matt Scibilia Description: Welcome back to Everything's Fine We're Shipping on Time! This week, Gary Gettys and Ric Neil sit down with video game industry legend Matt Scibilia. With over 40 years of experience shaping titles at MicroProse, Origin Systems, and Critical Mass Interactive, Matt has literally been here since the industry started (when games only had three colors!). We dive deep into the early days of game development, what
01:03:29
YouTube
EFWSOT with Andrea Benavides
The Art of Game Production: Empathy, Chaos, & Delivering on Deadline with Andrea Benavides | Everything's Fine We're Shipping on Time with Ric and Gary In this episode, Ric and Gary sit down with the incredible Andrea Benavides—an expert games producer whose impressive career spans major studios like EA, Amazon Games, Google Stadia, and Skydance. If you are interested in game development, production, or team leadership, this episode is an absolute masterclass. Andrea breaks down what it real
01:17:40
YouTube
EFWSOT with Mark Day
Join us for this joyous and wide-ranging conversation with Mark Day, veteran video game producer and studio executive with over three decades of experience spanning AAA entertainment, government simulation, and live-service ecosystems. 🚀 Key Career Milestones: The EA & Wing Commander Era (1994–1999): As a pivotal producer during Electronic Arts' 1990s cinematic boom, Day managed the EA Media Lab and shipped iconic sci-fi titles, including Wing Commander III, IV, and Prophecy. He also produced
59:44
YouTube
EFWSOT with Jay Brown
From Commodore 64 to AI Coding | EFWSOT with Jay Brown Welcome back to another episode of Everything's Fine We're Shipping on Time. This week, we are thrilled to host engineer extraordinaire, the brilliant Jay Brown. Jay's journey is a masterclass in video game development. We trace his roots from programming on a Commodore 64 in Mississippi to leading engineering teams at Konami, Glu Mobile, and Other Side Entertainment. We discuss the harsh realities of canceled projects, the transition fr
01:12:37
YouTube
EFWSOT with Ben Cammarano
How do you navigate 30 years of massive shifts in video games—from 90s SGI render farms to modern AI workflows? Gaming veteran Ben Cammarano (Xbox, EA Sports, Wizards of the Coast) sits down with Ric and Gary to break down the craft of game design, leadership through "Mental Jiu-Jitsu," and what it actually takes to build a lasting career in games. Key Takeaways & Discussion Highlights: The Early Days of 3D & Sports Gaming: Building NFL Fever at Xbox and transitioning into the EA Madden machin
01:26:11
YouTube
EFWSOT with Dan Wasson
Who created the rule that Darth Vader doesn't run? Who witnessed the Grond attack on Discord? Dan Wasson is the talented producer on dozens of franchise hits...Star Wars, LOTR, EA Sports, World of Tanks and more. Join our extended discussion about today's production challenges and opportunities.
01:05:18
YouTube
EFWSOT with Andrew Walker
Andrew is a storied Business Development leader in the gaming industry. From the early game publishing days to his current role at Gameye, Andrew combines deep technical expertise with an eye for what's fun to play. He's also embracing AI, building agents to streamline his workflow in the office and at home. Join us for our wide ranging discussion from just after GDC 2026.
49:35
YouTube
EFWSOT with Adam Bellin: Part 2 Tiger and South Park
How does one of the most famous web videos of all time accidently end up shipping on one of the biggest sports videogame launches of all time? Adam shares how the combination of dev stations, CD duplicators and smart problem solving lead to a small oversight....ooops.
Industry Veterans Leading Team Transformation
Ric Neil
Industry luminary with 30+ years of AAA production excellence spanning Madden NFL, Amazon Games, and EA. Ric pioneered early AI implementations in sports gaming and now leads the charge in generative AI adoption for modern studios.
Gary Gettys
From CS & Testing, Product Marketing & Branding, to Production and Operations, Gary leverages cross-functional expertise to ensure successful worldwide launches. Also an avid AI music, art and video content creator.
Lexi Aleksich
Talent manager and operations expert who leverages AI-powered systems to keep complex productions on track. Lexi ensures Short Stax Media practices what we preach, using intelligent automation for scheduling, communication, and resource optimization.
Get In Touch
Ready to transform your dev team? Let's talk about how we can help.
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info@shortstaxmedia.com
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Events Calendar
[ GDC 2026 ]
We're launching our Development Consulting Services and Everything's Fine We're Shipping on Time Podcast. Schedule time now to discuss how Short Stax Media can help accelerate your company, your projects and your teams.
Past Engagements
[ It's in the Game Amazon Video Series ]
Featured expert on AI in entertainment, discussing machine learning applications in interactive storytelling.
Amazon.com
It's in the Game: Madden NFL - Season 1
It’s one of the biggest video games of all time, a groundbreaking brand that became a worldwide phenomenon, spanning generations—but it almost never happened… Now, 36 years after the first game's release, EA SPORTS gives viewers unprecedented access to the makers of game that changed the game, and our culture too.