Our Philosophy
Contact Us
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.
We optimize dev teams, project plans and production pipelines. We implement AI-powered workflows that amplify creativity, eliminate bottlenecks and accelerate time-to-market.
We ensure the foundation and future of your studio are built on Organizational Health, Production Expertise, and AI Solutions that work.
Foundation
Pillars of Success
Our comprehensive framework combines decades of AAA production experience with breakthrough AI methodologies. Each pillar represents a critical dimension of modern game development, designed to help your studio thrive.
TEAM
Ensure you have the right people, in the right roles, at the right time. Practical guidance on staffing enhanced by AI-powered talent matching
  • Evaluations and Risk Assessment
  • Scalable Staffing Plans
  • Role definition and AI-assisted hiring
  • Team optimization
CULTURE
The soul of sustainable development. We define, maintain and reset team culture. We create highly functional, collaborative and engaged teams, ensuring the best possible user experience.
  • Maximize creativity and collaboration
  • Remote and hybrid team cohesion strategies
  • Sustainable development practices and burnout prevention
PROCESS
AAA Experience meets Indie Agility. Ship on time using proven methodologies and AI-optimized pipelines.
  • AI-supported sprint planning and resource allocation
  • Milestone Review and Tracking
  • Budget Alignment
  • Optimized Discord Integration
AI READINESS
Eliminate fear, accelerate everything. Transform your content pipeline with generative AI, automated QA, intelligent playtesting, and more.
  • GenAI integration for art, audio, narrative and more
  • Procedural content generation
  • Intelligent bug detection and automated testing suites
PRODUCT REVIEW
Expert insights into your core-loop, features and UX/UI. Proprietary FTUE review process for reduced drop-off and improved retention.
  • Core-loop and UX analysis
  • Proprietary FTUE review process eliminates friction
  • Optimized Discord integration for early user engagement and feedback
Services
AAA & Indie Consulting Services
Transforming studios through 'culture-first' strategic implementation, built on decades of proven experience.
We build scalable processes that work for teams of any size….whether onsite, remote or hybrid.
We create/reset sustainable team culture to maximize creativity, collaboration and output. We put the "FUN" into highly FUNctional teams.
Game development has evolved rapidly over the last 5 years. Learn how to integrate powerful AI tools into your workflows. Discover how best-practices on Discord are driving early adopter feedback and lasting engagement with real customers.
Our proprietary FTUE and UX review processes deliver actionable insights into your core loop, features, UI and NUX.
AI Readiness
Team Building
Optimized Pipelines
Product Review
Workshops, Panels & Presentations
"The future of game development isn't humans OR AI—it's humans AMPLIFIED by AI. Studios that understand this partnership will ship better games, faster, while maintaining the creative soul that makes games worth playing."
— Ric Neil
Our keynotes and workshops don't just inspire. We infuse teams with culture and practical AI implementation strategies that drive immediate results.
From Game Conference main stages, university lectures, to corporate team building, we deliver high-energy presentations on building and maintaining FUNctional teams and studios that leverage artificial intelligence without losing their humanity.
AI Revolution Keynotes
Game-changing presentations on implementing GenAI pipelines, overcoming AI adoption barriers, and future-proofing your studio.
Hands-On AI Workshops
Interactive sessions where teams learn to integrate tools like Midjourney, ChatGPT, ElevenLabs, and custom AI models directly into production workflows with measurable ROI.
Executive AI Strategy
Board-level guidance on AI investment priorities, building AI-native cultures, and navigating the ethical considerations of artificial intelligence in entertainment.
Podcast
Media Hub
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.
View full episodes below or click below to watch/listen from your favorite service.

Featured Topics
  • AAA titles like The Sims, Madden, Star Wars, Tiger Woods, World of Tanks
  • AI workflows
  • Game-maker origin stories
  • Career advice for up-and-coming creators

01:16:54

YouTube

EFWSOT with Rob Martyn

One of the smartest and most capable producers in all of gaming, Rob shares his favorite stories including his work on the Sims and EA Sports games. Join us for a truly insightful conversation full of 'Robisms'.

01:11:14

YouTube

EFWSOT with Margaret Foley Mauvais

One of gaming's premiere Art Directors, Margaret's style and influence can still be seen across the gaming ecosystem. Join us to hear about the Sims, Road Rash, The Godfather, CityVille, Grand Tour, Hidden Chronicles, EA Design Home and much more!

01:09:41

YouTube

EFWSOT with Jean-Marc Broyer

Jean-Marc's career continues to flourish and fascinate, spanning the top developers and publishers, tech, Hollywood, Indies, international and more. Join us for this globetrotting discussion featuring some of your favorite games.

01:00:34

YouTube

EFWSOT with Adam Bellin: Part 1 Origin Story

Adam is a true OG engineer, team leader and manager who played a significant role in gaming's origins and massive growth. Join us as we talk with Adam talk about the Halcyon days and the birth of a gaming as we know it.

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.

01:05:43

YouTube

EFWSOT with Jeremy Stein

Football fans rejoice! Jeremy and his team at TTFN are building something very cool. Join our conversation with Jeremy and discover how his background and experience make him the perfect person to build this next big thing.

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.

Meet the Team
Industry Veterans Leading Team Transformation
Short Stax Media brings together unparalleled industry experience with cutting-edge AI expertise. Our team has shipped hundreds of millions of dollars in game revenue, managed thousands of developers, and now pioneers the integration of artificial intelligence across every dimension of game production. We don't just talk about AI—we build it, implement it, and teach studios how to harness its transformative power.
Ric Neil
Founder
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. His unique combination of old-school production discipline and bleeding-edge AI innovation makes him one of the most sought-after humans in game development.
Gary Gettys
Founder & Emmy Winner
With experience in every aspect of game creation, from CS & Testing, Product Marketing & Branding, to Production and Operations, Gary brings a deep understanding of the entire process of game creation. As well as the importance of cross-functional communication and coordination to maximize launch velocity.
An Emmy Award winner for 'Outstanding Interactive Media' and an avid creator using AI tools and pipelines, Gary offers valuable insights to the processes, plans and tools that ensure success.
Lexi Aleksich
Founder & Operations Coordinator
Talent manager and operations expert who leverages AI-powered project management 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.
Events Calendar
Upcoming Events
GDC 2026
We're launching our Development Consulting Services and Everything's Fine We're Shipping on Time Podcast. Let's schedule time discuss how Short Stax Media can help your company, your projects and your teams achieve maximum results.
Past Engagements
It's in the Game Amazon Video Series
Featured expert on AI in entertainment, discussing machine learning applications in interactive storytelling and player experience personalization.

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.

BEAMABLE with Jon Radoff
Boss Rush 2024
Noctua Interactive
Contact Us
Get In Touch
Ready to transform your dev team? Let's talk about how we can help.