ric neil
Ric Neil is a visionary in the video game industry, known for innovative thinking and his ability to transform emerging technologies into successful gaming experiences.
With over three decades of experience at leading companies like Microsoft, Glu, Electronic Arts, Disney, Konami, Outfit7, Amazon, AMD, and Unity, Ric has left an indelible mark on the gaming world.
His leadership roles include spearheading the EA-Madden NFL franchise, NFL Fever, developing titles like Amazon-The Grand Tour Game at Amazon Game Studios and Amazon AWS.
Ric's expertise spans game development, business development, design, strategic partnerships, and team leadership at every level , making him a sought-after voice in the industry.
One of his many contributions to the gaming world was recently highlighted in the Amazon Prime Video documentary "It's in the Game," which delves into the story behind the iconic Madden NFL franchise.
Ric’s sought-after leadership spans AAA studios, large corporations, and agile startups, consistently demonstrating his ability to build and motivate high-performing teams. Beyond gaming, his understanding of cross-platform development and emerging technologies positions him as a true visionary.
His latest startup is reinventing how to make AAA games with insanely talented teams and new AI tools that increase creativity and amplifies the creation of fun. It is a new way to build teams and successful gaming experiences.
AAIA Gaming and Entertainment Council President
Studio Director / Founder of Noctua Interactive:
Changing the future of interactive media creation with AI
Ric Neil, Managing Director and Co-founder of Noctua Interactive, is reimagining story-driven game creation in the age of generative AI. With over three decades of experience in the video game industry, including leadership roles at companies like Microsoft, EA, and Amazon, Ric brings a wealth of knowledge to his latest venture.
At Noctua Interactive, he leads a team of AAA veterans, artists, and engineers, reinventing the game development pipeline with AI-augmented workflows. Their debut title, Dream Walkers: Rise of Nightmare, is in early production, but the studio's larger ambition is to prove that AI can empower small teams to build AAA-quality experiences on mid-tier budgets.
Noctua's approach combines traditional game craft with AI tools to amplify human creativity, streamlining iteration and unlocking new possibilities. This allows artists, designers, and writers to focus on gameplay, emotion, and originality.
Ric has cultivated a production model at Noctua Interactive that prioritizes both creative vision and technological innovation, operating with a lean team of core veterans augmented by contractors, interns, and AI-driven systems. His commitment to empowering human talent with AI is evident throughout Noctua’s process.
As Ric says, "Great games need great teams to make them fun, discovering fun with AI will be a new tool in our belt of creativity and production processes."
Join the AAIA and enjoy the benefits and join in the discussion and learning of AI in video game creation. Reach out to me at www.shortstaxmedia.com or on LinkedIn; we have an active community of creators utilizing AI right now. Use code AAIA25 for an extra month of a free trial.
Additional information:
https://aaiaglobal.com/portland-sw-wa-gaming-entertainment-committee
Gary Gettys
Cutting his teeth on Apple ii games (Zork) and coin-op classics (Asteroids and Defender), Gary got his start in gaming as an intern playtester (The Standing Stones) at Electronic Arts. Answering the hints hotline (Bard’s Tale II), he worked his way up from CS to a Marketing Assistant for EA’s creativity products (DeluxePaint and Studio8).
A rabid hoops fan, Gary jumped at the chance to be a Product Marketing Manager (Bulls vs Blazers, NBA Live), just in time to be part of the launch of the EA Sports brand…
’It’s in the Game!’
After a stint at a start-up music label, Gary returned to EA shifting from marketing to production to help EA enter the POV gaming market (James Bond).
His next gaming gig was with Zynga as an Assistant Producer (YoVille) during the rocket-ship growth of FB gaming. Working his way up (FronteirVille, Empires and Allies, Boggle) to Executive Producer and GM.
An opportunity with Baobab Studios led to an Emmy Award as Supervising Producer (Galactic Catch). Gary continues to be an avid gamer and consultant for NUX of games and mobile apps. And he’s an active content creator.
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