J. Eckert

Gaming and Web3 Ecosystem and Operations Executive

About Me

J. (short for James-Richard) is an 19-year veteran of the Video Game Industry, a long time gamer, hobbyist photographer, and avid maker… as well as Board Member for a Non-Profit running the Las Vegas Hackerspace/Makerspace SYN Shop.

With nearly 2 decades of experience spanning across many disciplines, he’s versed in Operations, BizDev/Strategic Partnerships, Developer Relations, Project Management, Live Operations/IT, and Corporate Communications. (And versed just well enough in coding to be dangerous to himself!)

For the last several years he’s focused his efforts on helping startups in the “growing from 10 to 100 people in size” phase, focusing on the day-to-day business operations, building healthy company cultures, and establishing best practices and frameworks for success through the growing pains.

Experience

Xsolla

Program Advisor - Xsolla Accelerator

Apr 2024 - Present

https://xsolla.com

As a Director within the Xsolla Funding organization, an Advisor to both the Xsolla Accelerator Program itself as well as an Advisor and Mentor to the founders of game studios that participate in the Xsolla Accelerator as part of the program offerings, as well as host of Xsolla Funding’s Digital Rapid Rounds pitching events.

Zero IT Lab

Business Development & Sales freelancer

Feb 2024 - Present

https://zeroitlab.com

A part time freelancer, handling BizDev & Partnerships for one of the world’s leading Anti-Cheat technology solution providers.

Eckert Group Consulting

Managing Director

Nov 2023 - Present

https://jeckert.net/consulting

Freelance Production Management, Business Development, and general Operations consulting for early stage Game Industry and Tech startups, to help those new to this space better understand the unknown unknowns.

Chia Network

VP of Ecosystem Operations

May 2021 - October 2023

https://chia.net

To quote a colleague: “Wrangler of cats, organizer of chaos, sharer of bad news, culture warrior, and mitigator of foot guns”. More precisely, I crafted and defined Chia’s Ecosystem team, leading strategy and execution from the ground up across Developer Relations, Corporate Communications, User Community & Support. Additionaly a contributor to our thought Leadership, handled our internal Events, and was an ardent champion (or thorn in the side, depending on your point of view) of our Corporate Culture. I was also a member of Chia’s executive leadership team, shaping company-wide strategy and plans on our path to IPO. Sadly, an unforseen banking collapse in 2023 cut the journey short for I and the majority of my colleages.

Genvid Technologies

Director of Partnerships & Head of LA Office

Apr 2018 - May 2021

https://genvidtech.com

As the overused saying goes, a man of many hats (as is common in early stage startups). Oversaw the day to day operations of our offices throughout California, as well as Strategic Partnerships efforts, and various random minutiae to keep the gears turning for the company throughout our various US offices during the exciting and challenging times of scaling the company from 15 people to 100. No trivial task, as we had to navigate the era of COVID in real time, as I lead the charge in taking us from a 5 employee, in-person regional outpost, to a fully remote regional organizaiton of several dozen, without the luxury of the many-years of learning we now have to lean on. Looking back retrospectively, I would have advocated for the now far more common “Chief of Staff” title that was relatively unknown at those times to best reflect my efforts.

Riot Games

Director of Developer Relations/3rd Party Ecosystem

Jan 2014 - Apr 2018

https://riotgames.com

Managing the Developer Relations Team, handling public-facing aspects of Riot’s API for League of Legends and (at the time) unannounced future titles, as well as various other 3rd party partnerships. Our team drove community engagement with the API, fostered and maintained partnerships with third-party developers, and worked with the API development team to guide it’s further development with player-focus in mind. I often said to people “If it is external to Riot Games, and has direct impact on our players/game without being related to esports, then it’s somewhere on a spectrum of relevancy to my team(s).”

Electronic Arts

DevRel Account Manager - EA Online

Aug 2011 - Apr 2012

https://ea.com

Production layer between EA Global Online and various game development teams throughout EA and its partners. Responsible for making sure that the online needs of a game team, everywhere from digital publishing to online multiplayer components, are met by EA Online to successfully provide the online experience desired at launch and post-ship.

Digitial Publishing Manager - EA Online/Origin

Apr 2011 - Aug 2011

https://origin.com

Oversaw documentation for internal publishing guidelines for EA’s online platform, Origin. Also responsible for assisting with the digital publishing of various EA titles on the Origin platform.

Compliance/Certification Project Lead

Nov 2009 - Mar 2011

https://ea.com

Project Lead for select titles built by EA-Redwood Shores studios for Compliance and Certification approval. (Sims, Visceral studios, EA Partners, etc). I take great pride is my near-perfect 1st Pass success rate at the big 3, including the famously high bar set by Nintendo!

Operations Manager - Rupture/EA Online

Oct 2007 - Jun 2009

https://ea.com

Managed IT systems and general Ops & DevOps for the EA Atlanta and later Rupture (EA SF) divisions, handling widows and linux systems, general networking, various server and DB applications, and project management and production coordination.

Super Computer International (now EA)

Operations Manager

Jun 2006 - October 2007

https://playlinc.com

Held dual roles (as one does in a 12 person startup) as IT administrator/Ops manager, as well as community management for the development of Playlinc. Continued on under EA after our acquisition by them in October 2007

World Series of Video Games

Network administrator

2005 - 2007

https://wsvg.com

One of a team of Network Administrators for the WSVG events held around the world from 2005 to 2007. Specialized in putting together an enterprise class network for competitive gaming setupsand BYOC lans in only a matter of a few days for each event.

ASUS Technologies

Support Manager

Jun 2004 - Jun 2006

https://asus.com

Support tech and systems testing/diagnostic specialist. Also specialized in Video hardware trouble shooting and benchmark testing.

Kastle Systems

Systems Administrator

Jul 2003 - Jun 2004

https://kastle.com

Operations Programmer, office tech support and Systems Administrator for the Chicago regional office.

Express Technologies (Now Hosting.com)

Customer Service Manager

Mar 2002 - Jul 2003

https://hosting.com

Customer Service rep, Tech Support, and Abuse Administrator for an industry leading webhost.

Projects

Rival Peak

Genvid

The first experimental, Massively Interactive Live Entertainment (MILE) reality show.

https://rivalpeak.com/

Legends of Runterra

Riot Games

Set in the world of League of Legends, Legends of Runeterra is the strategy card game for PC and Mobile.

https://playruneterra.com/

League of Legends

Riot Games

League of Legends, the Riot API, and various other related projects over 4 years.

https://leagueoflegends.com/

Honored

Real, tangible rewards for your gaming accomplishments!

https://gethonored.com/

Battlefield 3 & 4

EA Games

The preeminent, most realistic, modern FPS shooter franchise.

https://battlefield.com/

Dead Space 3

EA Games

Survival horror game by Visceral Games, a studio within EA.

https://deadspace.com/

Star Wars: the Old Republic

EA Games

A ground-breaking MMO set in the Star Wars universe, 10,000 years before the movies.

https://swtor.com/

Origin

EA Games

EA's digital distribution platform from 2012-2022.

https://origin.com/

Dead Space 2

EA Games

Survival horror game by Visceral Games, a studio within EA.

https://deadspace.com/

Rockband 3

EA Games

2010 rythim game sensation, created by Harmonix and published by EA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Band_3

The Beatles Rockband

EA Games

2009 rythim game sensation, with a Beatles twist!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles:_Rock_Band

Mass Effect 2

EA Games

I'm Commander Shepard, and this was one of my favorite games on the Citidel.

https://www.ea.com/games/mass-effect/mass-effect-2

Rupture

EA Games

Social networking platform founded by Shawn Fanning (founder of Napster), designed to share gamers' individual profiles to a communal space.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupture_(social_networking)

The WSVG

An annual international esports competition, with competitions in six different games held around the world culminating in a finals brodacast on primetime TV.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Series_of_Video_Games

Media

Brewing Up A Conversation Podcast - J. Eckert

90 Minute podcast interview from summer of 2023

INTERVIEW: J. Eckert - "Life is a compounding journey"”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuVdQ-_uBo4

INTERVIEW - J. Eckert of Genvid

The Esports Observer

INTERVIEW: J. Eckert, Genvid – “We’re Trying to Give Studios Tools That Redefine What It Means to Have a Game Streamed”

https://esportsobserver.com/interview-j-eckert-genvid/