Activision is kicking off its "Independent Games Competition," the inaugural two-phase attempt by the Guitar Hero and Call of Duty publisher to shine a spotlight on the little guys with good ideas and a knack for execution. According to the press release blasted yesterday, submissions from teams and individuals are being accepted now and will continue to be accepted until August 31, 2010.
The winners of this first of two phases competition will be announced this October. First and second place winners will get $175,000 and $75,000 respectively to "assist with development of their game" as opposed to "assist with that really baller pool party they'll want to throw." The details on the second phase will be announced later.
Indie. "This competition underscores our commitment to supporting the creative spirit and innovation of developers," executive VP of studios at Activision Dave Stohl said in a statement. "I started my career as a software developer, so this opportunity is something I'm personally very proud to offer to the industry's young visionaries."
As Joystiq points out, there's a bit more to this competition than meets the eye. In an interview with Industry Gamers, Laird Malamed, senior VP of development at Activision notes that the winning developer gives Activision a first right to publish the game. If Activision does opt to publish, it'll own the IP. So, if you're just thinking mad cash, perhaps it's best to read over all the rules at the Activision website and check out what Malamed had to say in the in-depth interview.
