Microsoft kicks off Dream Build Play 2011 with $75K prize pool

by Richard Mitchell on Feb 28th 2011 11:30PM

Registration for Microsoft's fifth annual Dream Build Play competition opened today. Submissions will be accepted from May 17 through June 14.

Dream Build Play challenges amateur developers to create a game using Microsoft's XNA Game Studio and rewards winners with a cash prize and "the opportunity" for an Xbox Live Arcade publishing contract (though it's a big commitment, previous winner James Silva warns). A total of $75,000 will be up for grabs this year, with $40,000 going to the grand prize winner, $20K to first prize, $10K to second and the remaining $5K to the third prize winner.

Last year's grand prize winner, Lumi (pictured), is available now as an Xbox Live Indie Game. Previous winners include Dust: An Elysian Tale and Silva's The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai. The latter was released on XBLA and its sequel is in the works, while Dust should arrive on XBLA in the near future.

Those wishing to enter this year's competition should head over to the Dream Build Play website.

Source: Microsoft
More coverage: Dream Build Play

Tags: dream-build-play, dream-build-play-2011, microsoft, xbox, xna, xna-game-studio, xna-game-studio-4

Reader Comments (9)

Microsoft needs this competition more than ever cause they're lookin bare for the second half of the year

I wish I wasn't such a lazy, talentless hack. I have some good ideas but I'm too lazy to really dive into programming like I should.

Art however, is beyond my capabilities without a doubt.

@ShadowXOR

Game dev requires collaboration. I'm good at building a solid design but lack art skills too. Still no reason not to learn if it interests you.

I entered in the first DBP just for fun. I might enter this one for fun too. Not looking to win or anything

XBLA my fav part of xbox live.

I should enter this next year...

Though I doubt I'll be have the vast amount of superb art assets previous years winners had...

It's telling that the last two winners' games still aren't available on XBLA yet. I wish the entries were much further along so that they could actually benefit from winning the contest rather than being forgotten until the next contest reminds people that they're still alive.

God I want Dust: An Elysian Tale. That game captured my eye and now my wallet just waits for it to come out.

*looks around then at the clock as he sits and waits*