MS offers $75,000 prize money for Dream.Build.Play 2011 Challenge

Microsoft's GDC got moving this morning, with confirmation of a $75,000 total prize for its Dream.Build.Play 2011 Challenge.

Microsoft today opened registration for Dream.Build.Play 2011 Challenge, a contest sponsored by Microsoft to "encourage worldwide independent game developers to create fun and innovative games using XNA Game Studio."

Developers can register here. Those competing have from May 17-June 14 to submit their games.

Each game will be judged on creativity, production and "fun".

Four winners will be given a share of the pot, and will get the opportunity to receive an XBLA publishing contract. The grand prize winner will receive $40,000; the first prize winner will receive $20,000; the second prize winner will receive $10,000; and the third prize winner will receive $5,000.

Previous winners - including Beat Hazard, CarneyVale Showtime and Weapon of Choice - have gone on to become "top sellers on Xbox LIVE Indie Games".

All games submitted to the contest need to be created with XNA Game Studio 4.0.