Activision indie games contest winners declared

Indie developer Turtle Sandbox has scooped $175,000 to fund the development of its RTS Dstroyd in the first round of the Activision Independent Games Competition, whose winners were announced today. The second-place prize of $75,000 goes to Engient for its build-a-warmachine game Rigonauts: Broadside.

Turtle Sandbox describes Dstroyd as "a post apocalyptic shooter" which is "a little like GunBound meets an RTS." Real-time Worms with building and units, you see. It is, or was, in development for PC and Xbox Live Indie Games.

"I wanted to enter because I really wanted the opportunity to become a full time independent developer," creator Peter Angstadt told Activision's official blogger Dan Amrich. "I didn't have the resources to go full time, but I felt if I could put my full effort into my games, I could make some really great stuff."

Engient's Rigonauts: Broadside also has a slight strategic tang, letting you design and construct your own warmachine then rampaging around taking on other creatures and creations. Release platforms have yet to be revealed. Check out the interview with Amrich for more details on the lovely-looking game.

As per the competition rules, Activision will have the right of first refusal when the Dstroyd and Rigonauts come to finding a publisher.

There's still another $250,000 in Activision's prize pool for the second stage of the competition, which will be revealed "in the near future."

Here's a work-in-progress look at first place winner Dstroyd: