Sick and tired of video game companies reusing old IPs? Do you dream of the day when your game will make it big? Well, you have a chance, starting right...now.

Game retailer GameStop and the Guildhall at Southern Methodist University and the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) announced the launch of the Indie Game Challenge. Professionals and kids working out of their parents garage are being asked to submit game betas and pitch videos between July 14th and October 1st.

Twelve finalists will be announced on January 15th, 2010 and will receive a chance to pitch their ideas to the executives at Sony, Nintendo, EA, Capcom, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Namco/Bandai, and THQ.

"Our entire industry is dependent on the cultivation of new, cutting edge game developers who continue to stretch the boundaries and imaginations of gamers," said Mike Hogan, senior vice president of marketing, GameStop Corp. "By joining forces with The Guildhall at SMU and AIAS we hope to stimulate a new generation of game developers and reward them with cash awards and scholarships."

[This post's author works at GameStop part-time.]