The video game industry is a bit scary right now. Longtime video game studios are shutting down left and right, the state of and future of consoles is constantly debated, gun violence is ruining the image of the industry as a whole, and there are tons and tons of indie gamers all vying for a spot in the spotlight. This must feel like a lot to a college student and newcomer to the scene, but thanks to the Entertainment Software Association, things may have gotten a little easier.

As reported by Kotaku, the ESA have just announced a content for college students in the United States, allowing around 400 schools to enter the competition and start sending submissions in on March 15, 2013. Each school--not each student--will be able to submit only one video game, complete with "story details and content assets." The final deadline for submissions will be April 19, 2013. In May, judges will review the entries, cut them down to five finalists, and display those projects at the E3 conference in L.A. this June. The winner will be chosen during E3.

This may seem like a lot, and so soon... and with the prospect of mingling "with the top video game industry figures," (including publishers, developers, venture capital and marketing executives), there's a lot riding on this contest. Hopefully, if interest and quality is high, this will lead to further contests that will give young up-and-comers the chance to showcase their work in front of the industry's best.

Details about the competition can be found on the ESA website. If you're thinking about entering, we at DualShockers.com wish you the best of luck, and hope to be viewing--and as always, reporting--on your submissions this summer.

For more news, stay tuned to DualShockers.com.