Dave Perry does "the X Factor for videogames"

Dave 'Earthworm Jim' Perry and Acclaim have called on gamers to help the development of their "Top Secret" MMOG project, which will rely heavily on user input.

Perry will be building the online game from scratch and will be calling on members of the Acclaim player community to help him develop it in a "collaborative effort with some of the industry's best talent".

He'll then judge the contributors Simon Cowell-style and award the lucky winner a "Video Game Industry Directorship", working on the fully-funded MMO fulltime with Dave as their boss and royalty cash to boot.

Just like X Factor, there's even going to be some "surprise guests" to help "inspire and mentor the contributors," says Perry. As always, we've got our fingers crossed for Barry Manilow.

"This is the only chance I know of to jumpstart a directorship career in the video game industry," says Perry. "Everyone wins. They get to learn how to make professional games, and if they get anything in, they get a real professional credit on their resume." Perry finishes, "But, if they win, well then they get their life changed."

Interestingly, Acclaim notes that applicants needn't have prior game dev experience to apply and that Perry even refuses to look at resumes (perhaps the same strategy he used to make Enter The Matrix). "We only care about the pure, focused, passionate talent they show up with," he says.

To register for a free account and find out more about Top Secret, visit the Acclaim website.

via cvg