The worldwide digital think tank and creative workshop initiative X Media Lab announced that it has partnered with ABC TV and Screen Australia for the Serious Games Production Initiative. ABC TV's previously announced Serious Games Initiative challenges teams of Australian developers to submit ideas for serious games for an upcoming contest. Submitted projects will focus on issues of society, culture, health, relationships, history, science, politics, and the environment. As part of the new partnership, three teams of Serious Game Initiative competition finalists will be selected to attend XML's workshop at the Sydney Film Festival, to be held between June 12th and 14th. In addition to being featured at XML's event, the three teams will each receive $15,000 to further develop their serious game projects. After an evaluation period, the best of these three entries will receive a prize of $325,000, which the winning team will use to complete development and distribute its game. Multi-disciplinary teams have until next month to assemble for the Serious Games Initiative competition. The deadline for game concept submission is April 24th.