Mark Cerny and Geoff Keighley have announced the creation of the Nova Games Foundation, a new philanthropic fellowship designed to give financial backing and mentorship to up‑and‑coming talent in the video‑game industry. The initiative, which operates independently of The Game Awards and PlayStation, seeks to nurture the next generation of creators by offering sizable grants, industry guidance, and networking opportunities.
According to reporting from Game File, the foundation intends to award $100,000 grants to twenty young designers each year. Approximately one‑quarter of those recipients will be eligible for an additional sum—potentially as much as $500,000—if their projects demonstrate exceptional promise or innovative potential.
The structure of the program is deliberately generous: while the monetary awards are substantial, the foundation does not take equity in the developers’ work, nor does it expect any financial return. Instead, the primary goal is to foster artistic expression and help fledgling studios find a foothold in a competitive market. A key component of the Nova Games Fellowship is mentorship.
Each grant recipient will be paired with seasoned veterans from the gaming world, who will provide guidance on design, production, business strategy, and technical implementation. Importantly, the fellows will retain full ownership of their intellectual property, allowing them to negotiate publishing deals, platform agreements, or self‑publishing routes according to their own vision. Nova will act as a connector, introducing creators to potential partners and helping them navigate the complex ecosystem of publishers, distributors, and platform holders.
Applications for the inaugural cohort will open in December and will be available to graduates from the class of 2026 and 2027 who have completed one of thirteen partner university programs spread across eight countries. The list of participating institutions includes TH Köln in Germany, RMIT University in Australia, Cnam‑Enjmin in France, Abertay University in Scotland, and a joint program between New York University and the University of Southern California in the United States.
By targeting students from these well‑established curricula, Nova aims to capture a diverse cross‑section of talent, ranging from technical programmers to narrative designers and visual artists. Both Cerny and Keighley are personally financing the foundation with multi‑million‑dollar contributions and have pledged to continue injecting capital as the organization expands. Cerny, best known as the chief architect behind the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 hardware platforms, brings a deep technical pedigree to the effort. Keighley, the charismatic host of The Game Awards, Summer Game Fest, and Opening Night Live, adds a high‑profile public‑relations dimension and a wealth of industry connections.
"Nova is philanthropy: we aren't taking equity or looking to recoup the grants," Keighley explained to Game File. "The return we're hoping for is creative – helping new voices make games and find their footing." This philosophy underscores the foundation’s emphasis on artistic impact rather than commercial profit. In line with that ethos, Cerny highlighted that the program views games as an artistic medium, citing titles such as *Neva*, *Abzu*, *Gorogoa*, *Stray*, and *Outer Wilds* as exemplars of the type of innovative, emotionally resonant experiences Nova hopes to enable.
The foundation’s leadership team includes John Maconga as executive director and former Game Developers Conference director Ashley Corrigan as head of grants. Their experience in event production, community building, and grant administration is expected to streamline the application process and ensure that funds are allocated efficiently. Additionally, Josef Fares—renowned for directing *It Takes Two* and *Split Fiction*—has pledged both a monetary donation and ongoing support, further bolstering the foundation’s credibility within the creative community.
Fares expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "I'm proud to support Nova because it gives the next generation of creators the freedom to explore their creativity and hopefully bring their unique visions to life." His endorsement reflects a broader industry sentiment that more structured, well‑funded pathways are needed for indie developers to transition from academic projects to market‑ready products. The concept of a fellowship was partially inspired by Keighley's own experience applying unsuccessfully for a Rhodes Scholarship, as well as by the MacArthur Foundation’s famed "genius grants" and the work of Jenova Chen, the USC alumnus behind critically acclaimed titles such as *Flower* and *Journey*.
By borrowing elements from these prestigious award programs—namely the focus on individual merit, creative freedom, and minimal bureaucratic constraints—Nova aims to replicate that sense of validation and empowerment for game designers. In practice, the Nova Games Foundation will operate on a cycle that begins with a call for applications, followed by a rigorous review process conducted by a panel of industry experts.
Successful candidates will receive not only the financial award but also a tailored mentorship plan, access to a network of potential collaborators, and assistance with legal and business matters. The foundation also plans to host showcase events where fellows can present prototypes or finished games to publishers, investors, and press, thereby increasing visibility and fostering potential publishing deals. Overall, the Nova Games Foundation represents a significant investment in the creative future of interactive entertainment. By providing substantial, non‑recoupable funding and pairing it with mentorship from seasoned professionals, the program seeks to lower the barriers that often prevent talented designers from turning their concepts into fully realized games.
As the industry continues to evolve, initiatives like Nova could play a pivotal role in ensuring that innovative, artistically driven experiences continue to emerge alongside blockbuster franchises.