Mark Cerny, the chief architect behind Sony's PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles, and Geoff Keighley, the well‑known host of The Game Awards, Summer Game Fest, and Opening Night Live, have joined forces to create the Nova Games Foundation. This initiative is a philanthropic fellowship designed specifically to provide financial backing and industry mentorship to up‑and‑coming game designers.
According to a report from Game File, the Nova Games Foundation operates independently of both The Game Awards and PlayStation, and its primary goal is to empower young creators by offering substantial monetary awards. Each year, the program will allocate $100,000 grants to twenty promising designers.
In addition, roughly one‑quarter of those recipients will be eligible for an extra boost of up to $500,000 for projects that demonstrate exceptional promise or innovative potential. This tiered funding model is intended to nurture both early‑stage concepts and more ambitious, fully‑fledged productions. Beyond the financial component, the fellowship includes mentorship from seasoned veterans of the video‑game industry.
Participants will retain full ownership of any intellectual property they develop, allowing them to negotiate publishing deals, platform agreements, or self‑distribution arrangements on their own terms. The Nova Games Foundation will act as a connector, leveraging its network to introduce fellows to potential partners, publishers, and platform holders, thereby smoothing the path from prototype to market. The application window opens in December and will be available to graduates of the class of 2026 and 2027 from a curated list of thirteen university programs across eight different countries.
Among the participating institutions are TH Köln in Germany, RMIT University in Australia, Cnam‑Enjmin in France, Abertay University in Scotland, and two U.S. schools—New York University and the University of Southern California. These programs have been selected for their strong curricula in game design, interactive media, and related disciplines, ensuring that the fellowship draws from a pool of highly trained talent. Both Cerny and Keighley are personally contributing multi‑million‑dollar sums to seed the foundation, and they have indicated that they plan to continue investing as the organization expands.
Keighley emphasized the purely altruistic nature of the effort, stating, "Nova is philanthropy: we aren't taking equity or looking to recoup the grants. The return we're hoping for is creative—helping new voices make games and find their footing." This philosophy underscores the foundation's commitment to artistic freedom rather than financial return.
The foundation's leadership team includes John Maconga as executive director and Ashley Corrigan, former director of the Game Developers Conference, as head of grants. Their combined experience in both business operations and community building is expected to streamline the selection process and ensure that funds are allocated efficiently. Additionally, Josef Fares, the director behind critically acclaimed titles such as It Takes Two and Split Fiction, has pledged both a monetary donation and ongoing support for the program. Fares expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "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." Cerny highlighted the artistic aspirations of the foundation, noting that games should be treated as a legitimate artistic medium.
He cited several indie successes—Neva, Abzu, Gorogoa, Stray, and Outer Wilds—as exemplars of the type of innovative, emotionally resonant experiences that Nova hopes to enable. These titles have been celebrated for their distinctive visual styles, immersive storytelling, and experimental gameplay mechanics, illustrating the breadth of creative possibilities within the medium.
Keighley's inspiration for the fellowship concept stems from several personal experiences. He recalled an unsuccessful attempt to secure a Rhodes Scholarship, which sparked his interest in supporting scholars through alternative pathways.
He also referenced the MacArthur Foundation's "genius grants" as a model for providing unrestricted funding to exceptional talent. Finally, he mentioned Jenova Chen, the USC graduate whose work on Flower and Journey redefined what games could achieve emotionally and aesthetically.
By drawing on these influences, Keighley aims to create a program that removes financial barriers while encouraging artistic risk‑taking. In practical terms, 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 applicants will receive not only the grant money but also a structured mentorship plan that pairs them with seasoned developers, artists, or producers. Throughout the fellowship, participants will have access to workshops, networking events, and possibly even studio space, depending on the needs of their projects.
The broader impact of the foundation could be significant. By injecting capital and mentorship into early‑stage projects, Nova has the potential to accelerate the development of games that might otherwise remain prototypes or be abandoned due to lack of resources. Moreover, the emphasis on retaining IP ownership ensures that creators can benefit from any future commercial success, fostering a sustainable ecosystem for independent development. Overall, the Nova Games Foundation represents a bold experiment in nurturing the next wave of game designers.
With the combined clout of Mark Cerny and Geoff Keighley, substantial financial backing, and a clear focus on artistic integrity, the program is poised to make a lasting contribution to the evolution of video games as both entertainment and art.