Mark Cerny, the celebrated lead architect behind Sony’s PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, and Geoff Keighley, the well‑known host of The Game Awards, Summer Game Fest, and Opening Night Live, have teamed up to create the Nova Games Foundation. This initiative is a philanthropic fellowship designed to provide financial backing, mentorship, and industry connections to up‑and‑coming video‑game designers.
Although the foundation shares its founders with high‑profile events, it operates independently of The Game Awards and of Sony’s PlayStation brand. The core of the Nova Games Foundation is a grant program that will distribute $100,000 to twenty promising designers each year. About one‑quarter of those recipients will be eligible for an additional award of up to $500,000 if their project demonstrates exceptional potential or aligns closely with the foundation’s artistic vision. The money is intended to cover development costs, prototype creation, and any other expenses that arise during the early stages of a game’s life cycle.
Importantly, the grants come with no equity demands or repayment expectations; the founders have emphasized that the return they seek is creative, not financial. Mentorship is another pillar of the program. Each fellow will be paired with seasoned veterans from the gaming industry who can offer guidance on design, production, marketing, and technical challenges.
This mentorship is meant to complement the financial support, ensuring that emerging creators not only have the resources to build their games but also the knowledge to navigate the complex landscape of publishing and platform selection. While the fellows retain full ownership of their intellectual property, Nova will assist in making introductions to publishers, platform holders, and other potential partners, helping creators find the best path to bring their visions to market.
Applications for the inaugural cohort will open in December and will be open to graduates from 2026 and 2027 of thirteen partner university programs spread across eight countries. These institutions include TH Köln in Germany, RMIT University in Australia, Cnam‑Enjmin in France, Abertay University in Scotland, and the joint program between New York University and the University of Southern California in the United States. By targeting recent graduates, the foundation aims to capture fresh talent at a critical moment when they are ready to transition from academic projects to commercial or indie releases.
Both Cerny and Keighley are personally investing multi‑million‑dollar sums into the foundation, and they have pledged to continue contributing as the organization expands. "Nova is philanthropy: we aren't taking equity or looking to recoup the grants," Keighley told Game File. "The return we're hoping for is creative – helping new voices make games and find their footing." This philosophy mirrors the ethos of other prestigious fellowships such as the MacArthur "genius" grants and reflects Keighley’s own experience of applying unsuccessfully for a Rhodes Scholarship, which inspired him to create a more accessible avenue for talent.
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 organization and grant administration will help ensure that the selection process is transparent, merit‑based, and aligned with the foundation’s artistic goals.
Additionally, Josef Fares, the director behind acclaimed titles like It Gets Two and Split Fiction, has pledged both a financial donation and ongoing support, underscoring the community’s enthusiasm for the project. "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," Fares said. Cerny has articulated a clear artistic mission for Nova, describing games as "an artistic medium" and citing examples such as Neva, Abzu, Gorogoa, Stray, and Outer Wilds as the type of work the foundation hopes to enable. These titles are celebrated for their innovative design, emotional resonance, and willingness to push the boundaries of interactive storytelling.
By highlighting them, Cerny signals that Nova is looking for projects that prioritize originality, narrative depth, and aesthetic experimentation over pure commercial considerations. Keighley’s inspiration for the fellowship also draws from the success of Jenova Chen, the USC graduate whose games Flower and Journey have become landmarks in artistic game design.
Chen’s career demonstrates how a strong creative vision, supported by thoughtful funding and mentorship, can result in experiences that resonate with a global audience while also achieving critical acclaim. The Nova Games Foundation seeks to replicate that trajectory for a broader pool of creators.
In practice, a typical Nova fellow might receive the base $100,000 grant to develop a prototype, work with a mentor to refine gameplay mechanics, and then, if the prototype shows exceptional promise, apply for the additional $500,000 award to bring the full game to market. Throughout this process, the fellow retains full IP rights, allowing them to negotiate publishing deals or self‑publish as they see fit.
Nova’s role in facilitating introductions can be especially valuable for indie developers who lack existing industry contacts. The foundation’s long‑term vision is to cultivate a sustainable ecosystem of independent creators who view games as a form of artistic expression. By removing financial barriers and providing mentorship, Nova hopes to diversify the kinds of stories told through interactive media and to ensure that under‑represented voices have a platform.
Over time, the expectation is that alumni of the program will go on to produce titles that inspire, challenge, and expand the medium, thereby fulfilling the founders’ belief that the greatest return on investment is the enrichment of culture itself. Overall, the Nova Games Foundation represents a bold experiment in philanthropy within the gaming sector. It combines substantial monetary support, mentorship from industry veterans, and a commitment to artistic integrity, all while allowing creators to maintain control over their work. As applications open later this year, aspiring designers from the partner universities will have a unique opportunity to secure both the funding and the guidance needed to turn their innovative ideas into fully realized games that could one day stand alongside the celebrated titles that inspired the foundation’s creation.