Mark Cerny, the visionary architect behind both the 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 new nonprofit initiative is a fellowship‑style program designed to give financial backing and mentorship to up‑and‑coming talent in the video‑game industry. According to a report from Game File, the foundation will award a total of twenty $100,000 grants each year to promising young designers.
Approximately one‑quarter of those recipients will be eligible for a larger award—up to an additional $500,000—if their projects demonstrate exceptional potential or innovation. The money is intended to cover development costs, tooling, and other expenses that can be prohibitive for independent creators. Beyond the monetary support, each fellow will receive guidance from seasoned veterans of the industry. Mentors will share insights on design, production, marketing, and the business side of game development.
Importantly, the fellowship does not require the creators to surrender any equity or future revenue to the foundation. Recipients retain full ownership of their intellectual property and are free to seek publishing deals or platform distribution on their own terms.
Nova Games will, however, act as a connector, leveraging its network to introduce fellows to publishers, platform holders, and other potential partners. The application window opens in December and will remain open through 2026 and 2027 for graduates of thirteen partner university programs spread across eight countries. Participating institutions include TH Köln in Germany, RMIT University in Australia, Cnam‑Enjmin in France, Abertay University in Scotland, and the United States duo of New York University and the University of Southern California.
By targeting students from these schools, the foundation hopes to tap into a diverse pool of talent and cultural perspectives. Both Cerny and Keighley are personally investing multi‑million‑dollar sums into the foundation and have pledged to continue contributing as the organization expands. Keighley emphasized the philanthropic nature of the effort, saying, "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." In other words, the reward they seek is the enrichment of the medium itself, not a financial payoff. To manage day‑to‑day operations, the foundation has appointed John Maconga as executive director. Former Game Developers Conference director Ashley Corrigan will oversee the grant‑making process as head of grants. The initiative has also attracted support from notable industry figures such as Josef Fares, the director behind It Takes Two and Split Fiction, who has pledged both a monetary donation and ongoing assistance.
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." Cerny articulated a broader artistic vision for the program, describing games as "an artistic medium" and citing examples of indie titles that have pushed the boundaries of storytelling and aesthetics. He referenced games like Neva, Abzu, Gorogoa, Stray, and Outer Wilds as the sort of work Nova hopes to enable. These titles are often celebrated for their atmospheric design, emotional resonance, and innovative mechanics—qualities that the foundation aims to nurture in its fellows.
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 talented individuals who might otherwise be overlooked. He also pointed to the MacArthur Foundation's "genius grants" as a model for rewarding creative brilliance without strings attached. Additionally, Keighley mentioned Jenova Chen— the USC graduate behind critically acclaimed games such as Flower and Journey—as a role model for how a single visionary can reshape the perception of games as art.
In practice, the Nova Games Foundation will operate much like an incubator, but with a distinct emphasis on artistic freedom and financial independence. Fellows will be encouraged to experiment with new gameplay paradigms, explore unconventional narratives, and integrate emerging technologies such as virtual reality, procedural generation, or AI‑driven storytelling.
By providing both capital and mentorship, the foundation hopes to lower the barrier to entry that often prevents talented designers from turning prototypes into polished, market‑ready experiences. The broader gaming community has responded positively to the announcement. Industry analysts see the foundation as a potential catalyst for a new wave of indie innovation, especially at a time when large studios dominate the market and funding for small teams can be scarce.
Moreover, the international scope of the partner universities suggests that the program will foster cross‑cultural collaborations, bringing together designers with varied artistic traditions and design philosophies. Looking ahead, the Nova Games Foundation plans to evaluate its impact through a combination of quantitative metrics—such as the number of games completed, awards won, and revenue generated—and qualitative assessments, including creator satisfaction and critical reception. The ultimate goal, according to Cerny and Keighley, is to enrich the global gaming landscape by empowering the next generation of storytellers, engineers, and artists to bring fresh, compelling experiences to players around the world. In summary, the Nova Games Foundation represents a bold, altruistic venture by two of the industry's most influential figures.
By offering substantial grants, mentorship, and networking opportunities without demanding equity, the program aims to cultivate a fertile environment where emerging designers can thrive, experiment, and ultimately contribute groundbreaking works to the ever‑evolving medium of video games.