Mark Cerny, the celebrated lead 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 joined forces to create the Nova Games Foundation. This initiative is a philanthropic fellowship designed specifically to provide financial backing and mentorship to up‑and‑coming talent in the video‑game design arena. According to a report from Game File, the Nova Games Foundation operates independently of The Game Awards and has no formal ties to Sony’s PlayStation brand. Its primary goal is to distribute sizable grants to a select group of young creators each year.
The foundation intends to award $100,000 to twenty designers annually. Moreover, about a quarter of those recipients will qualify for an additional boost of up to $500,000 when their projects demonstrate exceptional promise or innovative potential. This tiered funding model is intended to give the most compelling ideas the resources they need to reach a polished, market‑ready state. Beyond the monetary component, the fellowship offers participants direct mentorship from seasoned industry veterans.
Those who receive a grant will retain full ownership of their intellectual property, meaning they can negotiate publishing deals, platform agreements, or any other commercial arrangements on their own terms. Nova will act as a connector, leveraging its network to introduce fellows to potential partners, investors, and distribution channels, but it will not demand equity or any financial return on the grants themselves. The application window opens in December and will remain open through 2026 and 2027 for graduates of thirteen partner university programs spread across eight different countries. Some of the participating institutions include TH Köln in Germany, RMIT University in Australia, CNAM‑ENJMIN in France, Abertay University in Scotland, as well as two U.S.
schools—New York University and the University of Southern California. By targeting students and recent alumni from these respected programs, the foundation hopes to capture a diverse cross‑section of creative talent from around the globe. Both Cerny and Keighley are personally financing the foundation with multi‑million‑dollar contributions of their own, and they have indicated that they will continue to inject additional capital as the organization expands.
Keighley emphasized the purely altruistic nature of the venture, 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 sentiment underscores the foundation’s commitment to artistic development rather than commercial profit. To manage day‑to‑day operations, the foundation has appointed John Maconga as its executive director.
In addition, former Game Developers Conference director Ashley Corrigan has taken on the role of head of grants, overseeing the selection process and ensuring that funds are allocated fairly and transparently. The initiative has also attracted support from notable industry figures; Josef Fares, the director behind acclaimed titles such as It Takes Two and Split Fiction, has pledged both a monetary donation and ongoing advocacy for the program.
"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 remarked. Cerny articulated a broader artistic vision for the fellowship, describing games as "an artistic medium" that can convey profound experiences. He cited several recent indie successes as exemplars of the kind of work Nova hopes to enable, including Neva, Abzu, Gorogoa, Stray, and Outer Wilds. These titles are celebrated for their innovative mechanics, evocative storytelling, and striking visual design—qualities that the foundation aims to nurture in its grant recipients.
Keighley's inspiration for the fellowship model stemmed from a blend of personal and historical influences. He recalled his own unsuccessful attempt to secure a Rhodes Scholarship, an experience that highlighted the challenges faced by aspiring creators seeking institutional support. He also pointed to the MacArthur Foundation’s "genius grants" as a benchmark for rewarding exceptional talent without imposing strings attached. Additionally, he mentioned Jenova Chen— the USC game design alumnus behind the critically acclaimed games Flower and Journey—as a role model for how visionary design can resonate on a global scale.
In practice, the Nova Games Foundation will function as a catalyst for innovation within the gaming industry. By providing substantial financial resources, mentorship from industry veterans, and a network of contacts, the program seeks to lower the barriers that often prevent talented designers from turning their concepts into playable experiences. The emphasis on retaining IP ownership ensures that creators maintain creative control, fostering an environment where artistic risk‑taking is encouraged rather than discouraged.
The broader impact of such a program could be significant. Historically, many groundbreaking games have emerged from small, independent teams that lacked the deep pockets of major publishers. By injecting capital directly into these teams, Nova may accelerate the development timeline of promising projects, allowing them to reach audiences more quickly. Moreover, the mentorship component can help young designers navigate the complex business side of game development—topics such as contract negotiation, marketing strategy, and platform certification—areas that are often opaque to newcomers.
Looking ahead, the foundation’s success will likely be measured not just by the number of games released, but by the cultural and artistic contributions those games make to the medium. If Nova can help bring forward titles that push the boundaries of narrative, interactivity, and aesthetic expression, it will validate its philanthropic model and potentially inspire similar initiatives in other creative sectors. In summary, the Nova Games Foundation, spearheaded by industry veterans Mark Cerny and Geoff Keighley, offers a bold new pathway for emerging game designers. With generous grants, mentorship, and a commitment to preserving creators’ ownership rights, the program aims to nurture the next wave of innovative, artistically ambitious games.
As applications open later this year, aspiring designers from around the world will have a unique opportunity to secure the resources they need to transform their visions into reality.