The Game Awards, Summer Game Fest, and Opening Night Live host Geoff Keighley, along with PlayStation 4 and 5 lead architect Mark Cerny, have announced the Nova Games Foundation. According to Game File, the initiative is a step to promote more independent game development.
In a statement, Cerny spoke about how he is closer to the end of his career, and how he wants to pay it forward to the gaming industry by fostering a new generation of developers. In this way, he also implied that the R&D behind Sony’s next-generation console might end up being the last major project he works on at the company. “I’m nearing the end of my career. I’m not done yet, but paying it forward—in the best way possible—is very much on my mind these days.”
The Nova Foundation is a program affiliated with universities that will offer six-figure grants to 20 game designers every year. The grants are set to come without any attached strings, and the Nova Foundation also includes mentorship by leadership across the games industry.
Applications for the Nova Foundation are set to start in December, with applicants from the 2026 and 2027 classes from 13 affiliated gaming programs at universities across eight countries being eligible. Each recipient will get $100,000, with a quarter of those selected being eligible for $500,000 more for their projects. The grant money will be given out based on development milestones, and the Nova Foundation won’t take any ownership of the games being developed through the program.
“I’ve always wanted to give back, but given my role in the industry, I’ve never felt it appropriate to commercially invest in games,” said Keighley. “I’ve never owned stock in a game company or taken a financial stake in a game. 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.
“Mark and I have each made multi-million-dollar donations to establish the foundation, and we intend to keep contributing. We hope others will join us.”
Alongside Keighley and Cerny, Nova Foundation has also hired John Maconga as an executive director and head of grants, and GDC director Ashley Corrigan to help kick things off. Among those from the industry helping out is Hazelight’s lead designer Josef Fares, who has worked on critically acclaimed games like It Takes Two and Split Fiction.
“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,” said Fares.
While Keighley and Cerny are starting Nova Foundation for now, they eventually want it to grow into something beyond themselves. Keighley also spoke about how the decision to start the program is a personal one for him as part of the larger legacy he will leave behind for the gaming industry.
“I don’t have children, and I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I can do for future generations. Games have been my entire career. I’ve been incredibly fortunate, and helping someone else build a life in this industry feels like a meaningful way to give back.”
Cerny also believes that the industry has changed quite a bit since he first started out back in 1982, and modern university graduates have quite a bit of untapped potential and talent. With Nova, he hopes to offer these graduates a way to transition into becoming professionals in the game development industry, since “they face a tough road ahead getting traction in the industry, and many could benefit from our support. We want to be there to give it to them.”
