Mark Cerny, PlayStation's lead systems architect, says he is "nearing the end" of his career and wants to "pay it forward" by investing in future generations of game developers. He is doing so by teaming up with Geoff Keighley, host and creator of The Game Awards, to form the Nova Games Foundation, which will award grants to aspiring developers worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, potentially for decades to come.
Cerny and Keighley told Game File that the plan is to give $100,000 to each of 20 young game designers every year, with eligibility for up to $500,000 more for the most promising projects, contingent on meeting development milestone requirements. Nova will also help connect developers with publishers and market their games, but it will not take a financial stake in any of the projects it funds. Recipients will be free to choose their own publishers and determine which platforms their games appear on.
Applications open in December for the 2026 to 2027 class, drawing from 13 university programs across eight countries, including New York University, the University of Southern California, Scotland's Abertay University, France's Cnam-Enjmin, Germany's TH Köln, and Australia's Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Kotaku reports the model is inspired by programs like Rhodes Scholarships and the MacArthur Foundation's "genius grants," with funded projects prioritizing "artistic, literary and societal value" alongside mentorship and a path to full-time industry employment.
Keighley said the effort is personal. "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," he said. "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." He added that he and Cerny "have each made multi-million-dollar donations to establish the foundation, and we intend to keep contributing. We hope others will join us." Keighley also noted he has no children and has thought about what he can do for future generations, calling helping others build a life in the industry "a meaningful way to give back."
Josef Fares, lead designer at Hazelight Studios and creator of It Takes Two and Split Fiction, has already been recruited to support Nova. "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. Keighley says "dozens of leading game directors" have also shown interest in joining the cause.
Cerny hopes Nova can grow "over the next 10 or 20 years." "The industry has changed immeasurably since I started in games in 1982," he said. "These graduates have talent, training and tools that outclass what we had back in the day by an astonishing amount. But 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."