Gaming Veterans Launch Major Philanthropic Push for Next Generation of Designers

September 9, 2026 - 00:45

Geoff Keighley and Mark Cerny are known for their high-profile roles in the gaming world. Keighley hosts The Game Awards and Summer Game Fest. Cerny designed games for 45 years and served as lead architect for the PlayStation 4 and 5. But their newest project has nothing to do with those jobs.

The two have launched the Nova Games Foundation, a standalone philanthropic effort aimed at supporting young game designers. The program will offer six-figure grants to 20 students each year, with plans to continue for decades. Recipients get funding with no strings attached, plus mentorship from industry veterans.

"We aren't taking equity or looking to recoup the grants," Keighley said. "The return we're hoping for is creative, helping new voices make games and find their footing."

Each fellow will receive $100,000. About a quarter of them could qualify for up to $500,000 more if their projects show strong progress. Developers keep full ownership of their games and can work with any publisher or platform they choose.

The foundation will start accepting applications in December from students in the classes of 2026 and 2027. Thirteen gaming programs at universities across eight countries are involved, including NYU and USC in the United States, Abertay University in Scotland, and RMIT in Australia.

Cerny said the goal is to support games with artistic and literary value. He pointed to titles like Neva, Abzu, and Outer Wilds as examples of the kind of work he hopes to see emerge.

Keighley and Cerny have each made multi-million-dollar donations to establish the foundation. They have hired an executive director and a head of grants, and they are recruiting industry leaders to contribute time. Josef Fares, known for It Takes Two, has already pledged support.

The first wave of fellows will be announced in March 2027.