Geoff Keighley and Mark Cerny Launch $2 Million Annual Fund for Aspiring Game Designers

Two prominent figures in the gaming world are stepping up to support the next wave of talent. Geoff Keighley, the host and creator of The Game Awards, is joining forces with game designer and PlayStation 5 architect Mark Cerny to invest millions in emerging game developers, as reported. Their collaborative philanthropic effort, the Nova Games Foundation, aims to provide substantial financial support to recent university graduates, helping them launch their games into the market.

“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,” Keighley shared. “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.”

The Nova Games Foundation will collaborate with 13 university programs worldwide, including institutions like New York University, the University of Southern California, Abertay University in Scotland, Cnam-Enjmin in France, TH Köln in Germany, and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia. Each year, 20 students will receive grants.

These grants start at $100,000 and can reach up to $500,000 for projects that show exceptional promise, contingent on meeting specific development milestones to access the full funding. The foundation is currently accepting applications from the recent graduating class of 2026 and the upcoming class of 2027.

“Mark and I have each made multi-million-dollar donations to establish the foundation, and we intend to keep contributing,” Keighley noted. “We hope others will join us.”

The initiative is inspired by programs like Rhodes Scholarships and the MacArthur Foundation’s “genius grants,” stemming from the growing friendship between Keighley and Cerny and their desire to create a lasting endowment that will expand over the next 10 to 20 years. Funded projects will focus on “artistic, literary and societal value,” while also providing mentorship and pathways to full-time employment in an industry where long-term success can often feel elusive.

“There’s a personal side to this, too,” Keighley added. “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.”