Mark Cerny and Geoff Keighley announce the ‘Nova Games Foundation’

Entering into the video games industry is getting harder and more troublesome with each passing year, not only due to the sheer number of lay-offs happening all over the place, but also as a result of financial fears among other roadblocks. In an effort to ‘pay it forward’ industry icons Mark Cerny and Geoff Keighley have announced their new ‘Nova Games Foundation’ initiative.

Taking part in an interview with the publication Game File, PlayStation’s lead architect Mark Cerny and The Game Awards / Summer Game Fest creator Geoff Keighley jointly announced their new ‘philanthropic’ initiative: the Nova Games Foundation.

Described as a “university-affiliated fellowship program” which will offer grants worth at least $100,000 to 20 young game designers a year, the Nova Games Foundation is designed around “no-strings-attached funding along with mentorship from games industry leaders.”

Full details on the foundation and their grants can be found HERE. As of now however, Nova Games have partnered with 13 universities across 8 countries, including Scotland; France; Germany and Australia.

Speaking on this project, Keighley claimed: “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. 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.”

Cerny offered a similar sentiment, writing: “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.”

As with many industries, getting your foot through the door can be the hardest part. Thus, it is encouraging to see two of the industry’s biggest names trying to do something about it.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this new initiative? Is philanthropy the way to go, or are there more deep rooted issues which need to be addressed? Let us know your thoughts down below.

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