Cortex Games debuts Nova Engine and secures $60M to rival AAA middleware

Gaming · 6 min read

Nova Engine promises deterministic networking, high-fidelity physically based rendering, and modular server-authoritative simulation tailored to persistent multiplayer games. Cortex Games designed Nova with scalability in mind, offering reference server clusters that integrate with major cloud providers and native clients for consoles, PC, and mobile.

Cortex Games backed the launch with a $60 million Series B led by Gradient Capital and a strategic investment from a console manufacturer. The round will fund engine tooling, middleware licensing partnerships, and developer support programs intended to accelerate adoption among mid-size studios.

Early adopters include two live-service developers building cross-play titles expected to enter early access in 2027. Cortex plans a tiered licensing model: a free entry license for prototypes, a royalty-based plan for scaling titles, and bespoke enterprise contracts for larger studios needing white-glove integration.