French publisher Focus Entertainment has announced a new publishing partnership with Maverick Games to bring the studio’s inaugural racing project, titled Clutch, to market. This collaboration marks a significant shift for Maverick, which had originally entered into a publishing agreement with Amazon Game Studios earlier in 2024 when the game was still under wraps. Amazon later decided to dissolve that partnership, citing a strategic decision to concentrate on initiatives that better exploit Amazon’s distinctive capabilities and scale. According to Maverick co‑founder and chief operating officer Harinder Sangha, the studio has been actively seeking new partners who share its long‑term vision for the Clutch intellectual property.
Sangha told GamesIndustry.biz that Maverick is "in active dialogue with partners who share our long‑term ambition for the IP and look forward to sharing more later this year," indicating that the search for a publishing home was both deliberate and aligned with the studio’s creative goals. Focus Entertainment, a well‑known French publishing house, expressed enthusiasm about adding Clutch to its catalogue. The company highlighted that the title will be its first foray into the open‑world racing genre, a space that has seen limited representation from traditional publishers. In a statement, Focus said that publishing Clutch will "strengthen [its] portfolio with its first entry into the open‑world racing space, driven by a shared ambition to deliver a standout experience and establish Clutch as a major new racing IP." This move signals Focus’s intent to diversify its offerings and to back projects that push genre boundaries.
Clutch is slated for release in the spring of 2027 and will be available on the latest generation of consoles—PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S—as well as on PC. The game promises an expansive, open‑world environment where players can explore a richly detailed landscape, engage in high‑speed competition, and customize their vehicles in ways that go beyond the conventional racing game formula.
Vincent Chataignier, deputy CEO of Focus Entertainment Publishing, elaborated on the partnership, saying, "At Focus, we look to partner with creators who are redefining their genre. Mike Brown and his team are regarded as one of the defining creative voices in the racing genre, and Clutch embodies exactly the creative ambition Focus Entertainment wants to champion." Chataignier’s comments underscore the publisher’s belief that Maverick’s team brings a fresh perspective that could reshape expectations for open‑world racing experiences. Maverick’s founder and chief executive officer, Mike Brown, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the studio’s original mission.
"We founded Maverick Games to build the open‑world racing experience we'd dreamed about for years. Focus shares our creative bar and our ambition for Clutch, and we can't wait for players everywhere to discover this world," he said. Brown’s background includes a tenure as creative director on the acclaimed Forza Horizon series, and his experience in delivering large‑scale, visually striking racing titles is a key selling point for the new project. Focus Entertainment operates as a subsidiary of Pullup Entertainment, a larger conglomerate that oversees several distinct divisions.
Pullup’s portfolio includes Focus Entertainment Publishing, the Arcade Crew, and a collection of development studios such as Deck13, Streumon, Twelve Tenths, Leikir Studio, Blackmill, Dovetail, and Carpool Studio. This network provides a robust infrastructure for marketing, distribution, and technical support, which should benefit Clutch’s launch and post‑release lifecycle.
Maverick Games itself was founded in 2023 by a group of former developers from Playground Games, the studio behind the popular Forza Horizon franchise. The founding team, led by Brown, sought to create a company that could pursue ambitious, open‑world concepts without the constraints often imposed by larger publishers. Their vision for Clutch is to deliver a seamless blend of realistic driving physics, expansive world design, and narrative elements that give players a sense of purpose beyond simply winning races.
The decision to part ways with Amazon earlier this year was framed by Amazon as a strategic realignment rather than a reflection on the quality or potential of the project. Amazon’s statement indicated that the company wanted to focus on projects that leveraged its unique strengths, such as cloud integration, live services, and its massive retail ecosystem. This left Maverick free to explore other publishing avenues that aligned more closely with its creative aspirations.
With Focus Entertainment now on board, Maverick gains access to a publisher that not only understands the nuances of the racing genre but also has a track record of nurturing innovative IPs. The partnership is expected to provide the financial backing, marketing muscle, and distribution channels necessary to bring Clutch to a global audience. Industry observers note that the open‑world racing niche is relatively underserved, especially when compared to the crowded market of linear, track‑based racers.
Titles like Forza Horizon have shown the commercial viability of expansive, exploration‑focused racing games, but there remains ample room for fresh entrants that can differentiate themselves through unique world design, story integration, and player agency. Clutch aims to fill that gap by offering a living, breathing world where weather systems, dynamic events, and player‑driven narratives intersect with high‑octane competition. In addition to the core gameplay loop, Maverick has hinted at robust post‑launch support, including downloadable content, seasonal events, and community‑driven features. The studio’s experience with live service models from previous projects suggests that Clutch could evolve over time, adding new vehicles, regions, and gameplay modes based on player feedback.
Overall, the collaboration between Maverick Games and Focus Entertainment represents a promising convergence of creative vision and publishing expertise. As the spring 2027 launch window approaches, both companies are expected to release further details, including trailers, developer diaries, and beta testing opportunities, to build anticipation among racing enthusiasts worldwide. The partnership not only underscores Maverick’s commitment to delivering an ambitious open‑world racing experience but also highlights Focus’s strategic move to broaden its portfolio with a title that could become a flagship franchise in the genre.