French publisher Focus Entertainment has entered into a publishing partnership with Maverick Games to bring the studio’s inaugural racing project, titled Clutch, to market. The collaboration marks a significant step for both companies: it gives Focus its first foothold in the open‑world racing genre, while providing Maverick with a new publishing home after a recent change in partners. In early 2024, Maverick Games originally secured a publishing agreement with Amazon Game Studios for the same, as‑yet‑unannounced title.
However, Amazon chose to dissolve that arrangement earlier in the year, citing a strategic shift toward initiatives that better exploit the company’s unique capabilities and scale. This decision left Maverick seeking a new partner that shared its vision for an expansive, open‑world racing experience. Harinder Sangha, co‑founder and chief operating officer of Maverick, told GamesIndustry.biz that the studio is now "in active dialogue with partners who share our long‑term ambition for the IP and look forward to sharing more later this year." The statement underscores Maverick’s commitment to finding a publishing ally whose goals align with the creative direction of Clutch, and it hints at further announcements as the partnership with Focus solidifies. Focus Entertainment’s leadership echoed this enthusiasm.
The company announced 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 phrasing signals that Focus sees the title not merely as a one‑off project but as the foundation for a potentially long‑running franchise that could compete with established racing series. The game is slated for a Spring 2027 release across the current generation of consoles—PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S—as well as PC.
This timeline gives the development team ample opportunity to refine the open‑world mechanics, populate the game’s environments with varied race tracks, and integrate the high‑fidelity graphics and performance expectations of next‑gen hardware. Vincent Chataignier, deputy CEO of Focus Entertainment Publishing, elaborated on the partnership’s strategic fit: "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 remarks highlight both the reputation of Maverick’s founder, Mike Brown, and the publisher’s desire to be associated with innovative, genre‑pushing titles. Mike Brown, founder and chief executive officer of Maverick Games, added his perspective: "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." Brown’s comments reinforce the studio’s original mission—to deliver an expansive, immersive racing universe that goes beyond traditional circuit‑based games, offering players a living world to explore, compete, and customize. Focus Entertainment itself is a French publishing house operating under the umbrella of Pullup Entertainment. Pullup’s corporate structure comprises three primary divisions: Focus Entertainment Publishing, the Arcade Crew, and a collection of development studios.
Among these studios are Deck13, known for narrative‑driven action titles; Streumon, a creator of atmospheric shooters; Twelve Tenths, an indie studio with a focus on artistic experiences; Leikir Studio, Blackmill, Dovetail, and Carpool Studio, each contributing a distinct portfolio of games across genres. This diversified ecosystem provides Focus with a broad range of expertise and resources that can be leveraged to support Clutch’s development and marketing. Maverick Games was founded in 2023 by a group of former Playground Games veterans.
The team’s pedigree includes significant contributions to the acclaimed Forza Horizon series, where Mike Brown previously served as creative director. This background gives Maverick a deep understanding of open‑world racing design, from dynamic weather systems to seamless transitions between on‑road and off‑road environments. The experience also informs the studio’s ambition to push the boundaries of what a racing game can offer, integrating storytelling, exploration, and a persistent world that evolves over time. The partnership with Focus is expected to bring several advantages to the project.
First, Focus’s publishing infrastructure can provide robust marketing support, ensuring that Clutch reaches a wide audience across multiple regions. Second, the financial backing from a well‑established publisher can help Maverick allocate resources toward advanced technologies such as real‑time ray tracing, high‑resolution textures, and sophisticated AI that governs traffic and competitor behavior. Third, the collaboration opens doors for potential post‑launch content, including downloadable expansions, seasonal events, and live‑service features that keep the community engaged.
Industry observers note that the open‑world racing niche has been relatively under‑explored, with most major titles focusing on closed circuits or limited map segments. By delivering a fully realized, expansive world where players can freely roam, discover hidden routes, and participate in spontaneous races, Clutch aims to fill this gap and set a new benchmark for the genre. The game’s design philosophy appears to draw inspiration from successful open‑world franchises in other categories, adapting those principles to the high‑speed, adrenaline‑fueled context of racing.
As the development progresses, both Maverick and Focus have indicated that they will share more details throughout the year, including gameplay footage, developer diaries, and possibly beta testing opportunities for the community. This transparent approach is intended to build anticipation and gather player feedback that can be incorporated before the final launch. In summary, the alliance between Maverick Games and Focus Entertainment represents a strategic convergence of creative vision and publishing expertise. With a seasoned team led by a former Forza Horizon creative director, a clear ambition to redefine open‑world racing, and the backing of a publisher eager to expand its genre portfolio, Clutch is poised to become a notable entry in the racing landscape when it arrives in spring 2027.