French publishing house Focus Entertainment has entered into a 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 foray into the open‑world racing genre, while providing Maverick with a seasoned publisher to support the launch of a game that has been in development for several years. The road to this partnership began in 2024, when Maverick Games initially secured a publishing agreement with Amazon Game Studios for the same, at the time, undisclosed title. However, Amazon chose to dissolve the arrangement earlier in the current year, citing a strategic shift toward projects that better align with the company’s unique capabilities and scale.
In a brief statement, Amazon explained that the decision was driven by a desire to focus on initiatives that could fully leverage its extensive cloud infrastructure, AI tools, and global distribution network. Following the termination, Maverick’s co‑founder and chief operating officer Harinder Sangha told GamesIndustry.biz that the studio promptly re‑engaged with potential partners who share its long‑term vision for the Clutch intellectual property. Sangha emphasized 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 new publishing home was both swift and strategic.
Focus Entertainment welcomed the opportunity, stating 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." The French publisher sees the title as a chance to diversify its catalog, which has traditionally been dominated by narrative‑driven action‑adventure games and indie‑style titles. By adding an ambitious open‑world racer, Focus hopes to attract a broader audience and demonstrate its commitment to supporting innovative, genre‑defining projects. The game 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.
This multi‑platform launch strategy reflects both Maverick’s desire to reach a wide player base and Focus’s expertise in coordinating simultaneous releases across diverse hardware ecosystems. 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 remarks underscore the publisher’s belief that Maverick’s leadership, particularly studio head Mike Brown, brings a fresh and bold perspective to racing games—one that could potentially reshape player expectations for open‑world driving experiences. Mike Brown, the founder and chief executive officer of Maverick Games, echoed this enthusiasm. He explained, "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 background includes a tenure as creative director on the acclaimed Forza Horizon series, a franchise known for blending expansive, beautifully rendered environments with high‑octane, accessible racing mechanics.
His experience with Forza Horizon informs the design philosophy behind Clutch, which aims to marry a richly detailed, living world with deep vehicle customization and competitive multiplayer modes. Clutch’s development team is composed of former Playground Games veterans who left the studio in 2023 to establish Maverick Games. Their collective expertise in crafting open‑world environments, dynamic weather systems, and engaging progression loops is expected to translate into a racing title that feels both familiar to fans of the genre and innovative in its execution. The game promises a seamless blend of single‑player narrative elements—such as a career mode that follows a rising street racer’s journey—and robust online features, including large‑scale events, cooperative challenges, and a persistent online world where player actions can influence the in‑game economy and environment.
Beyond the core gameplay, Focus Entertainment’s broader corporate structure provides additional support. As a subsidiary of Pullup Entertainment, Focus benefits from shared resources across three main divisions: Focus Entertainment Publishing, the Arcade Crew, and a network of development studios that includes Deck13, Streumon, Twelve Tenths, Leikir Studio, Blackmill, Dovetail, and Carpool Studio.
This ecosystem allows for cross‑studio collaboration, technology sharing, and marketing synergies that can amplify Clutch’s visibility in a crowded market. The partnership also signals a strategic move for Pullup Entertainment, which has been actively expanding its portfolio through acquisitions and new publishing deals. By adding an ambitious open‑world racer to its lineup, Pullup aims to diversify its revenue streams and position itself as a key player in multiple gaming verticals, ranging from narrative adventures to competitive sports titles. In terms of marketing, both Maverick and Focus plan to roll out a comprehensive campaign that leverages social media teasers, developer diaries, and beta testing phases to build community excitement.
Early gameplay footage is expected to showcase the game’s expansive map, which spans urban streets, coastal highways, and off‑road terrain, each rendered with high‑fidelity graphics and dynamic lighting. The developers have hinted at a robust car customization system that allows players to modify performance parts, visual aesthetics, and even audio profiles, fostering a deep sense of ownership over each vehicle. Looking ahead, the success of Clutch could set a precedent for future collaborations between indie‑origin studios and established publishers. It demonstrates how a clear creative vision, combined with the logistical and financial muscle of a seasoned publisher, can bring ambitious projects to fruition even after initial setbacks, such as the dissolution of the Amazon partnership.
As the release date approaches, industry observers will be watching closely to see whether Clutch can deliver on its promise of redefining the open‑world racing experience and establishing a new flagship IP for both Maverick Games and Focus Entertainment. In summary, the alliance between Maverick Games and Focus Entertainment represents a convergence of creative ambition and publishing expertise, aimed at delivering a groundbreaking racing title that aspires to become a cornerstone of the genre.
With a spring 2027 launch on major consoles and PC, Clutch is poised to capture the imagination of racing enthusiasts worldwide, offering an expansive world to explore, a deep customization system, and a competitive multiplayer environment that could set new standards for future open‑world racing games.