Maverick Games Teams Up with Focus Entertainment to Publish Their First Racing Game, Clutch

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 seasoned publishing ally after its earlier arrangement with Amazon Game Studios fell through. In early 2024, Maverick Games originally struck a deal with Amazon Game Studios to bring the then‑secret racing title to a broad audience. However, Amazon announced that it would end the agreement earlier this year, citing a strategic shift toward initiatives that more directly leverage the company’s unique technological strengths and massive scale.

The termination left Maverick searching for a new publishing partner that shared its long‑term vision for the Clutch intellectual property. 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." This statement underscores Maverick’s commitment to finding a partner whose goals align closely with its own, ensuring that the game will receive the support it needs to reach its full potential. Focus Entertainment’s official statement highlighted the strategic importance of the deal: 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." By adding an open‑world racer to its catalogue, Focus diversifies its offerings beyond the action‑adventure and narrative‑driven titles for which it is best known, positioning itself to capture a slice of the lucrative racing market.

The game itself is slated for release in the spring of 2027 on the current generation of consoles—PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S—as well as on PC. This multi‑platform launch strategy reflects a desire to reach the widest possible audience of racing enthusiasts, from console gamers to PC‑centric players who appreciate high‑fidelity graphics and mod‑friendly environments. 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 convey a clear belief that Maverick’s team brings fresh ideas and a distinctive design philosophy that can push the boundaries of what open‑world racing games can achieve.

Mike Brown, founder and chief executive officer of Maverick Games, echoed this enthusiasm: "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 remarks reveal the personal passion that drove the studio’s formation in 2023 and its focus on delivering a game that blends expansive, explorable environments with the high‑octane thrills typical of racing titles. The partnership also benefits from Focus Entertainment’s broader corporate structure.

Focus is a French publishing house operating under the umbrella of Pullup Entertainment, which runs three core divisions: Focus Entertainment Publishing, the Arcade Crew, and a collection of development studios. Among the studios in Pullup’s roster are Deck13, known for narrative‑driven action games; Streumon, a studio with a reputation for atmospheric shooters; Twelve Tenths, Leikir Studio, Blackmill, Dovetail, and Carpool Studio.

This network provides Maverick with access to a wealth of technical expertise, marketing resources, and distribution channels that can help Clutch stand out in a crowded market. Maverick Games itself was founded by a group of former Playground Games developers in 2023.

Playground Games earned acclaim for its Forza Horizon series, a franchise celebrated for its seamless blend of open‑world exploration and high‑performance racing. Mike Brown, who previously served as creative director on the Forza Horizon titles, brings that experience to Maverick, promising a game that will likely incorporate the best elements of Horizon’s open‑world design while introducing new innovations unique to Clutch. While the core details of Clutch’s gameplay have yet to be fully disclosed, the available information suggests a focus on expansive, player‑driven environments where racers can freely explore a richly detailed world, engage in high‑speed competitions, and customize their vehicles to a deep degree.

The open‑world setting is expected to feature dynamic weather, a day‑night cycle, and a variety of terrain types—from urban streets to winding mountain roads—offering diverse challenges and visual variety. Industry analysts anticipate that Clutch could fill a niche currently underserved by major racing franchises, which often emphasize either circuit‑based competition or more limited open‑world experiences. By delivering a truly expansive world combined with robust vehicle customization and a narrative layer that encourages exploration, Maverick and Focus aim to set a new benchmark for the genre. The spring 2027 launch window gives the development team ample time to refine the game’s mechanics, polish its visual fidelity, and integrate community feedback from any early demos or beta tests that may be released.

It also aligns with the typical release cycles of next‑generation consoles, ensuring that Clutch will launch when the hardware is fully mature and the player base is eager for fresh, high‑quality titles. In summary, the alliance between Maverick Games and Focus Entertainment represents a strategic convergence of creative vision and publishing expertise. With Focus’s resources and Maverick’s pedigree in open‑world racing design, Clutch is poised to become a notable entry in the racing genre, offering players an immersive, expansive driving experience that could redefine expectations for future titles. The partnership underscores a broader industry trend of publishers seeking out innovative indie studios to diversify their portfolios and deliver fresh experiences to gamers worldwide.