French publisher Focus Entertainment has announced a new partnership with Maverick Games to bring the studio’s inaugural racing project, titled Clutch, to market. The collaboration marks a significant shift for Maverick, which originally entered into a publishing arrangement with Amazon Game Studios earlier in 2024 when the game was still under wraps. Amazon later decided to dissolve the agreement, citing a strategic decision to concentrate on initiatives that capitalize on the company’s unique capabilities and scale.
According to Harinder Sangha, co‑founder and chief operating officer of Maverick Games, the studio has been "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 publishing home that aligns with its vision for Clutch, a title that aspires to redefine open‑world racing. Focus Entertainment’s leadership echoed this sentiment. The publisher said that adding Clutch to its slate 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." In other words, the French company sees Clutch as a flagship title that can broaden its reach beyond the action‑adventure and narrative‑driven games for which it is best known.
The game is slated for a spring 2027 launch across the major current‑generation platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This release window gives the development team ample time to polish the open‑world mechanics, fine‑tune vehicle physics, and flesh out the expansive environments that will form the backdrop for high‑speed competition. Vincent Chataignier, deputy CEO of Focus Entertainment Publishing, explained the publisher’s philosophy: "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 the mutual respect between the two companies and suggest that Focus expects the partnership to yield a product that pushes the boundaries of what racing games can achieve. Maverick’s founder and chief executive officer, Mike Brown, 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 convey both the passion that drove the studio’s formation and the confidence that the new publishing arrangement will help bring that vision to fruition. Focus Entertainment operates as a subsidiary of Pullup Entertainment, a larger media group that oversees three core divisions: Focus Entertainment Publishing, the Arcade Crew, and a collection of development studios.
Among the studios under Pullup’s umbrella are Deck13, Streumon, Twelve Tenths, Leikir Studio, Blackmill, Dovetail, and Carpool Studio. This network provides a robust infrastructure for publishing, marketing, and distribution, which should prove advantageous for Maverick as it seeks to launch a title of this magnitude. Maverick Games itself is a relatively young studio, founded in 2023 by a team of former Playground Games developers.
The studio’s pedigree is notable: many of its founders, including Brown, previously contributed to the critically acclaimed Forza Horizon series, where they helped shape one of the most beloved open‑world racing franchises in recent memory. Brown served as creative director on several Forza Horizon installments, gaining valuable experience in crafting expansive, player‑driven worlds that blend realistic driving physics with an accessible, fun‑first approach.
The transition from a partnership with Amazon to one with Focus reflects broader trends in the industry, where mid‑size studios often seek publishing partners that can offer not only financial backing but also strategic alignment and genre expertise. Amazon’s decision to step back was framed as a move to focus on projects that leverage its own cloud infrastructure and e‑commerce ecosystem, leaving room for a more specialized publisher like Focus to step in. Clutch aims to differentiate itself from existing racing titles by delivering a seamless open‑world experience where players can explore a richly detailed environment, participate in a variety of race formats, and customize their vehicles with a depth rarely seen in the genre.
The game will reportedly feature dynamic weather systems, a living ecosystem of AI‑driven traffic, and a narrative thread that ties together the various racing events. These design goals suggest an ambition to blend the freedom of sandbox titles with the competitive intensity of traditional racing games. In addition to the core gameplay loop, the developers have hinted at robust multiplayer components, including large‑scale online events and cross‑platform competition. By supporting PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, Maverick hopes to build a diverse community of racers who can share experiences regardless of hardware choice.
The partnership also opens doors for post‑launch support, such as downloadable content, seasonal updates, and potentially a competitive esports scene. Focus Entertainment’s experience in publishing titles that sustain long‑term player engagement will be crucial in shaping these future plans.
Overall, the collaboration between Maverick Games and Focus Entertainment represents a strategic alignment of creative vision and publishing capability. With a seasoned team at the helm, a clear roadmap toward a 2027 release, and the backing of a publisher eager to expand into the open‑world racing arena, Clutch is positioned to become a noteworthy entry in the genre. Fans of open‑world exploration and high‑octane racing can look forward to a title that promises both technical polish and imaginative world‑building, delivering an experience that could set a new benchmark for future racing games.