French publisher 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 as they aim to deliver a fresh, open‑world racing experience to gamers worldwide. Earlier in 2024, Maverick Games had initially secured a publishing arrangement with Amazon Game Studios for the as‑yet‑unnamed title. However, Amazon chose to dissolve the partnership earlier this year, citing a strategic shift toward initiatives that better exploit the company’s unique capabilities and scale.
In the wake of that decision, Maverick began seeking new allies who shared its long‑term vision for the intellectual property. Harinder Sangha, co‑founder and chief operating officer of Maverick, told GamesIndustry.biz that the studio is currently "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 creative goals and the broader aspirations for the Clutch franchise. Focus Entertainment welcomed the opportunity, emphasizing 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 gateway into a genre where it has previously had limited presence, and it intends to leverage its distribution network and marketing expertise to maximize the game’s impact. Clutch is slated for release in the spring of 2027 and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC platforms.
The launch window gives the development team ample time to refine the open‑world mechanics, expand the vehicle roster, and polish the visual fidelity required for next‑gen hardware. Vincent Chataignier, deputy chief executive officer of Focus Entertainment Publishing, added, "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 publisher’s belief that Maverick’s design philosophy aligns closely with Focus’s own strategic priorities. Mike Brown, founder and chief executive officer of Maverick Games, echoed this sentiment: "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, and his experience in crafting expansive, visually stunning racing environments informs the ambitious scope of Clutch.
Focus Entertainment operates as a subsidiary of Pullup Entertainment, a larger conglomerate that houses 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 extensive network provides a robust infrastructure for supporting large‑scale projects like Clutch, from technical assistance to cross‑studio collaboration.
Maverick Games itself was founded in 2023 by a team of former Playground Games developers, a studio renowned for its work on the Forza Horizon franchise. The founders, led by Brown, sought to create a company that could pursue an open‑world racing vision unencumbered by the constraints of larger publishers. Their expertise in delivering high‑quality, open‑world experiences positions them well to tackle the challenges inherent in building a living, breathing racing world that feels both expansive and immersive. The partnership between Maverick and Focus is expected to bring together Maverick’s deep genre knowledge and Focus’s publishing muscle.
Together, they aim to craft a title that not only pushes the boundaries of what an open‑world racing game can be but also establishes a new, enduring franchise in the competitive racing market. By combining Maverick’s design pedigree with Focus’s global distribution channels, the duo hopes to reach a broad audience across console and PC gamers. Industry observers note that the shift away from Amazon as a publishing partner could be beneficial for Maverick, as Focus appears more focused on nurturing niche, genre‑defining titles rather than leveraging massive cloud‑based ecosystems.
This alignment may allow Maverick greater creative freedom while still receiving the necessary support for marketing, localization, and post‑launch services. In summary, the collaboration between Maverick Games and Focus Entertainment signals a promising future for Clutch, a game that aspires to redefine open‑world racing.
With a 2027 spring launch on the latest consoles and PC, the title is positioned to capture the imagination of racing enthusiasts and casual players alike, delivering a fresh take on speed, exploration, and automotive culture.