French publisher Focus Entertainment has entered into a publishing partnership with Maverick Games to bring the studio’s inaugural open‑world racing title, Clutch, to market. The collaboration marks a significant step for both companies, as Focus expands its catalogue into the high‑octane racing genre while Maverick secures a seasoned partner to help launch its ambitious project. Initially, Maverick had aligned with Amazon Game Studios back in 2024 when the game was still under wraps. However, Amazon chose to dissolve the agreement earlier this year, citing a strategic shift toward initiatives that better exploit the company’s unique capabilities and scale.
In a statement, Amazon explained that its focus would now be on projects that directly leverage its cloud infrastructure, e‑commerce reach, and other proprietary strengths, leaving Clutch without a publishing home at that moment. Following the Amazon split, Maverick’s co‑founder and chief operating officer Harinder Sangha told GamesIndustry.biz that the studio promptly began “active dialogue with partners who share our long‑term ambition for the IP.” He added that Maverick looks forward to revealing more details about the partnership and the game later in the year, underscoring the studio’s confidence that the right publishing ally would help realize the vision for Clutch. Focus Entertainment’s announcement highlighted 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." The French publisher sees the title as a flagship project that can diversify its offerings beyond the narrative‑driven and action‑oriented games it has traditionally handled.
The release window for Clutch is slated for spring 2027, with the game set to launch on the latest generation consoles—PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S—as well as on PC. This multi‑platform strategy reflects both Maverick’s desire to reach a broad audience and Focus’s intent to maximize the title’s commercial potential across the most popular gaming 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 signal that Focus views Maverick’s leadership not only as capable of delivering a technically impressive racer but also as innovators who can push the boundaries of open‑world design, player agency, and immersive storytelling within a racing context.
Maverick’s founder and chief executive officer Mike Brown echoed this enthusiasm, stating, "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 underline the studio’s long‑standing vision: a seamless blend of expansive, free‑roaming environments with the thrill of high‑speed competition, a concept that has been a missing piece in the current market dominated by circuit‑based racers. The partnership also brings together two entities with complementary histories. Focus Entertainment, a French publishing house, operates under the umbrella of Pullup Entertainment, a larger conglomerate that manages three core divisions: Focus Entertainment Publishing, the Arcade Crew, and a collection of development studios.
Among these studios are notable names such as Deck13, Streumon, Twelve Tenths, Leikir Studio, Blackmill, Dovetail, and Carpool Studio, each contributing a diverse range of expertise from narrative adventure to tactical shooters. This ecosystem provides Maverick with access to a wealth of technical resources, marketing channels, and distribution networks that can amplify Clutch’s reach. Maverick Games itself was founded in 2023 by a group of former Playground Games developers, a studio best known for the critically acclaimed Forza Horizon series.
Mike Brown, who previously served as creative director on several Forza Horizon installments, brings a deep understanding of what makes an open‑world racing game resonate with players—dynamic weather systems, varied terrain, a sense of progression, and a vibrant, living world that reacts to the player’s choices. His experience is expected to inform Clutch’s design philosophy, ensuring that the game delivers both the visceral excitement of racing and the exploratory freedom of an open world. While the core premise of Clutch remains under wraps, the information released so far suggests a bold departure from traditional racing titles.
Instead of focusing solely on closed‑circuit tracks, Clutch aims to provide a sprawling urban and rural landscape where players can race through city streets, mountain passes, coastal highways, and perhaps even off‑road trails, all within a single, cohesive world. This approach promises a richer, more varied gameplay loop, encouraging players to discover shortcuts, hidden challenges, and dynamic events that evolve over time. In addition to the expansive map, the developers have hinted at a deep customization system for both vehicles and driver avatars, allowing players to personalize their rides with performance upgrades, visual modifications, and even functional tweaks that affect handling and speed. Such depth aligns with current trends in the genre, where personalization and progression are key drivers of player engagement and long‑term retention.
From a technical standpoint, Clutch is being built to leverage the full capabilities of next‑gen hardware. Expect high‑resolution textures, ray‑traced lighting, and sophisticated physics simulations that capture the nuanced feel of different surfaces—whether asphalt, gravel, or wet roads.
The developers have also emphasized a commitment to robust online features, including multiplayer races, leaderboards, and community events that can keep the world feeling alive long after launch. The collaboration between Maverick and Focus is also poised to benefit from Focus’s established relationships with platform holders and its expertise in global marketing campaigns.
By aligning release dates across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, the partnership aims to create a synchronized launch that maximizes media coverage, influencer outreach, and community hype. Overall, the partnership signals a promising future for Clutch. With Maverick’s creative pedigree, rooted in the success of the Forza Horizon series, and Focus Entertainment’s publishing muscle and strategic vision, the game is well‑positioned to make a splash in the competitive racing market.
Fans of open‑world experiences and high‑speed action alike can anticipate a title that blends the best of both worlds, delivering a fresh, immersive racing adventure when it hits shelves in the spring of 2027.