French publisher Focus Entertainment has entered into a publishing partnership with Maverick Games to bring the studio’s inaugural racing title, Clutch, to market. The collaboration marks a significant step for both companies: Focus expands its catalogue with a first‑ever open‑world racing entry, while Maverick secures a seasoned partner to help launch its ambitious new IP.
The origins of Clutch trace back to early 2024, when Maverick Games first struck a deal with Amazon Game Studios. At that time the game was still under wraps, and the partnership promised Amazon a foothold in a fresh, open‑world racing experience. However, Amazon later announced that it was ending the agreement, citing a strategic shift toward projects that better leverage the company’s unique infrastructure, cloud capabilities, and scale.
The decision left Maverick without a publishing home for its flagship title, prompting the studio to explore other options. Harinder Sangha, co‑founder and chief operating officer of Maverick Games, explained to GamesIndustry.biz that 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 underscored Maverick’s commitment to finding a partner whose vision aligns with the team’s own aspirations for Clutch.
After a period of negotiations, Focus Entertainment emerged as the ideal match, offering both publishing expertise and a genuine enthusiasm for the racing genre. Focus Entertainment’s publishing arm issued a statement highlighting the strategic importance of the deal. By adding Clutch to its slate, Focus 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 publisher emphasized that the partnership is rooted in a mutual desire to push the boundaries of what a modern racing game can achieve, blending expansive, living worlds with high‑octane competition.
The game itself is slated for a spring 2027 release across the major current‑generation platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This timeline gives Maverick and Focus ample opportunity to refine the open‑world mechanics, populate the world with diverse vehicles, and craft a narrative that distinguishes Clutch from more traditional circuit‑based racers.
The developers have hinted at a seamless blend of exploration and competition, where players can freely roam a sprawling map, discover hidden events, and customize their rides in depth. Vincent Chataignier, deputy CEO of Focus Entertainment Publishing, elaborated on the partnership’s creative chemistry. "At Focus, we look to partner with creators who are redefining their genre," he said.
"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." This endorsement signals that Focus sees Brown’s vision as a catalyst for innovation within the racing space, and that the publisher intends to invest resources to ensure the game meets high standards of quality and originality. Maverick’s founder and chief executive officer, Mike Brown, echoed the sentiment, noting that the studio was founded with a singular purpose: to build the open‑world racing experience they had imagined 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 said.
His remarks convey a sense of excitement about the partnership and confidence that the combined expertise of Maverick’s development team and Focus’s publishing muscle will result in a product that resonates with both hardcore racing fans and newcomers alike. A brief look at the corporate backdrop reveals that Focus Entertainment is a French publishing house operating under the umbrella of Pullup Entertainment. Pullup runs three core divisions: Focus Entertainment Publishing, the Arcade Crew, and a suite of development studios that include Deck13, Streumon, Twelve Tenths, Leikir Studio, Blackmill, Dovetail, and Carpool Studio.
This diversified structure provides Focus with a broad talent pool and a range of technical capabilities, which can be leveraged to support ambitious projects like Clutch. Maverick Games itself is a relatively young studio, founded in 2023 by a group of former Playground Games developers.
The team’s pedigree includes experience on the critically acclaimed Forza Horizon series, where Mike Brown previously served as creative director. This background gives Maverick a deep understanding of open‑world racing design, player expectations, and the technical challenges of delivering a seamless, high‑performance experience across multiple platforms.
Looking ahead, the partnership promises several key benefits. For Focus, Clutch expands its genre coverage, allowing the publisher to tap into the lucrative racing market while diversifying its portfolio beyond action‑adventure and narrative‑driven titles. For Maverick, the alliance provides access to Focus’s distribution networks, marketing expertise, and financial resources, enabling the studio to focus on polishing gameplay, world‑building, and vehicle customization without the overhead of self‑publishing.
Industry observers anticipate that Clutch will aim to differentiate itself through a combination of expansive, dynamic environments, robust multiplayer modes, and a deep progression system that rewards both skill and exploration. By integrating real‑time weather, day‑night cycles, and a living ecosystem of AI‑driven traffic and events, the game aspires to create a living, breathing world where racing feels organic rather than confined to pre‑set tracks. In summary, the Maverick‑Focus partnership represents a strategic alignment of creative vision and publishing capability, poised to deliver an innovative open‑world racing title in Clutch.
With a planned spring 2027 launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, the game is positioned to capture the imagination of gamers seeking a fresh take on the racing genre, while also reinforcing Focus Entertainment’s commitment to supporting bold, genre‑defining projects.