French publishing house 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: it gives Focus its first foray into the open‑world racing genre, while providing Maverick with a seasoned publisher to support its ambitious debut. The road to this partnership began in 2024, when Maverick initially secured a publishing arrangement with Amazon Game Studios for the then‑unannounced racing title.
However, Amazon decided to end the agreement earlier this year, citing a strategic shift toward projects that more directly leverage the company’s unique capabilities and scale. In a statement, Amazon explained that the decision was part of a broader focus on leveraging its own infrastructure and ecosystem.
Following the split, Maverick’s co‑founder and chief operating officer Harinder Sangha told GamesIndustry.biz that the studio had already begun “active dialogue with partners who share our long‑term ambition for the IP.” He added that Maverick looks forward to revealing further details later in the year as the partnership solidifies. Focus Entertainment’s leadership echoed this enthusiasm.
The publisher announced that adding Clutch to its slate will “strengthen our 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.” Vincent Chataignier, deputy CEO of Focus Entertainment Publishing, explained that the company seeks collaborations with creators who are redefining their genres. He highlighted Mike Brown and his team as “one of the defining creative voices in the racing genre,” noting that Clutch perfectly embodies the kind of visionary ambition Focus aims to champion. Mike Brown, founder and chief executive officer of Maverick Games, expressed his excitement about the new partnership. He said, “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 serving as creative director on the acclaimed Forza Horizon series, and he brings that expertise to the development of Clutch, which promises an expansive, immersive racing environment. Clutch is slated for release in the spring of 2027 and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The game aims to combine the high‑octane thrills of traditional racing titles with the freedom of an open‑world setting, allowing players to explore diverse landscapes, engage in dynamic weather systems, and customize vehicles in unprecedented ways. By blending narrative-driven missions with competitive multiplayer modes, Clutch seeks to attract both casual fans and hardcore racing enthusiasts.
The partnership also highlights Focus Entertainment’s broader corporate structure. Focus is a French publisher 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 these studios are Deck13, known for titles such as "The Surge" and "Munich: 1972," Streumon, Twelve Tenths, Leikir Studio, Blackmill, Dovetail, and Carpool Studio. This network provides a robust support system for new projects, offering resources ranging from technical assistance to marketing expertise.
Maverick Games itself was founded in 2023 by a team of former Playground Games developers. The studio’s mission centers on delivering an open‑world racing experience that pushes the boundaries of the genre. With Brown’s experience on Forza Horizon and the team’s collective expertise, Maverick aims to create a game that not only offers thrilling races but also a living, breathing world that evolves with player interaction. The transition from Amazon to Focus as the publishing partner reflects a broader trend in the industry, where developers seek publishers that align closely with their creative vision and can provide dedicated support for niche or innovative projects.
While Amazon’s decision to step back was framed around strategic focus, it opened the door for Maverick to partner with a publisher that actively champions genre‑defining titles. Looking ahead, both companies anticipate a collaborative development process that leverages Focus’s publishing acumen and Maverick’s design prowess. The partnership is expected to involve joint marketing campaigns, community engagement initiatives, and possibly post‑launch content expansions that will keep the world of Clutch fresh and evolving.
In summary, the alliance between Maverick Games and Focus Entertainment represents a strategic alignment of creative ambition and publishing capability. With a launch targeted for spring 2027 across major console and PC platforms, Clutch is poised to become a noteworthy entry in the racing genre, offering players an expansive open‑world experience backed by seasoned industry partners.