French publisher Focus Entertainment has entered into a publishing partnership with Maverik Games to bring the studio’s inaugural racing project, titled Clutch, to market. The collaboration marks a significant milestone for both companies, as it represents Focus’s first foray into the open‑world racing genre and provides Maverick with a seasoned publishing partner after an unexpected shift in its earlier arrangement.
In early 2024, Maverick Games had initially secured a publishing agreement with Amazon Game Studios for the game, which at the time was still under wraps and had not yet been publicly announced. However, Amazon later decided to end the partnership, citing a strategic decision to concentrate on initiatives that more directly exploit Amazon’s unique capabilities and scale. This termination left Maverick searching for a new ally that could support the ambitious vision the studio held for Clutch.
Harinder Sangha, co‑founder and chief operating officer of Maverick, 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 publishing home that not only understood the creative direction of the project but also possessed the resources and market reach to help it succeed on a global stage. Focus Entertainment responded enthusiastically to the opportunity, stating 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 Clutch as a chance to diversify its catalogue, which has traditionally focused on narrative‑driven titles and mid‑core experiences, and to demonstrate its capability to handle large‑scale, technically demanding projects. The game is slated for release in the spring of 2027 and will be available on the latest generation of consoles—PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S—as well as on PC.
This multi‑platform launch strategy reflects both Maverick’s and Focus’s desire to reach the widest possible audience of racing enthusiasts, from console gamers who appreciate high‑fidelity visuals to PC players who often seek deeper customization and modding possibilities. 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 comments highlight the respect that Focus has for Maverick’s leadership, particularly for founder and CEO Mike Brown, whose reputation stems from his previous work on the acclaimed Forza Horizon series. Mike Brown, who founded Maverick Games in 2023 after a successful tenure as creative director on the Forza Horizon franchise, added his own 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 vision for Clutch centers on an expansive, living world where players can freely explore a variety of environments, participate in diverse race formats, and engage with a dynamic weather system that influences vehicle handling and strategy. Clutch aims to differentiate itself from other racing titles by emphasizing a seamless blend of open‑world exploration and competitive racing. Rather than confining players to a series of isolated tracks, the game will feature a sprawling map that includes urban streets, rural backroads, coastal highways, and mountainous passes. Each region will be meticulously crafted to offer distinct visual aesthetics, driving challenges, and hidden secrets, encouraging players to venture off the beaten path and discover new shortcuts or hidden events.
In addition to the core racing mechanics, the developers plan to integrate a robust progression system that rewards both skill and exploration. Players will earn experience points and in‑game currency not only by winning races but also by completing side missions, discovering landmarks, and customizing their vehicles with performance upgrades and visual modifications. This approach is intended to keep players engaged over the long term, fostering a sense of ownership over their personalized garage and encouraging repeated playthroughs.
From a technical standpoint, Clutch will leverage the full capabilities of the next‑gen hardware, delivering high‑resolution textures, ray‑traced lighting, and realistic physics simulations. The development team has been working closely with hardware partners to ensure that the game runs at a stable frame rate while maintaining visual fidelity, a balance that is crucial for delivering a responsive and immersive driving experience. The partnership with Focus also brings additional benefits beyond publishing logistics. Focus’s network of distribution channels, marketing expertise, and relationships with platform holders will help elevate Clutch’s visibility in a crowded market.
Moreover, Focus’s subsidiary structure, which includes the Arcade Crew and several development studios such as Deck13, Streumon, Twelve Tenths, Leikir Studio, Blackmill, Dovetail, and Carpool Studio, provides a pool of talent and resources that can be tapped for ancillary support, such as additional content creation, quality assurance, or post‑launch live‑service management. Pullup Entertainment, the parent company of Focus Entertainment, oversees these divisions and ensures strategic alignment across its portfolio.
By integrating Clutch into this ecosystem, Maverick stands to benefit from cross‑promotion opportunities and potential collaborations with other studios under the Pullup umbrella, further enriching the game’s ecosystem. Overall, the alliance between Maverick Games and Focus Entertainment represents a strategic alignment of creative vision and publishing strength.
With a release targeted for spring 2027, the industry will be watching closely to see how Clutch’s open‑world racing concept resonates with players and whether it can carve out a lasting niche alongside established franchises. If the development proceeds as outlined, Clutch could set a new benchmark for the genre, offering an expansive playground where speed, exploration, and personalization converge in a single, thrilling experience.