French publisher Focus Entertainment has entered into a publishing partnership with Maverik Games to bring the studio’s inaugural racing title, 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 Maverik a seasoned publishing partner after its earlier arrangement with Amazon fell through. In early 2024 Maverik Games had initially signed a publishing agreement with Amazon Game Studios for a project that had not yet been publicly announced.
That partnership was dissolved earlier in the year when Amazon announced it would be concentrating its resources on initiatives that more directly exploit the company’s unique technological capabilities and massive scale. Amazon’s decision left Maverik without a publisher for the ambitious open‑world racer they had been developing. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Harinder Sangha, co‑founder and chief operating officer of Maverik, explained that the studio promptly began seeking new collaborators who shared its long‑term vision for the Clutch intellectual property.
“We are in active dialogue with partners who understand the ambition behind this IP, and we look forward to revealing more details later this year,” Sangha said. Focus Entertainment welcomed the opportunity, emphasizing that adding Clutch to its catalogue would diversify its portfolio and signal its entry into a new market segment.
“Publishing Clutch will strengthen our lineup with a first‑ever open‑world racing experience, driven by a shared ambition to deliver a standout product and establish Clutch as a major new racing IP,” a spokesperson for Focus explained. The game is slated for a spring 2027 launch across the current generation of consoles – PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S – as well as on PC.
The developers have promised an expansive, seamless world where players can freely explore a variety of environments, customize vehicles, and engage in high‑octane street races that blend realistic physics with arcade‑style thrills. Vincent Chataignier, deputy chief executive officer of Focus Entertainment Publishing, highlighted the company’s strategy of aligning with creators who are pushing the boundaries of their genres.
“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.” Mike Brown, founder and chief executive officer of Maverik Games, echoed that sentiment. “We founded Maverik 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 added.
The partnership is also notable because Focus Entertainment is a subsidiary of Pullup Entertainment, a French media conglomerate that manages 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, each contributing a range of expertise from narrative‑driven action to indie‑style experimentation. This network provides Maverik with access to a broad pool of technical talent, marketing resources, and distribution channels that could prove vital for the success of a high‑budget, open‑world title.
Maverik Games itself was founded in 2023 by a group of former Playground Games veterans. The team’s pedigree includes significant experience on the acclaimed Forza Horizon series, where Mike Brown served as creative director. That background informs the design philosophy of Clutch, which aims to combine the immersive, free‑roaming feel of Horizon titles with a fresh, competitive edge that emphasizes player choice, dynamic weather systems, and a living world that reacts to racing events. While the exact gameplay mechanics of Clutch have not been fully disclosed, the development team has hinted at several innovative features.
Players will be able to seamlessly transition between city streets, coastal highways, and off‑road tracks without loading screens, creating a continuous sense of motion. The game will also incorporate a deep vehicle customization system, allowing enthusiasts to tweak performance, aesthetics, and even sound profiles to suit their personal style. Additionally, an evolving narrative will be woven into the racing experience, offering missions, rivalries, and a progression system that rewards skill and strategic planning. From a technical standpoint, Clutch is being built on a next‑generation engine that supports high‑resolution textures, real‑time ray tracing, and advanced AI for traffic and opponent behavior.
The developers have emphasized that the world will be populated with a dynamic ecosystem of non‑player characters, weather patterns, and day‑night cycles, all of which will influence race conditions and strategy. The marketing plan, as outlined by Focus, includes a multi‑phase campaign that will roll out teaser trailers, developer diaries, and community engagement events across major gaming conventions. Early access beta testing is expected to begin in late 2026, giving players a chance to provide feedback and shape the final product. Focus’s publishing expertise, combined with Maverik’s creative vision, aims to position Clutch as a flagship title that can compete with established franchises while carving out its own niche.
In summary, the collaboration between Maverik Games and Focus Entertainment represents a strategic alignment of creative ambition and publishing muscle. With a seasoned team of developers, a robust publishing infrastructure, and a clear vision for an open‑world racing experience, Clutch is poised to become a noteworthy addition to the racing genre when it arrives in spring 2027.