French publisher Focus Entertainment has announced a new partnership with Maverick Games to bring the studio’s inaugural racing project, titled Clutch, to market. This collaboration marks a significant shift for Maverick, which had originally entered into a publishing arrangement with Amazon Game Studios earlier in 2024 when the game was still under wraps. Amazon later chose to end the agreement, citing a strategic decision to concentrate on initiatives that capitalize on the company’s distinctive capabilities and scale. According to Maverick co‑founder and chief operating officer Harinder Sangha, the studio is now engaged 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 underscores Maverick’s commitment to finding a publishing home that aligns with its vision for Clutch, a title that aspires to redefine open‑world racing.
Focus Entertainment’s leadership echoed this enthusiasm. The publisher said 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." In other words, Focus sees the game as a gateway into a genre where it has previously had limited exposure, and it hopes the partnership will produce a title that stands out both critically and commercially.
Clutch is slated for a spring 2027 release across the current generation of consoles—PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S—as well as PC. The timing positions the game to benefit from the continued momentum of next‑gen hardware, while also giving the development team ample time to refine the open‑world mechanics, vehicle physics, and visual fidelity that are essential for a modern racing experience.
Vincent Chataignier, deputy CEO of Focus Entertainment Publishing, elaborated on the company’s philosophy when selecting partners: "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 highlight the respect that Focus holds for Maverick’s founder, Mike Brown, whose reputation stems from his previous work on the acclaimed Forza Horizon series.
Mike Brown, founder and chief executive officer of Maverick Games, added his 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 comments reveal the personal passion behind the project and suggest that the partnership with Focus will enable Maverick to achieve the high standards it has set for itself. Focus Entertainment operates as a subsidiary of Pullup Entertainment, a larger media group that oversees three primary 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. This network provides a robust infrastructure for publishing, marketing, and distribution, which should prove advantageous for Clutch’s launch and post‑launch support. Maverick Games itself was founded in 2023 by a team of former Playground Games developers. The studio’s leadership includes veterans who contributed to the Forza Horizon franchise, a series renowned for its seamless blend of open‑world exploration and high‑octane racing.
Mike Brown served as creative director on several Forza Horizon installments, giving him deep insight into the mechanics and design philosophies that make open‑world racing compelling. The transition from Amazon Game Studios to Focus Entertainment is notable within the industry because it illustrates how publishing relationships can evolve based on strategic priorities.
Amazon’s decision to step away was framed as a move to focus on projects that leverage its unique strengths—likely referring to its cloud infrastructure, live‑service expertise, and integration with the broader Amazon ecosystem. Meanwhile, Focus’s interest lies in expanding its catalog with a genre‑defining title that can attract both hardcore racing enthusiasts and casual players seeking an immersive open‑world experience.
From a gameplay standpoint, Clutch aims to differentiate itself through several key features. The developers have hinted at a vast, living world that reacts dynamically to player actions, weather systems that affect vehicle handling, and a deep progression system that rewards both skill and exploration. The game is expected to support a wide variety of vehicles, from street‑legal sports cars to high‑performance hypercars, each meticulously modeled to deliver authentic performance characteristics.
In addition to single‑player content, Maverick has indicated plans for robust multiplayer components, including competitive races, cooperative challenges, and community‑driven events. This focus on multiplayer aligns with current market trends where live services and ongoing content updates are crucial for retaining player engagement over the long term. The partnership also opens doors for cross‑promotional opportunities. Focus Entertainment’s existing relationships with other studios and its marketing capabilities could enable Clutch to appear in bundled offerings, seasonal sales, or exclusive content drops tied to major gaming events such as E3, Gamescom, or the Summer Game Fest.
Looking ahead, both Maverick and Focus are optimistic about the potential impact of Clutch. The game’s release in spring 2027 gives the development team a clear timeline to polish the title, integrate player feedback from any early testing phases, and ensure that the final product meets the high expectations set by the studio’s pedigree. If successful, Clutch could not only cement Maverick Games as a premier developer in the open‑world racing niche but also expand Focus Entertainment’s reputation as a publisher capable of delivering genre‑defining experiences.
In summary, the collaboration between Maverick Games and Focus Entertainment represents a strategic alignment of creative vision and publishing expertise. With a seasoned leadership team, a clear development roadmap, and the backing of a well‑established publisher, Clutch is poised to become a notable entry in the racing genre, offering players a fresh, expansive, and immersive driving adventure when it arrives in 2027.