Maverick Games partners with Focus Entertainment to publish debut racing title Clutch

Maverick Games has signed Focus Entertainment to publish Clutch, the studio’s first racing title and its first major step toward building a new open-world racing IP. The game is now slated for Spring 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, giving the project a clearer commercial runway after a change in publishing plans.

Clutch was originally attached to Amazon Game Studios in 2024, but that agreement ended earlier this year as Amazon shifted focus toward projects that better fit its own strengths and scale. Maverick co-founder and COO Harinder Sangha said the studio had been in active talks with partners aligned with its long-term ambition for the IP, and Focus has now stepped into that role.

For developers, the interesting part is less the publisher swap itself and more what it signals about the project’s scope and positioning. Focus says Clutch will be its first entry into open-world racing, and it’s framing the game as a major new racing IP rather than a one-off release. That suggests a long-tail plan around worldbuilding, content cadence, and franchise potential.

Maverick was founded in 2023 by former Playground Games developers, including CEO Mike Brown, who previously served as creative director on Forza Horizon. That background makes Clutch worth watching for anyone building large-scale driving games, especially around open-world structure, vehicle feel, and how a new studio translates genre pedigree into an original IP.