Focus Entertainment will publish Maverick Games’ open-world action-driving game CLUTCH when it launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store in spring 2027, the companies announced.
Developed by Maverick Games, a studio founded by former Forza Horizon developers, CLUTCH is a cinematic open-world racing game that combines professional motorsport with underground street racing. The new publishing partnership also marks Focus Entertainment’s first entry into the open-world racing genre.
CLUTCH is set in the French Riviera, where players will experience the contrasting worlds of elite racing and underground street culture. During the day, players will compete in sanctioned professional racing, while the night brings illegal races, high-speed pursuits, getaway missions, and other events across the open world.
The game follows siblings Theo and Cass Martial, who find themselves caught between the prestigious R1K professional racing circuit and the Midnight Collective, an underground community built around the culture and excitement of street racing. As rivalries intensify, the pair become involved in a conspiracy spreading throughout the Riviera’s racing scene, putting their careers and relationships at risk.
The French Riviera will serve as CLUTCH’s main open-world setting, featuring coastal roads, yacht-lined harbours, mountains, gorges, vineyards, and hilltop villages. Maverick Games is also promising a dynamic sandbox designed to allow players to encounter different races, pursuits, and events as they explore the world.
Players will be able to build their reputation through races, social events, and high-speed escapes, with the game placing an emphasis on action-driven pursuits. CLUTCH will also feature ClutchTech modifications and extensive vehicle customisation, allowing players to personalise their cars around both performance and individual style.
Maverick Games was founded by Mike Brown, the former creative director of Forza Horizon 5 and a lead designer on Forza Horizon 2, 3, and 4. The studio describes CLUTCH as its debut title and is aiming to bring its experience with open-world racing games into a new cinematic experience.
The game’s narrative is being developed with Jamie Brittain, co-creator of the television series Skins, and will place its characters and story at the centre of the racing experience. Focus Entertainment says the partnership is intended to establish CLUTCH as a major new racing franchise.
A specific release date has not yet been announced.