Maverick Games is finally ready to show what it has been working on, and now we know its debut game is called Clutch.
Founded by Mike Brown, the former creative director on the Forza Horizon franchise, Maverick Games has revealed Clutch, a cinematic open-world action-driving game launching in Spring 2027 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The game is also powered by Unreal Engine 5.
Now, before anyone starts calling this Forza Horizon with a different name, that does not seem to be what Maverick is going for here. Unlike Forza Horizon, Clutch is putting a much heavier focus on story, action, and high-stakes driving. Maverick describes the game as a narrative-driven open-world driving experience that blends pro circuit racing with underground race-and-chase sandbox gameplay.
From what has been shown so far, Clutch gives off some early Need for Speed vibes, especially with its focus on rival crews, risky escapes, high-speed pursuits, and looking good while doing all of it.
The story follows sibling racing prodigies competing in the R1K, a historic racing series that has produced the world’s top drivers for 100 years. Away from that polished racing world is the Midnight Collective, an underground scene built around style, danger, and the raw thrill of speed. When the hero finds himself in trouble and needs a fixer, the darker side of the R1K gets exposed. Which, if you’ve watched the Need for Speed movie, it kind of sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Players will compete for position, reputation, and rewards while dealing with rival crews, shifting alliances, and escalating pursuits across a living PvPvE action-driving world. Maverick also says Clutch will feature handcrafted and spontaneous missions, deep vehicle customization, and a proprietary physics engine designed to make each car feel personal. Customization is something we’ve been missing from a number of games, including the Forza Horizon titles, despite what it has done, there is simply more as a racing fan that I’ve really want in a racing game. Here’s hoping Clutch can provide that level of customization.
Of course, the bigger question here is how Maverick kept Clutch moving after Amazon Games ended its publishing agreement. That split made it seem like the project could be in trouble, especially since open-world racing games are not cheap to build, polish, license, and market.
Yet here we are. Clutch has a name, platforms, a release window, a trailer, and a Summer Game Fest showing. That tells me Maverick found some way to keep development on track, even if the studio has not said who, if anyone, is backing the game now.
Whether that means a new publishing partner, private funding, or another deal waiting to be announced remains to be seen. For now, Clutch is no longer just the mystery game from former Forza Horizon developers. It is real, it has a clear identity, and it looks like Maverick Games is trying to carve out its own lane instead of simply chasing Playground Games.
A first look at the story, actors, world, and what is at stake will be shown during the Summer Game Fest Showcase on Friday, June 5. And being the biggest racing and car fan here at The Outerhaven, I can’t wait to see more.
