UK-based Maverick Games has revealed its debut project, Clutch, which it describes as a "cinematic open-world action-driving game." Led by former Forza Horizon 5 creative director Mike Brown, Clutch will launch in Spring 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Clutch's story campaign will focus on a pair of sibling driving prodigies navigating their way through both a prestigious and historic racing tournament known as the R1K — described as a proving ground for the world's top drivers for the past 100 years — and an underground car community dubbed Midnight Collective. However, when Clutch's hero character finds himself in hot water and in need of a fixer, "the underbelly of the R1K is smashed wide open."

Forza Horizon DNA

Brown founded Maverick in December 2022, a little over a year after Forza Horizon 5 was released, and was joined by a number of other Forza Horizon veterans: producer Tom Butcher, technical director Matt Craven, technical art director Gareth Harwood, audio director Fraser Stachan, and art director Ben Penrose. The team has since grown to about 140 people, and they currently remain independent.

"The problem with a franchise that is as successful and, frankly, excellent as Forza is it's very difficult to go and try and push that thing into a whole new direction because the business would like it to stay in the direction it's going, because it's good for business," Brown told IGN. "I felt like there was an opportunity to do something different and do something a bit fresher in the genre."

Unreal Engine 5 and Realistic Detail

Running on a custom version of Unreal Engine 5, Clutch will boast cars where "every exterior curve, every fleck of paint, [and] every interior stitch" is recreated perfectly, but with signs of wear that make the cars feel truly driven. Brown critiqued the "museum-like" presentation of other racing games where pristine vehicles look out of place in real-world settings.

A first look at the story, actors, and the world of Clutch will be revealed at the Summer Game Fest Showcase on Friday, June 5.

"There was that spell where Need for Speed — from Underground, Underground 2, and Most Wanted — was the number one best-selling game in the world three years running. That is the level of ambition for Clutch, to set the tone for car culture across the next decade."
— Mike Brown, Creative Director, Maverick Games