A brand-new open-world racing game is aiming to shake up the genre, and it comes from some of the biggest names behind the Forza Horizon series. Maverick Games, the studio founded by former Forza Horizon 5 creative director Mike Brown, has officially revealed Clutch, a narrative-focused driving game that blends sanctioned motorsport, underground street racing, and organized crime.
Set against the backdrop of the French Riviera, Clutch looks like a major departure from the cleaner, festival-style atmosphere that has dominated modern racing games in recent years. The game mixes professional circuit racing with high-speed police chases, criminal underworld storylines, and heavily customized supercars.
Maverick Games says Clutch has been in development for more than three years, making it the studio’s most ambitious project yet. The game is currently targeting a spring 2027 release for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC.
From the first trailer alone, it’s clear the team wants to create something very different from both Forza Horizon and the increasingly dormant Need for Speed franchise.
Racing Championship Meets Criminal Underworld
At the center of Clutch is a fictional racing series known as the R1K, described as a century-old championship that serves as the proving ground for the world’s best drivers.
Players take control of sibling racing prodigies competing within the prestigious series, but things quickly spiral into something much darker. According to Maverick Games, the story eventually pulls players into the “Midnight Collective,” a secretive underground group focused less on fame and sponsorships and more on the raw thrill of driving.
That setup creates a dual-world structure where professional racing exists alongside illegal street racing and organized crime.
The reveal trailer hints at high-speed getaways, police pursuits, and gadget-assisted escapes involving nitrous systems and grappling hooks. It gives Clutch a tone that feels somewhere between Forza Horizon, Need for Speed Heat, and even classic heist films.
Maverick describes the game as “PvPvE,” meaning players won’t just compete against each other but may also need to cooperate during certain events while dealing with AI-controlled threats like law enforcement.
The Cars Look Incredibly Detailed
One of the biggest talking points surrounding Clutch so far is the visual quality of the cars themselves. Maverick Games says it built the game using a custom version of Unreal Engine 5, allowing the studio to push car modeling and environmental detail much further than previous racing games.
According to the developers, every scratch, paint flake, interior stitch, and tire groove has been recreated with extreme precision. Older cars even show visible wear and aging rather than appearing factory-fresh all the time.
The reveal trailer showcased a surprisingly diverse car roster that already includes icons like the Mazda RX-7 FD, Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, Porsche 930 Turbo, BMW M3 GTR, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Aston Martin Valhalla, Alfa Romeo 4C, and Land Rover Defender.
Interior modeling appears especially impressive. Footage of the BMW 850 CSi showed fully detailed switchgear, labels, textures, and materials that rival some of the best automotive games currently available. The game also embraces a level of personalization rarely seen in the genre.
Customization Goes Beyond Just Body Kits
Vehicle customization appears to be one of Clutch’s biggest selling points. Players can modify traditional components like wheels, bumpers, spoilers, exhausts, racing seats, and steering wheels, but Maverick Games is also pushing into much more personal territory.
The studio wants cars to feel genuinely lived-in rather than sterile showroom pieces. That means players can clutter their cabins with coffee cups, hoodies, parking tickets, receipts, and various personal items scattered throughout the interior.
The developers even joked during the reveal presentation about players requesting fluffy dice for rearview mirrors, something the team now says it may actually add later.
It’s a small detail, but it highlights the game’s philosophy. Maverick wants Clutch to feel less like a car catalog simulator and more like a world where players build genuine emotional connections with their vehicles.
That approach could help the game stand out in a racing genre that has become increasingly focused on sterile progression systems and live-service mechanics.
Clutch Could Arrive At The Perfect Time
The timing for Clutch may work heavily in Maverick Games’ favor. Need for Speed has largely gone quiet following recent restructuring at EA and Criterion Games.
Meanwhile, Forza Horizon continues to dominate the arcade racing space but has gradually moved toward a more polished and less rebellious atmosphere over the years. Clutch appears ready to occupy the gap between those two franchises.
The combination of narrative storytelling, underground racing culture, realistic vehicle customization, and open-world exploration could appeal to players who miss the edgier style of racing games from the early 2000s while still wanting modern visuals and technology.
Maverick Games says additional information about the game’s world, cast, and gameplay systems will be revealed during Summer Game Fest on June 5. For now, though, Clutch already looks like one of the most intriguing new racing games currently in development.