After a long wait and a singular countdown that lasted two weeks that saw a FIAT Multipla as the protagonist, the British studio Maverick Games has finally raised the curtain on its debut game, CLUTCH.

CLUTCH has been defined as a "cinematic action car title" set in an open world, which promises to focus on the concept of pure speed. Developed by an independent team made up of numerous industry and Playground Games veterans (the studio is based in Leamington Spa, the same city as Playground), the game is expected in spring 2027.

The birth of this project is due to Mike Brown, former Creative Director of Forza Horizon 5, who in 2022 founded Maverick Games together with other historical colleagues in the series, including producer Tom Butcher, technical director Matt Craven, art director Ben Penrose and technical directors associated with art and audio. The team, which currently has about 140 people, has been working on this title for over three years, being able to benefit from the longest development cycle ever faced by Brown so far. To pique the curiosity of fans before the reveal, the studio even broadcast a live stream focused on a FIAT Multipla parked in its offices, culminating with the official announcement.

In CLUTCH we will experience a strong narrative component centered on two brothers, both prodigies of driving. During the campaign we will find ourselves navigating inside the R1K, a prestigious and historic car championship that for a century has been the real test for the best drivers in the world. In parallel with the official competitions, we will get to know the Midnight Collective, an underground community that rejects the money and fame of institutional circuits to focus exclusively on pure competition. When the protagonist finds himself in trouble and looking for a mediator, the secrets of the R1K will come to light, merging the two worlds. We will thus find ourselves competing in a lively and dynamic PvPvE sandbox universe , where we will have to juggle professional racing and frantic high-voltage clandestine chases.

Given these premises, the game would seem to propose itself as a cross between Forza Horizon and Need For Speed. We will see if this will really be the case.

From a technical point of view, the game uses a customized version of Unreal Engine 5. The developers wanted to detach themselves from the classic impeccable and almost museum-like representation of the cars, focusing instead on a dirty and lived-in realism. On the bodywork we will in fact be able to notice accumulations of dust, signs of aging, wear on the steering wheels and carbon residues around the exhausts. Customization also promises to set a new standard: we will be able to modify exterior and interior elements such as steering wheels, seats, exhaust tips and neon lights, but we will also have the possibility to enrich the cabin with human details to make the vehicle truly ours. For example, we can leave cups of coffee in cup holders, receipts on the dashboard or sweatshirts resting on passenger seats.

This announcement represents only a first taste of what awaits us: the real reveal of CLUTCH is in fact set for this Friday, June 5 at 23:00, when an extended and in-depth movie will be shown at the Summer Game Fest Showcase.

We leave you to the announcement trailer, postponing you to Friday for more details!