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Maverick Games has given a fuller look at Clutch, and on visuals alone it's already turning heads (at least mine). The debut title from the independent UK studio is heading to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in spring 2027, having been officially revealed on 2 June with a full trailer following at Summer Game Fest.
The studio's pedigree is the first thing that makes me excited for this one. Maverick was co-founded by Mike Brown, former creative director on Forza Horizon 5 (and a fellow Liverpool fan), alongside a roster of Forza Horizon veterans. Based in Leamington Spa, a stone's throw from Playground Games, the roughly 140-person team has spent over three and a half years on this.
A driving game, not a racing game
Interestingly, when I first wrote about Clutch, back when the game didn't even have a name, PR was quick to contact me and politely state that this is first and foremost a driving, not a racing game.
After seeing the gameplay, I get it. The distinction makes sense given there's a whole open world to explore here, not just a calendar of events. Think of this as a cinematic, open-world action-driving game set in a world inspired by the French Riviera.
Mechanically, this is firmly arcade, so leave any sim expectations at the door. On paper it reads like a blend of Forza Horizon's open-world freedom and the attitude of Need for Speed, which tracks given who's making it.
Stunning visuals and cinematics
For me, the standout is the presentation. The car models are genuinely exceptional, arguably the best yet in any driving game, and Brown has claimed the studio's custom Unreal Engine 5 build allows a level of car detail never before seen in-game. The lighting is striking too, with what appears to be Lumen handling ray-traced global illumination.
Where Clutch really pulls ahead, though, is cinematics. The character models are leagues beyond Forza, and the cinematography and camera work look second to none. On the footage shown, this could feature some of the strongest story presentation the genre has seen, the kind of thing Playground might do well to study for the next Forza.
There's substance behind the gloss. The narrative campaign, a clear departure from Forza Horizon's festival structure, was written by Jamie Brittain, co-creator of BAFTA-winning British series Skins. It follows two sibling racing prodigies split between the legal R1K championship and the underground Midnight Collective.
All of this is super-exciting for anyone who is into racing driving games and I genuinely can't wait to see more of Clutch.
Clutch launches in spring 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
