The Future Games Show at Gamescom offered a new look at Maverick Games' upcoming open-world driving game Clutch, showing off more high-stakes driving and its beautiful rendering of Monaco.
CEO and Creative director of the studio and former Forza Horizon developer Mike Brown provided a whistle-stop tour through his new driving game – yes, not just a racing game – and it seems like Maverick Games is taking another stab at Forza Horizon 2's European riviera map.
Clutch's open world instead focuses entirely on the French Riviera and Monaco. Brown says it’s "a beautiful, aspirational location that's also home to some of the world's best driving roads", and is steeped in car culture and history, so it makes for an ideal place to set a game like Clutch. He also says that the map is packed with collectibles to find and challenges to complete to reward your driving exploration in true Forza Horizon style.
Brown also discusses how detailed the open world is, with Monaco seemingly serving as Clutch's urban hub. "In our recreation of Monaco, we have at least represented every road that exists in real-life Monaco." So, while it sounds like it's not quite a one-to-one recreation, it should feel very authentic. Adding to that is that fact that every individual building in Monaco is a bespoke design by an artist as opposed to using repeated designs and prefabrications.
As for the actual driving, mastering the streets of Monaco and beyond will take time and won't be easy. Brown says that Clutch has a realistic driving model that makes the cars feel weighty, but it can also be punishing if you drive too hard. "You need that ability to mess up. Otherwise, it can't feel good when you nail it," he says.
Clutch will get off the starting line in Spring 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Right now, you can add it to your wishlist on these platforms, and you should give the developers at Maverick Games a follow on Twitter to keep up with the game's development and any news.
If you're looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.
