Maverick Games' debut title Clutch was shown in depth during the studio's first lengthy livestream, and the presentation makes clear the racer is trying to be more than a Forza Horizon clone. The demo leaned into story-driven set pieces, character introductions and a mix of driving formats that range from open-world collecting to gadget-led chases and formal track competition.
The stream followed the opening hour of Clutch, introducing protagonists Theo and Cass through cutscenes and choreographed moments. Beyond scenic driving through the game's south-of-France setting, the demo included stealthy theft sequences, airborne and ground police pursuits, and on-track races tied to the game's R1K series.
Heists and Hot Pursuit-style chases broaden the game's ambitions
One standout sequence from the livestream had Theo infiltrating a penthouse to steal an Aston Martin fitted with an experimental harpoon — a set piece that plays like an action-movie prologue. The developers showed sneaking mechanics around security jeep vision cones, a walkable interior section, and an escape that transitions into a chase with both grounded and airborne law enforcement, evoking Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit-style spectacle.
Clutch layers these gadget-infused moments over its open-world structure, making action-movie stunts a recurring element rather than isolated set pieces.
R1K racing brings a more serious, track-focused side
Alongside heists and streamified street races, the R1K sequence presented a more formal racing pillar. Matches in the R1K series play closer to Forza Motorsport and recent Grid entries, with sponsored liveries, a focus on optimal racing lines and less emphasis on flashy drifting. The R1K storyline shown in the stream frames the series as being in crisis over safety versus spectacle, giving the track side a dramatic, Drive to Survive-like tone.
That contrast—between chilled open-roads and high-pressure professional racing—suggests Maverick aims to cover multiple tones within one package.
Livestreamed street races and social layers
Street races in the demo included a scrolling HUD chat populated by anonymous onlookers, reinforcing the idea those events are being broadcast live within the game's fiction. This attempt to mix social commentary and spectacle is another strand Maverick is trying to weave into Clutch's identity.
During the stream, the developers moved fluidly between these different systems, demonstrating how the game switches from exploration to stealth to chase to circuit racing.
Ambition vs. focus: a possible risk for Clutch
The overall impression from the livestream is one of scale and variety: Clutch attempts to emulate Horizon-like open-world collecting, Hot Pursuit-style pursuits and Grid-like on-track competition all at once. While that breadth is commendable, the writer of the original coverage expressed concern the game might spread itself too thin by juggling so many distinct driving experiences.
Where Forza Horizon narrows its aim to deliver a cohesive celebration of scenic driving and car collection, Clutch's developers appear intent on landing multiple tones and gameplay expectations. The success of that approach will depend on whether Maverick can make each element satisfyingly deep rather than superficially different.
The livestream is available from Maverick Games for those who want to see the opening hour themselves, and the studio's ambition here is clear: build a racer that alternates between relaxed touring, cinematic thefts and serious circuit racing rather than pick one lane.
