Clutch preview: Forza Horizon's first real open-world rival

Clutch, from Maverick Games — a studio founded by former Forza Horizon creative director Mike Brown — retools the open-world racing formula with cinematic storytelling and a Hollywood-sized sensibility. The debut aims to be the first meaningful competition Forza Horizon has faced in years, pairing high-production drama with familiar driving fundamentals.

The story follows siblings Theo and Cass, introduced as children in a tense London joyride and later embroiled in high-stakes heists across the French Riviera. Strong cinematics and performances, including Peter Serafinowicz, frame a narrative about the RK racing league facing a safety crisis and the threat of automated driving, while Theo’s disillusionment pulls him toward the Midnight Collective street scene.

Gameplay mixes clean RK races with dirty, style-focused Midnight Collective events where drafting and drifting score points, and in-universe streams react to your moves.

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