Amazon is no longer publishing Maverick Games’ in-development open-world driving game expected to rival Forza Horizon. The shift is yet another reflection of Amazon's narrowing video game ambitions, forcing the studio founded by former Forza Horizon developers to seek a new publisher.
Incorporated in Royal Leamington Spa, England, Maverick Games was founded in 2022 by several Playground Games veterans, including Tom Butcher and Michael Brown, along with the former SEGA Hardlight studio head Harinder Sangha. Amazon signed on in May 2024 to publish the studio’s unannounced, narrative-led open-world racing game for PC and current-generation consoles, positioning it as a potential challenger to Forza Horizon. Steve Boom, Amazon’s vice president of Audio, Twitch and Games, said as recently as October 2025 that the company was still collaborating with Maverick on the untitled project.
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Maverick and Amazon’s partnership ended in early 2026. In a statement to The Game Business, an Amazon spokesperson said the split reflected a "strategic evolution" aimed at focusing on projects that leverage the company’s "unique strengths and...
