Maverick Games, the UK studio built by former Forza Horizon leads, has posted a YouTube countdown ticking down to June 2 at 6am ET, the same day PlayStation's next State of Play is scheduled. The timing is deliberate enough to raise eyebrows.
Maverick Games June 2 countdown
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From Playground Games to going it alone
The studio was founded in 2022 by Mike Brown, who spent years as a designer and creative director on the Forza Horizon series at Playground Games. He didn't leave alone. The team includes executive producer Tom Butcher, chief technology officer Matt Craven, content director Gareth Harwood, audio director Fraser Strachan, and art director Ben Penrose, all ex-Playground. Former EA experience design director Elly Marshall rounds out the leadership as UX/UI director.
That's a lot of Forza Horizon DNA concentrated in one place.
The debut project is an open-world driving game, which tracks given the team's background. What makes it stand out on paper is the writing: the script comes from Jamie Brittain, co-creator of the British TV series Skins. Narrative-led driving games aren't exactly a crowded genre, so that's a combination worth paying attention to.
Amazon's exit and what came next
Here's the thing: Maverick's path to this reveal wasn't straightforward. The studio was originally funded by Amazon Games, but Amazon pulled back from most of its games operations earlier this year, dropping Maverick's project in the process.
Amazon's statement at the time framed it charitably: "We have tremendous respect for the Maverick Games team and the compelling narrative-led driving experience they're creating. This decision allows Maverick Games the flexibility to find a publishing partner whose strategic priorities are better aligned with bringing their game to market."
Translation: Amazon was out, and Maverick needed a new publisher. The June 2 reveal, timed alongside a PlayStation State of Play, suggests that search may have concluded. Whether the game lands as a PlayStation title, a multiplatform release, or something else entirely is still unknown.
Maverick's debut game teaser
What the June 2 timing signals
State of Play events are PlayStation's preferred venue for third-party announcements, not just first-party reveals. Scheduling a studio countdown to expire on the same morning as one of those broadcasts is a pointed move. Maverick hasn't confirmed any connection to Sony's event, but the overlap is hard to read as coincidental.
The key here is that Maverick has been building this project for roughly three years with a team that shipped multiple Forza Horizon entries. These aren't first-time developers figuring things out as they go. The studio has the pedigree to back up the anticipation.
For anyone who wants context on what the broader open-world driving genre looks like heading into the back half of 2026, our game reviews cover recent releases across the category. You'll also want to check out our gaming guides once the game is officially announced and details start flowing.
The countdown ends June 2. That's less than a week away.
