Forza Horizon 5 developers are working on a 'premium open-world game' at their new studio

A screenshot of Forza Horizon 5's launch trailer

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Another day, another new studio—this time from the talented folks behind the excellent Forza Horizon 5, which won our best open world award in 2021. Maverick Games—big Top Gun fans, clearly—announced its launch today, led by Forza Horizon 5 creative director Mike Brown.

Along with Brown, the studio's founders include several former Playground Games developers, as well as former Sumo Digital co-studio head Harinder Sangha and EA experience design director Elly Marshall.

The announcement was accompanied by a boilerplate quote from Brown, which manages to hit all the classic studio announcement cliches.

"Our goal is for Maverick Games to be a studio people will love," he says. "For players, we're already at work on an exciting ultra-high quality title, and for developers, we're building a home where everyone is encouraged to take risks, be curious, be creative, be innovative, be themselves, and above all—be a Maverick."

Of course, mavericks are terrible team players and are probably the last thing you'd want in a highly collaborative development studio. Oh no, I've become the police chief in an '80s cop movie telling the hero they're out of control. Maverick Games, give me your gun and badge.

These loose cannons are already working on their first game: a "premium open-world game for consoles and PC." That's all we're getting for now, but the team certainly has plenty of experience when it comes to open-world romps. While Forza Horizon 5 didn't come with many surprises, it's one of the most refined and energetic open-world games around. More of the same, please.

As for their former employers, Playground Games is still supporting FH5, while another team works on the Fable reboot that I still can't quite believe is actually happening.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.