Lead Forza Horizon developers from Playground Games leave to form new AAA game studio

Key staff from the Forza Horizon team at Playground Games, including creative director Mike Brown have left and have started a new AAA game studio called Maverick Games. Mike Brown will serve as creative director and studio head at Maverick Games with leadership members including former Sumo Digital co-studio head Harinder Sangha joining as chief operating officer and former Playground Games lead producer Tom Butcher as executive producer.

Additional Maverick Games staff include former Playground Games technical director Matt Craven joining as chief technology officer, former Playground Games technical art director Gareth Harwood joining as content director, and former Playground Games audio director holding the same role at Maverick.

“Our goal is for Maverick Games to be a studio people will love,” said Brown. “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.”

The team at Maverick have said it has secured significant seed funding and its debut game will be a new, premium open-world title for consoles and PC, although Tuesday’s announcement didn’t confirm if it’s in the racing genre.