Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He started at EA in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years contributing to the Burnout and Need for Speed franchises through Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster teamed up with former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires, and Alan McDairmant to launch an independent UK studio called Fuse Games. Just three and a half years later, the fledgling studio is on the brink of releasing its debut title, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, published by the newly autonomous label Secret Mode.
Galactic Racer arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars‑themed racing game, 2002’s Racer Revenge. In the intervening decades, traditional racing games have struggled to capture mainstream attention.
Amazon recently withdrew from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for the upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis noting that the market simply didn’t seem to fit the project. Meanwhile, Criterion, once a powerhouse of arcade‑style racers, has pivoted to the Battlefield franchise, signaling a broader industry shift away from pure racing experiences.
Despite these trends, Webster remains convinced there is a viable audience for a Star Wars racing game. “We clearly believe there’s a market for a Star Wars‑based racer,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.
“Our community feedback—people watching our videos and reading our articles—suggests we’re not the only ones who think this genre still has life.” He points out that gaming genres tend to be cyclical. After a period dominated by shooters, other types of games inevitably resurface.
As the overall player base grows, even the most niche concepts can find a sizable following. Webster says modern gamers are hungry for "fun, interesting, compelling new experiences that they haven’t seen before," and he feels Galactic Racer delivers exactly that. The team set out to capture the instant‑gratification feel of classic arcade racers while also exploring what can happen when a game is no longer tethered to realistic tyres and tarmac. “We have tracks that climb the side of an active volcano,” he explains.
“It’s like a roller‑coaster at times, pushing the boundaries of what a racing environment can look like.” Beyond the visual spectacle, Galactic Racer aims to upend long‑standing genre conventions. Traditional racers have relied on a car‑collection model for the past two decades, a formula Webster believes is ripe for disruption. He wants to borrow mechanics from other genres, particularly the roguelike tradition. "Our game is built around consequential decision‑making," he says, citing the handling of crashes.
In many modern racers, a rewind button removes any penalty for mistakes, but Galactic Racer re‑introduces stakes: too many crashes send you back to the start, though you retain some meta‑progression that makes subsequent runs slightly stronger. This risk‑reward loop mirrors the design of titles like Hades, Returnal, and Slay the Spire, which thrive on infinite replayability—a perfect match for a racing game where each lap can feel fresh. The consequence system forces players to weigh risk versus reward, especially when they are on their final allowed crash.
"When you’re down to your last life, you start thinking about the risk you’re taking," Webster notes. This design choice represents a bold departure from the hand‑holding prevalent in many AAA releases, and it reflects Fuse’s desire to stand out in an increasingly crowded market, particularly in a year slated for the release of GTA 6.
Galactic Racer is scheduled for launch on October 6, comfortably spaced before GTA 6’s November 19 release but still close to other high‑profile titles such as Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall, both arriving on September 24. Webster acknowledges the crowded calendar but reminds us that the industry has weathered even busier pre‑Christmas windows in the past. “People used to call September ‘murderers’ row,’ yet October was always packed with releases,” he says. He maintains a “healthy sense of confidence” tempered by a realistic outlook: “Good games will find a way,” he adds, echoing a mantra he’s heard throughout his lengthy career.
When discussing recent waves of layoffs across the sector, Webster reflects on his own longevity. He recalls a similar contraction fifteen years ago and observes that strong teams produce great games, which in turn attract audiences. He argues that a pervasive aversion to risk is limiting opportunities, and that those willing to take calculated bets can carve out space for innovative projects. Funding an independent studio in 2023 has not been straightforward.
“Access to capital was a real challenge,” Webster admits. After three decades at EA, stepping into the independent world felt like stepping into a bubble he’d never known. He leans on principles he’s learned over the years: assemble a talented team, sharpen a clear creative vision, and build a disciplined plan—knowing the plan will evolve. He emphasizes that an engaged, motivated crew is the engine of great work, and that nurturing that talent is a core responsibility of leadership.
Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core staff of about 75 people—small by AAA standards. This intentional size helps avoid the industry’s notorious “grow‑shrink‑grow‑shrink” cycle. Instead, Fuse supplements its core with external partners, ranging from transactional outsourcing for asset creation to full co‑development arrangements where outside studios join daily stand‑ups, Slack channels, and even the codebase. Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a key advantage for finding collaborative partners who share Fuse’s values.
He believes this hybrid model—small permanent team plus trusted external collaborators—offers a sustainable path to AAA‑level scope, scale, and visual fidelity without the ballooning budgets that typically accompany large in‑house teams. The rapid development timeline of Galactic Racer underscores this point: Fuse was founded in January 2023, and within three and a half years the studio built its team, mastered Unreal Engine 5 (a technology none of them initially knew), and delivered a full‑featured game. Another noteworthy aspect of Fuse’s approach is its emphasis on youthful talent. Alongside the veteran Criterion alumni, the studio has recruited many younger developers, even hiring a producer who had never worked in games before.
“Our young talent is smarter and more effective in many ways than I was at that age,” Webster says proudly. He observes that seasoned developers often prefer senior colleagues who require minimal interaction, a mindset that can stifle mentorship.
By pivoting its hiring strategy toward nurturing emerging talent, Fuse has seen greater success than it did with some senior hires. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to further cultivate fresh talent, though he acknowledges the studio is still pre‑revenue.
He cites Criterion’s successful intern pipelines as a model and stresses that developing talent comes with costs that must be recognized upfront. Reflecting on the industry’s past reliance on “superstar” creators, Webster dismisses the myth of the solitary visionary as “fucking bullshit.” He argues that games are fundamentally collaborative endeavors, and that funding should flow to strong teams rather than individual personalities. This philosophy informs Fuse’s future planning: while the studio has ideas for post‑launch content and potential new projects, it remains flexible and adaptable, ready to seize opportunities as they arise.
In summary, Matt Webster’s journey from EA veteran to indie studio founder illustrates a belief that even the most niche gaming concepts can thrive when backed by a clear vision, a balanced development model, and a commitment to empowering the next generation of creators. Star Wars: Galactic Racer aims to prove that a fresh take on racing—infused with arcade thrills, roguelike replayability, and meaningful consequences—can capture the imagination of both longtime fans and newcomers alike.