Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay at Electronic Arts forever. He began his tenure at EA in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years developing iconic titles such as Burnout and Need for Speed while at Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster, along with several former Criterion colleagues—Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires, and Alan McDairmant—decided to strike out on their own and launch the independent UK studio Fuse Games.
Three and a half years later the fledgling studio is poised to release its debut title, *Star Wars: Galactic Racer*, under the banner of the newly independent publisher Secret Mode. *Galactic Racer* arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars‑themed racing game, 2002’s *Racer Revenge*. In the intervening decades, the racing genre has lost some of its mainstream momentum. Amazon recently walked away from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for a forthcoming driving title called *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis stating that the project “didn’t fit the market.” Meanwhile, Criterion, once a powerhouse of arcade‑style racers, has shifted its focus to the *Battlefield* franchise.
Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced that a market exists for a new Star Wars racing experience. “We clearly see an audience for a Star Wars racing game,” he told *GamesIndustry.biz*. “We’re not the only ones thinking that, and the response we get from people watching our videos and reading our articles suggests we’re not alone.” He adds that gaming trends are cyclical.
“Shooters dominated for a while, but that’s not the only genre that can thrive. As more people play video games, even the tiniest niches can find a larger audience.” Webster believes players are hungry for "fun, interesting, compelling new experiences they haven’t seen before," and he feels *Galactic Racer* delivers exactly that. The team set out to capture the instant gratification of classic arcade racers while also asking, “What can we do when we’re no longer bound by tyres and tarmac?” The answer, according to Webster, is to let imagination run wild: tracks that climb the side of an active volcano, courses that feel like roller‑coasters, and other over‑the‑top environments that would be impossible in a realistic simulation.
Beyond the visual flair, Fuse is deliberately subverting long‑standing racing conventions. Most racing games have relied on a static car‑collection model for the past two decades. Webster wants to tear that formula apart and borrow mechanics from other genres. One of the most radical changes is the introduction of meaningful consequences for crashing.
In many modern racers a rewind button eliminates penalty, but *Galactic Racer* restores risk: crash too often and you’re sent back to the start, though you retain a slice of meta‑progression that puts you in a slightly stronger position. This “risk‑and‑reward” loop forces players to weigh every maneuver, especially when they’re down to their final crash. The design philosophy draws heavily from roguelike titles such as *Hades*, *Returnal*, and *Slay the Spire*. Those games are built around infinite replayability, a quality that dovetails naturally with racing’s inherent loop of “race‑again‑and‑again.” By marrying roguelike progression with high‑speed competition, Fuse hopes to create a “match made in heaven” where each run feels fresh yet familiar.
Launching in a crowded calendar, *Galactic Racer* is slated for October 6, positioning itself between the blockbuster releases of *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall* (both September 24) and the highly anticipated *Grand Theft Auto VI* on November 19. Webster acknowledges the crowded market but points out that release‑date congestion is nothing new. “People used to call October ‘murderer’s row,’ and it was always packed,” he says. “We have a healthy confidence tempered by a realistic view of how things may turn out.” The conversation inevitably turns to the wave of industry layoffs and the broader risk‑averse climate.
Webster, who has witnessed several cycles of downsizing, notes that “great teams make great games, and great games find an audience.” He argues that the current aversion to risk actually creates opportunities for studios willing to take calculated bets. “If you shy away from risk, you limit yourself,” he warns. Funding an independent studio in 2023 has been far from easy.
Webster recalls colleagues questioning his decision to start Fuse, asking, “Are you brave enough to run an indie studio now?” After 32 years at EA, he admits the transition was a steep learning curve. Yet he leans on principles honed over decades: assemble a talented team, crystallize a creative vision, craft a disciplined plan (while accepting that the plan will inevitably evolve), and stay true to core values. “Engaged and motivated talent makes great things,” he emphasizes.
Fuse’s team is deliberately lean for a title of AAA ambition—about 75 people. Rather than inflating and deflating staff numbers, the studio relies on external partners to fill gaps. This hybrid model blends transactional outsourcing for asset creation with deeper co‑development relationships where external studios join daily stand‑ups, Slack channels, and even the code base.
Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaborations, noting a cultural shift from reluctant, siloed assistance to enthusiastic, shared‑value partnerships. According to Webster, this approach proves that a AAA‑scale game can be delivered on a sustainable budget when a small core team is augmented by trusted external talent. The rapid development timeline—starting Fuse in January 2023 and delivering a fully realized UE5‑powered game in just three and a half years—serves as proof of concept. Another striking element of Fuse’s story is its embrace of youthful talent.
Alongside the Criterion veterans, the studio has recruited many younger developers, even hiring a producer with no prior game‑industry experience. “The young talent we’ve got is smarter and more effective in many ways than I was at that age,” Webster says. He observes that seasoned developers often prefer senior colleagues who require little interaction, a mindset that can stifle mentorship. By pivoting hiring strategies toward nurturing newcomers, Fuse hopes to build a pipeline of fresh ideas.
Looking ahead, Webster envisions an intern program to formalize this talent‑development pipeline, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue. He points to Criterion’s successful internship initiatives as a model and acknowledges that cultivating talent comes with costs that must be recognized up front. Reflecting on the era when the industry was flush with capital, Webster recalls how many successful game leaders were handed funding to start their own studios, only to discover the reality was far tougher than expected.
He criticizes the lingering myth of the “single creative visionary” as “fucking bullshit,” insisting that games are always collaborative endeavors. As for Fuse’s next steps, Webster remains non‑committal. The launch of *Star Wars: Galactic Racer* is just the beginning, and the studio is open to exploring new opportunities while staying flexible and adaptable—an essential mindset for independent developers navigating today’s volatile market.