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 working on the iconic Burnout and Need for Speed series after Criterion, the studio behind those games, was acquired in 2004.
Yet in early 2023 Webster, together with former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant, decided to leave the corporate behemoth and launch their own independent studio in the United Kingdom: Fuse Games. Three and a half years later the fledgling studio is on the brink of releasing its debut title, *Star Wars: Galactic Racer*, under the banner of the newly independent publisher Secret Mode. *Galactic Racer* arrives roughly twenty‑four years after the last Star Wars‑themed racing game, 2002’s *Racer Revenge*. In the intervening years the racing genre has lost some of its mainstream appeal.
Amazon recently cancelled a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for a driving title called *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis stating that the market simply didn’t have room for another racer. Even Criterion, once a powerhouse of arcade‑style racing, has pivoted away from that space to focus on the *Battlefield* franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is still a hungry audience for a Star Wars racing experience. “We clearly think there’s an audience for a Star Wars racing game,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.
“We’re not the only ones who feel that way. If you watch our videos or read the articles, you’ll see a community that’s eager for something like this.” He points out that gaming genres tend to be cyclical.
After a period dominated by shooters, other genres inevitably resurface as player tastes evolve. “The more people who play video games, the larger even the tiniest niches become,” Webster explained.
He believes gamers are searching for "fun, interesting, compelling new experiences that they haven’t seen before," and he feels *Galactic Racer* delivers exactly that fresh spark. Fuse’s design philosophy embraces the instant gratification of classic arcade racers while also asking, “What could we do if we weren’t limited by real‑world tyres and tarmac?” The answer, according to Webster, is tracks that climb the side of an active volcano, courses that feel like roller‑coasters, and environments that defy conventional physics.
Yet the studio isn’t merely adding spectacle; it is also challenging long‑standing genre 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 ideas is to re‑introduce meaningful consequences for crashing.
In many modern racers a “rewind” button erases the penalty for a mistake, but *Galactic Racer* will make crashes matter. “When you crash too many times you’re sent back to the start, but you keep some meta‑progression with you,” Webster explained. “That means each crash forces you to weigh risk versus reward, especially when you’re on your last life.” This risk‑reward loop draws inspiration from roguelike titles such as *Hades*, *Returnal* and *Slay the Spire*, games built around infinite replayability.
Racing, by its nature, thrives on repeated attempts, so marrying it with roguelike principles creates a “match made in heaven,” according to Webster. The timing of the launch is also strategic. *Galactic Racer* is slated for October 6, giving it a comfortable buffer before the highly anticipated release of *GTA 6* on November 19, yet it lands just after other major releases like *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall* on September 24. While some industry observers warned that September is a crowded month, Webster recalled that even in the era of the infamous “Murderer’s Row” the industry has always managed dense release calendars.
He acknowledges the competition but says Fuse approaches it with a “healthy sense of confidence” tempered by realistic expectations. “Good games find a way,” he says, echoing a mantra that has guided him through the current wave of layoffs and market uncertainty. Webster reflects on the broader industry climate, noting a pervasive aversion to risk that can stifle innovation.
He argues that this risk‑averse environment actually creates opportunities for studios willing to take calculated bets. However, he also admits that securing funding for an independent studio in 2023 has been “a real challenge.” After thirty‑two years at EA, stepping into an indie world was a culture shock. He emphasizes core principles: building a strong, motivated team, refining a clear creative vision, and maintaining discipline while staying adaptable.
“The plan is always wrong, but it’s the best version you have today,” he says, underscoring the importance of iterative development. Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core—about 75 people—by design. Rather than expanding and contracting staff in the classic “grow‑shrink‑grow‑shrink” cycle, the studio leverages external partners to fill gaps. This hybrid model blends transactional outsourcing for asset creation with deeper co‑development relationships where external studios attend daily stand‑ups, join Slack channels, and contribute directly to the codebase.
Webster highlights the UK’s mature game development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaborations, noting that today’s external studios are eager to work on diverse projects, unlike the reluctant partners of a decade ago. The result, he claims, is a sustainable approach to AAA‑scale production that can be achieved on a more modest budget. The rapid development timeline—starting Fuse in January 2023 and delivering a full‑featured UE5 title by late 2026—demonstrates that the model works. Webster is especially proud of the infusion of young talent.
Many of the developers on *Galactic Racer* have never worked in games before, and the studio’s producers include individuals fresh out of university. "The younger talent is often smarter and more effective than I was at that age," Webster observes, adding that nurturing junior staff has proven more successful than relying solely on senior hires.
Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to continue feeding the pipeline of fresh talent, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue and must be prudent about the costs of talent development. He also critiques the industry’s historic fixation on the “lone creative visionary” myth, calling it “bullshit.” In his view, great games are the product of collaborative teams, not singular geniuses.
As funding patterns shift away from superstar‑driven projects toward well‑balanced teams, Webster believes the industry is finally catching up to that reality. What’s next for Fuse Games remains open‑ended. The launch of *Star Wars: Galactic Racer* is just the first chapter, and the studio is already brainstorming future opportunities. However, Webster stresses that independence demands flexibility; the studio must stay adaptable to market changes and be ready to pivot when new chances arise.
For now, the team is focused on delivering a game that blends arcade thrills, meaningful risk, and roguelike replayability—an ambitious formula that, if successful, could signal a resurgence for both the racing genre and niche‑driven Star Wars experiences.