Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within Electronic Arts. He started at the company in 1990 and spent almost twenty years contributing to Criterion, the studio behind Burnout and Need for Speed, which 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 the independent UK studio Fuse Games.
Three and a half years on, Fuse 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, and it does so at a time when the racing genre has generally slipped out of the mainstream spotlight. Amazon recently walked away from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for the upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis remarking that the market didn’t appear to have room for that kind of game. Meanwhile, Criterion itself has shifted its focus away from racing and now works on the Battlefield franchise.
Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced that a market exists for a Star Wars racing experience. “We clearly see an audience for a Star Wars‑based racer,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.
“We’re not the only ones talking about it, and the response to our videos and articles suggests there’s genuine interest.” He points out that video‑game genres tend to be cyclical. “Shooters dominated for a while, but that’s not the whole story.
As more people play games, even the tiniest niches can find a sizable following.” Webster believes players are hungry for “fun, interesting, compelling new experiences they haven’t seen before,” and he feels Galactic Racer delivers on that promise. The team set out to capture the instant‑gratification feel of classic arcade racers while also asking, “What could we do if we weren’t limited by tyres and tarmac?” The answer, he explains, is tracks that climb the side of an active volcano or twist through environments that feel more like roller‑coasters than conventional circuits. Beyond the high‑octane thrills, Galactic Racer aims to upend long‑standing racing conventions.
Most racing games have relied on a static car‑collection model for the past two decades. Webster wants to “rip that up” and borrow mechanics from other genres.
One such mechanic is meaningful consequence for crashing. In many modern racers, a rewind button nullifies the impact of a mistake, but Fuse wants crashes to matter. “If you crash too often you’re sent back to the start, but you keep some meta‑progression,” he explains.
“When you’re on your last allowed crash, every decision feels weighty.” The game’s structure draws inspiration from roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire—games built around infinite replayability. “Racing is inherently replay‑driven, so combining it with roguelike loops feels like a match made in heaven,” Webster says. This design encourages players to experiment, learn from each run, and gradually build a stronger position despite setbacks. Releasing the game on October 6 places it a month before the highly anticipated GTA 6 launch on November 19, but after other major releases like Control Resonant and Silent Hill: Townfall (both September 24).
Webster acknowledges the crowded calendar, noting that the industry has long experienced “murderers’ row” periods where many high‑profile titles launch simultaneously. He remains confident, however, stating that “good games will find a way,” a mantra that has guided him through industry downturns and layoffs. Speaking about the current wave of layoffs, Webster reflects on his own long tenure and recalls a similar contraction about fifteen years ago.
He sees a pattern: great teams produce great games, and great games attract audiences. Yet he also observes a growing aversion to risk within larger studios, which he believes creates openings for independent developers willing to take calculated bets. Funding, though, has not been a walk in the park.
“People told me I was brave to start an indie studio in 2023 after 32 years at EA,” he says. The solution, according to Webster, lies in adhering to core principles: assembling a talented team, sharpening a clear creative vision, and maintaining disciplined planning—while recognizing that any plan will evolve. He stresses the importance of keeping the team engaged and motivated, as that is the engine behind any successful project.
Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core—about 75 people—by design. Rather than expanding and contracting staff in waves, the studio leverages external partners to fill gaps. This hybrid model blends transactional outsourcing (pure 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 development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaboration, noting that today’s studios are eager to work across multiple projects, keeping talent fresh and enthusiastic. Webster believes this approach demonstrates that a AAA‑scale title can be built on a sustainable budget when a small permanent team is augmented by trusted partners who share the same values. The rapid development timeline of Galactic Racer—starting Fuse in January 2023 and delivering a full‑featured UE5 game in just three and a half years—serves as proof of concept.
Another noteworthy aspect is the infusion of young talent. While the studio’s leadership includes veteran Criterion alumni, many of the developers are newcomers, some even without prior game‑industry experience. “Our young staff are often smarter and more effective than I was at their age,” Webster admits. He argues that nurturing junior talent not only drives innovation but also creates a more dynamic workplace than relying solely on seasoned veterans who may prefer minimal interaction.
Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to further cultivate emerging developers, though he acknowledges that Fuse is still pre‑revenue. He points to Criterion’s successful intern pipeline as a model and stresses that any such initiative must be entered with “eyes wide open” regarding the costs of talent development. Reflecting on a period a few years ago when the industry was flush with cash, Webster recalls how many successful teams were given funding to spin off their own studios, only to discover that running an independent operation is far more challenging than anticipated.
He criticizes the lingering industry fixation on the “single creative visionary” myth, calling it “bullshit” and emphasizing that games are always the product of collaborative effort. As for Fuse’s next steps, the studio remains flexible.
While the launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning, Webster says the team is already exploring potential opportunities and ideas for future projects. In an environment where adaptability is key, Fuse Games intends to stay nimble, leveraging its hybrid development model, youthful energy, and willingness to take risks to carve out a lasting place in the gaming landscape.