Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He started at EA in 1990 and spent almost twenty years developing titles for Criterion, the studio behind Burnout and Need for Speed, before EA acquired the group in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster, along with fellow Criterion alumni Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires, and Alan McDairmant, decided to leave the corporate giant 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, which will be published by the newly independent label Secret Mode.
The timing of Galactic Racer’s arrival is noteworthy. The last Star Wars‑themed racing game, Racer Revenge, hit shelves in 2002 – a full twenty‑four years ago.
Since then, the racing genre has struggled to maintain mainstream appeal. Amazon recently cancelled a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for its upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis stating that the project didn’t fit the current market.
Meanwhile, Criterion, once a powerhouse of arcade‑style racers, has pivoted to work on the Battlefield franchise, signalling a broader industry shift away from pure racing experiences. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is still a hungry audience for a Star Wars racing game. “We clearly believe there’s a market for a Star Wars‑themed racer,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.
“We’re not the only ones who think that, and the reaction we get from our videos and articles suggests we’re not alone.” He points out that video‑game genres tend to be cyclical. After a period where shooters dominated headlines, other genres inevitably re‑emerge as players look for fresh, compelling experiences. “As more people play video games, even the tiniest niches find a bigger audience,” Webster explained.
Webster says the team set out to deliver an arcade‑style experience that also pushes the boundaries of what a racing game can be when it isn’t limited by realistic tyres and tarmac. “We wanted the instant gratification of classic arcade racers, but we also wanted to explore what’s possible when you’re free from the constraints of real‑world physics,” he said. The result includes wildly imaginative tracks that climb the side of an active volcano and feel more like roller‑coasters than traditional circuits.
Beyond the visual spectacle, Galactic Racer is designed to upend long‑standing genre conventions. Most racing games rely on a car‑collection model that has changed little in 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 erases any penalty, but Fuse wants crashes to matter.
“If you crash too often, you’re sent back to the start,” he explained, “but you keep some meta‑progression, so you’re a little stronger the next time. The risk becomes a strategic element you have to weigh.” The game’s structure draws inspiration from roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal, and Slay the Spire—games built around infinite replayability.
“Racing thrives on replayability, so marrying it with roguelike loops feels like a match made in heaven,” Webster said. Each run presents new challenges, and the player must decide whether to push forward or play it safe, knowing that a single mistake could reset their progress.
Launching on October 6, Galactic Racer lands in a crowded autumn window that includes heavyweight releases like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall (both September 24) and the much‑anticipated GTA 6 slated for November 19. Webster acknowledges the competition but notes that the industry has long dealt with busy release schedules. “People used to call September ‘murderer’s row,’ and October has always been packed. We just have a healthy confidence tempered by a realistic view of how things might turn out,” he said.
The conversation inevitably turns to the wave of layoffs sweeping the sector. Webster, who has witnessed a similar contraction a decade and a half ago, believes great teams produce great games, and great games find audiences.
He argues that the industry’s current aversion to risk creates openings for studios willing to take calculated bets. “If you’re not willing to risk, you limit your opportunities,” he warned. Starting an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy.
Funding was hard to secure, and many questioned the wisdom of launching a new studio in a risky climate. Webster reflects on his 32‑year tenure at EA, describing it as a protective bubble. “Leaving that behind forced me to rely on principles I’d learned: build a strong team, refine a clear creative vision, and stay disciplined while remaining adaptable,” he said.
He stresses that a motivated, engaged team is the cornerstone of success. Fuse Games remains relatively small for a title of AAA ambition, with roughly 75 core staff. This size is intentional; the studio avoids the boom‑and‑bust scaling that plagues many developers. Instead, Fuse relies heavily on external partners to fill capability gaps.
“We don’t grow‑shrink‑grow‑shrink. We keep a permanent core and bring in trusted collaborators when needed,” Webster explained.
The external work ranges from transactional outsourcing for asset creation to full co‑development where partner studios attend daily stand‑ups, share Slack channels, and contribute directly to the codebase. The United Kingdom, according to Webster, is an ideal hub for such co‑development because of its mature game‑development ecosystem. In the past, external studios were reluctant to collaborate, but today many companies hire talent eager to work on varied projects, keeping the workforce fresh and enthusiastic. Webster is convinced this hybrid model can deliver AAA‑level scope, scale, and visual fidelity on a sustainable budget.
He points to the rapid development timeline as evidence: Fuse was founded in January 2023, and just three and a half years later the team has built a studio, assembled a team, and delivered a UE5‑based game despite initially having no experience with the engine. “It feels like an achievement, and we’ve done it in a healthy, sustainable way,” he said.
A notable aspect of Fuse’s approach is the blend of veteran expertise with a surge of younger talent. Some of the producers on Galactic Racer had never worked in games before joining the project. “Our young developers are often smarter and more effective than we were at that age,” Webster remarked.
He believes nurturing junior talent not only accelerates innovation but also creates a more dynamic workplace. While seasoned developers may prefer working with peers of similar seniority, Webster argues that fostering mentorship and growth benefits the entire team.
Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalise an internship program to continue attracting fresh talent, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue and must be realistic about the costs involved. He reflects on a period five or six years ago when the industry was flush with capital and many successful developers were given funding to start their own studios, only to discover the challenges were greater than anticipated. “Money should go to great teams, not just to a single ‘creative visionary,’ which is a myth,” he said.
“Games are always collaborative endeavors.” As for Fuse’s next steps, the future remains open‑ended. The launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning, and while the studio has ideas for future projects, Webster stresses that independence requires flexibility and adaptability. "We’ll be talking to partners, exploring opportunities, and staying ready to pivot as the market evolves," he concluded.