Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He started at the company in 1990 and spent almost twenty years developing iconic franchises such as Burnout and Need for Speed while they were under the Criterion banner, which EA acquired in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster decided to leave that long‑standing path. Joined by former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant, he co‑founded the independent UK studio Fuse Games.
Just over three years later the fledgling studio is on the brink of launching its debut title, *Star Wars: Galactic Racer*, a partnership with the newly autonomous publisher Secret Mode. The timing of *Galactic Racer* is striking.
The last Star Wars‑themed racing game, *Racer Revenge*, hit shelves in 2002 – more than two decades ago. In the intervening years racing games have generally slipped down the popularity ladder. Amazon recently pulled a publishing agreement for Maverick Games’ upcoming driving title *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis explaining that the market simply didn’t seem to have room for it. Criterion itself has moved away from the genre, focusing its resources on the *Battlefield* franchise instead.
Despite those signals, Webster is convinced a market exists for a new Star Wars racer. “Clearly we 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, and the response we get from people watching our videos and reading our articles suggests we’re not alone.” He points out that genres tend to be cyclical.
After a period in which shooters dominated, other types of gameplay can rise again as the overall player base expands. “The more people who play video games, the larger the audience even the tiniest niches can find,” he explained. According to Webster, gamers today are hunting for "fun, interesting, compelling new experiences that they haven’t seen before," and he believes *Galactic Racer* delivers exactly that.
The studio set out to capture the instant gratification of an arcade‑style racer while also asking, "What could we do if we weren’t limited by tyres and tarmac?" The result is a series of over‑the‑top tracks that climb the sides of active volcanoes, race through zero‑gravity tunnels and behave more like roller‑coasters than traditional circuits. Beyond the visual flash, the game aims to upend several entrenched conventions of the racing genre. For twenty‑plus years the standard formula has been a car‑collection progression system. "Let’s rip that up and steal ideas from other genres," Webster declared.
One of those ideas is the notion of meaningful consequence, something he says has been diluted by the prevalence of rewind features in modern racers. In *Galactic Racer*, crashing isn’t a painless reset; repeated crashes push the player back to the start of the run, though a portion of meta‑progression carries over, placing the racer in a stronger position for the next attempt. The tension of a dwindling crash allowance forces players to weigh risk versus reward, re‑introducing a sense of danger that has been missing from many polished AAA titles.
The design philosophy also draws heavily from the roguelike play‑style of games such as *Hades*, *Returnal* and *Slay the Spire*. Those titles are built around infinite replayability, procedural variety and a persistent sense of progression across runs. Webster argues that racing, at its core, thrives on repeat runs, making the marriage of roguelike loops and high‑speed competition a "match made in heaven." The combination promises a fresh loop where each race feels both familiar and novel, encouraging players to keep coming back for more. Launching in a crowded calendar, *Galactic Racer* will hit shelves on October 6, a comfortable gap before the highly anticipated *GTA 6* release slated for November 19.
It also lands a week after major September releases such as *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall*. Webster acknowledges the density of the schedule but reminds us that the industry has weathered even busier pre‑holiday windows in the past. "People used to call October ‘murderer’s row,’" he said, noting that the studio maintains a "healthy confidence" balanced with a realistic awareness of how the market might respond. The interview also touches on a broader industry trend: a pervasive aversion to risk that has led to a wave of layoffs and a focus on safe, formulaic projects.
Webster, a veteran who remembers the layoffs of the mid‑2010s, argues that great teams make great games, and great games find an audience. He sees the current risk‑averse climate as an opening for studios willing to make calculated bets and push boundaries. Funding, however, remains a challenge for independents. When Webster announced Fuse Games in 2023, many questioned the wisdom of launching a new studio in a difficult financing environment.
He recounts his own learning curve after leaving the protective bubble of EA: "You have to build a great team, refine a creative vision, and create a disciplined plan – knowing the plan will always be imperfect but it’s the best you have today." This philosophy extends to the way Fuse structures its workforce. The core team is intentionally small—about 75 people—avoiding the boom‑and‑bust hiring cycles that have become common in AAA development. Instead, Fuse supplements its talent pool with external partners ranging from transactional asset‑outsourcing to full‑scale co‑development, where outside studios sit in on daily stand‑ups, share Slack channels and contribute directly to the codebase.
Webster highlights the United Kingdom’s mature game‑development ecosystem as a key advantage for this collaborative model. Historically, studios were reluctant to share resources, but today many companies actively seek partnerships that keep their talent engaged and fresh.
"You can make a AAA‑level game in scope, scale and fidelity on a sustainable budget by leveraging trusted partners," he said, adding that the rapid three‑and‑a‑half‑year development timeline of *Galactic Racer* proves the approach works. Another notable aspect of Fuse’s story is its reliance on youthful talent.
In addition to the Criterion veterans, the studio has recruited a substantial number of younger developers, even hiring a producer who had never worked in games before. Webster praises this new generation, noting that they often bring a sharper, more effective perspective than many seasoned veterans.
He believes that nurturing young talent not only motivates the newcomers but also revitalizes the senior staff, creating a mutually beneficial environment. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program, drawing on the successful models that Criterion once employed. Though Fuse is still pre‑revenue, the founder believes investing in talent development pays dividends in the long run. He also reflects on the earlier era when studios received abundant funding based on a single hit title, noting that money was often funneled toward individual "superstar" developers rather than strong, collaborative teams.
"The idea of a singular creative visionary is outright nonsense," he said. "Games are built by collaborations of individuals." As for the future of Fuse Games, the roadmap remains fluid. The launch of *Star Wars: Galactic Racer* is just the first step, and the studio is already contemplating new opportunities while staying adaptable to market conditions.
Webster concludes with a pragmatic optimism: "Good games will find a way. We’re hoping our gamble pays off, and we’re ready to keep learning, iterating and delivering experiences that gamers didn’t know they wanted but will love once they try them."