Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He started at the company in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years developing iconic titles such as Burnout and Need for Speed while working at Criterion, the studio 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 an independent UK studio called Fuse Games. Three and a half years later the fledgling team is poised to ship its debut title, *Star Wars: Galactic Racer*, under the banner of the newly independent publisher Secret Mode.
The release of *Galactic Racer* marks the first Star Wars‑themed racing game in roughly 24 years, the previous effort being 2002’s *Racer Revenge*. In the intervening period, the racing genre has lost some of its mainstream steam. Amazon recently cancelled a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for a forthcoming driving title called *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis noting that the market simply didn’t appear to need another racer.
Meanwhile, Criterion itself has shifted focus away from pure racing and is now contributing to the *Battlefield* franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced that a demand exists.
“We clearly see an audience for a Star Wars racing game,” he told *GamesIndustry.biz*. “Our community feedback and the buzz around our videos suggest we’re not the only ones who think this genre still has life.” He points out that video‑game genres tend to be cyclical. “Shooters dominated for a while, but that doesn’t mean they’ll forever own the market. As more people play games, even the tiniest niches can find a larger fan base.” Webster believes gamers are hungry for “fun, interesting, compelling new experiences they haven’t seen before,” and he feels *Galactic Racer* delivers exactly that.
The studio 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 real‑world tyres and tarmac?” The answer, according to Webster, is tracks that climb the side of an active volcano, courses that behave like roller‑coasters, and other over‑the‑top environments that would be impossible in a conventional racing simulator. Beyond the high‑octane thrills, *Galactic Racer* aims to upend long‑standing conventions of the genre.
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 such mechanic is meaningful consequence for mistakes.
In many modern racers, a “rewind” button erases the impact of a crash, reducing tension. Fuse’s design re‑introduces stakes: crashing too often sends you back to the start, though you retain a portion of meta‑progress that makes subsequent attempts slightly easier. This risk‑reward loop is inspired by roguelike titles such as *Hades*, *Returnal*, and *Slay the Spire*, which are built around infinite replayability.
“Racing thrives on replayability,” Webster notes, “so mixing it with roguelike principles feels like a perfect match.” The game’s structure forces players to weigh each maneuver carefully. When you’re down to your final allowed crash, you feel the pressure of a system‑critical moment, prompting a more strategic driving style. This design choice represents a deliberate move away from the hand‑holding that has become common in many AAA releases. Timing the launch is another strategic decision.
*Galactic Racer* is slated for October 6, comfortably ahead of the highly anticipated *GTA 6* launch on November 19, yet close enough to ride the wave of other major releases such as *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall* on September 24. Webster acknowledges the crowded pre‑holiday calendar but reminds us that the industry has weathered busier windows before. “People used to call September ‘murderer’s row,’ and October was always packed,” he says, emphasizing that confidence tempered with realism is essential. The interview also touches on the broader industry climate, particularly the wave of layoffs that has swept through studios.
Webster, who has witnessed a similar contraction a decade and a half ago, argues that great teams produce great games, and great games find audiences. He sees the current risk‑averse environment as an opening for studios willing to make calculated bets. “If you’re afraid to take risks, you limit opportunity,” he warns. Funding an independent studio in 2023 proved challenging.
After three decades at EA, Webster found himself outside the safety net of a large corporation. “People told me I was brave for starting an indie studio now,” he recalls. His response was to lean on core principles: assemble a talented team, refine a clear creative vision, and maintain disciplined planning—always aware that plans will evolve.
He stresses the importance of engaging and motivating talent, noting that a motivated team can achieve extraordinary results. Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core staff of around 75 people, a deliberate choice to avoid the boom‑and‑bust scaling cycles that plague many larger studios. Instead, Fuse supplements its capabilities through external development partners.
This model ranges from transactional outsourcing for asset creation to full co‑development arrangements where external studios attend daily stand‑ups, participate in Slack channels, and share the same code base. Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaborations, noting that today’s studios are eager to work on diverse projects rather than merely keeping the lights on. According to Webster, this hybrid approach allows a studio to deliver a AAA‑level experience—both in scope and visual fidelity—on a sustainable budget.
The rapid development timeline of *Galactic Racer* demonstrates the model’s effectiveness: Fuse was founded in January 2023, and within three and a half years they built a studio, assembled a team, learned Unreal Engine 5 from scratch, and produced a full‑scale game. Webster calls this “an achievement” achieved in a healthy, sustainable way. The team’s composition blends seasoned veterans from Criterion with a wave of younger developers, some of whom have never worked in games before. “Our young talent is incredibly smart and effective—often more so than I was at their age,” Webster says.
He observes that senior developers sometimes prefer to work with equally senior peers, which can limit mentorship opportunities. By focusing on nurturing junior staff, Fuse has discovered a productive dynamic that fuels creativity and motivation.
Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to cultivate fresh talent, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue. He references Criterion’s successful intern initiatives as a model and acknowledges that developing talent requires upfront investment and realistic expectations. Reflecting on a period when the industry was flush with cash, Webster recalls how many developers received funding to start their own studios after a hit game, only to discover the challenges of independence. He argues that money should be allocated to strong teams rather than idolizing a single “creative visionary.” In his view, that myth is “complete nonsense”—games are always collaborative endeavors.
As for Fuse’s next steps, Webster remains flexible. While the launch of *Star Wars: Galactic Racer* is just the beginning, the studio is open to exploring new opportunities and ideas.
“Independent developers today need to stay adaptable,” he concludes, “and we’re excited to see where the road takes us next."