Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay at Electronic Arts. He started there in 1990 and spent almost twenty years at Criterion, the studio behind Burnout and Need for Speed, before EA acquired it 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 later the fledgling studio 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 struggled to maintain mainstream appeal. Amazon recently walked away from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for its upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis remarking that the market didn’t seem to fit the project. Criterion itself has shifted focus away from racing toward 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, and the response to our videos and articles suggests we’re not alone.” He argues that video‑game genres are cyclical.
“Shooters dominated for a while, but that’s just one phase. As more people play games, even the tiniest niches can find a larger following.” Webster believes players are craving “fun, interesting, compelling new experiences they haven’t seen before,” and he sees Galactic Racer as delivering exactly that. The team set out to capture the instant gratification of classic arcade racers while also asking, “What could we do if we weren’t limited by tyres and tarmac?” The answer includes tracks that climb the side of an active volcano and courses that feel more like roller‑coasters than traditional circuits. Beyond the high‑octane thrills, Galactic Racer aims to upend long‑standing racing conventions.
Most racing games have relied on a car‑collection model for the past two decades. Webster wants to tear that formula apart and borrow mechanics from other genres. The game incorporates meaningful consequences for crashing—a rarity in modern racers that often feature rewind buttons to erase mistakes.
In Galactic Racer, each crash can send the player back to the start, though some meta‑progression carries over, giving a sense of advancement despite the setback. 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 pairing it with roguelike design feels like a match made in heaven.” Launching on October 6, the title lands well before the highly anticipated GTA 6 release slated for November 19, yet it follows other major releases like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall on September 24. Webster acknowledges the crowded pre‑holiday window, recalling past years when September felt “busy” and October was dubbed “murderers’ row.” He says Fuse Games approaches the market with a “healthy sense of confidence” tempered by a realistic outlook: “Good games will find a way, so we’re hoping.” The interview also touches on the broader industry climate, especially recent waves of layoffs.
Webster, a veteran of two decades, remembers a similar contraction fifteen years ago. He sees a pattern: great teams make great games, and great games attract audiences.
Yet he observes a growing aversion to risk among publishers, which creates opportunities for studios willing to make calculated bets. “If you shy away from risk, you limit your chances,” he says.
Starting an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy. Funding was scarce, and many questioned the wisdom of launching a new studio after a 32‑year tenure at EA. Webster’s answer was to lean on core principles: assemble a talented team, clarify a creative vision, and maintain disciplined planning while staying flexible. He emphasizes that an engaged, motivated crew is the engine of success.
Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core—about 75 people—by design. Rather than expanding and contracting staff as projects rise and fall, the studio relies heavily on external partners for additional capacity. This hybrid model blends transactional outsourcing for asset creation with deeper co‑development relationships where outside studios attend stand‑ups, join Slack channels and contribute directly to the codebase. Webster points out that the UK’s mature development ecosystem makes such collaboration especially effective, noting a shift from reluctant, profit‑driven outsourcing to enthusiastic partnerships that keep teams fresh.
Webster believes this approach can deliver AAA‑level scope, scale and visual fidelity on a sustainable budget. The rapid development timeline—starting Fuse in January 2023 and delivering a UE5‑powered game three and a half years later—demonstrates the model’s viability. He credits the studio’s success to a blend of veteran insight and youthful energy. Many of the developers on Galactic Racer are recent graduates, and even one producer had never worked in games before.
“Our young talent is often smarter and more effective than we were at that age,” Webster says, adding that nurturing junior staff has proven more rewarding than relying solely on seasoned hires. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to further cultivate fresh talent, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue. He reflects on a period when the industry was flush with cash and studios were spun out of successful teams, only to discover the challenges of independence.
He criticizes the lingering myth of the “single creative visionary” as “bullshit,” insisting that games are collaborative endeavors. As for Fuse Games’ next steps, the future remains open‑ended. The launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning, and the studio is already exploring potential collaborations and new directions.
Webster emphasizes flexibility and adaptability as essential for independent developers navigating today’s ever‑changing market.