Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He began his tenure in 1990 and spent close to twenty years contributing to the Burnout and Need for Speed franchises through Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004.
Yet in early 2023, Webster, together with former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant, decided to strike out on their own and launch the independent UK studio Fuse Games. Just over three years later the fledgling team stands on the brink of releasing its debut title, *Star Wars: Galactic Racer*, a partnership with the newly autonomous publisher Secret Mode. The announcement arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars‑themed racing game, 2002’s *Racer Revenge*. In the intervening period the racing genre has struggled to retain mainstream attention.
Amazon recently walked away from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for its upcoming driving title *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis bluntly stating that the market simply didn’t have room for it. Meanwhile Criterion, once a powerhouse of arcade‑style racers, has pivoted toward the *Battlefield* franchise, leaving a noticeable void for high‑octane, Star Wars‑flavoured speed thrills.
Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is still demand. “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 way, and the response we get from our videos and articles suggests we’re not alone.” He argues that video‑game genres tend to be cyclical.
“Shooters dominated for a while, but they’re not the only genre that can capture players’ imagination. As more people play games, even the tiniest niches can find a broader audience.” Webster believes gamers are hungry for "fun, interesting, compelling new experiences they haven’t seen before," and he sees *Galactic Racer* as delivering exactly that.
The studio set out to capture the instant gratification of classic arcade racers while also exploring the possibilities that emerge when you free yourself from the constraints of real‑world tyres and tarmac. “We have tracks that climb the side of an active volcano,” he explains.
“Sometimes it feels more like a roller‑coaster than a traditional circuit.” Beyond the spectacle, Fuse is deliberately subverting long‑standing racing conventions. The typical model—collecting cars over a two‑decade‑long period—has remained unchanged for years.
Webster wants to tear that formula apart and borrow mechanics from other genres. One of the most striking innovations is the introduction of meaningful consequences for crashes. In many modern racers a rewind button eliminates penalty, but Fuse re‑introduces risk: crash too often and you’re sent back to the start, though you retain a slice of meta‑progression that puts you in a stronger position on the next run. This risk‑reward loop forces players to weigh each maneuver carefully, especially when they’re on their final allowed crash.
The design philosophy draws heavily from roguelike titles such as *Hades*, *Returnal* and *Slay the Spire*, games celebrated for infinite replayability. "Racing thrives on replayability," Webster notes, "so marrying it with roguelike structures feels like a match made in heaven." The idea is to create a game that encourages repeated runs, each with subtle variations, while preserving the adrenaline‑pumping core of a race. Timing the launch is another strategic decision. *Galactic Racer* is slated for release on October 6, comfortably ahead of Rockstar’s highly anticipated *GTA 6* slated for November 19, yet close enough to ride the wave of other major releases like *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall* on September 24.
Webster acknowledges the crowded pre‑holiday window, recalling past industry chatter about “murderers’ row” in September, but stresses that a confident, realistic outlook can help a smaller studio cut through the noise. “Good games will find a way,” he says, echoing a mantra that has guided him through multiple industry downturns. Speaking on the broader climate, Webster reflects on the wave of layoffs that has swept the sector. He points out that great teams produce great games, and great games attract audiences.
Yet he warns that an aversion to risk is stifling innovation. “When studios shy away from calculated risks, they miss opportunities.
Those willing to gamble on new ideas can carve out space in a risk‑averse market.” Funding a new studio in 2023 has not been easy. Webster recounts the skepticism he faced when announcing Fuse: “People said, ‘You’re brave doing an independent studio now.’” After 32 years at EA, he had to relearn how to operate outside a corporate bubble. His answer was to lean on core principles—building a talented team, sharpening a clear creative vision, and maintaining disciplined planning while staying flexible enough to adapt when the plan inevitably goes awry.
Fuse’s team remains relatively small for a title of AAA ambition, hovering around 75 developers. This is intentional; the studio avoids the boom‑bust staffing cycles that plague many larger houses. Instead, Fuse supplements its core with external partners, ranging from transactional outsourcing for asset creation to deep co‑development relationships where outside studios join daily stand‑ups, Slack channels, and even the code base. Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaborations, noting that today’s external studios are eager to work on varied projects, keeping their talent fresh and motivated.
Webster believes this hybrid model—small permanent core plus trusted external contributors—offers a sustainable path to AAA‑level scope, scale and visual fidelity without ballooning budgets. The rapid development timeline of *Galactic Racer* serves as proof: Fuse launched in January 2023, and three and a half years later they have delivered a fully realized UE5‑powered game despite none of the team having prior experience with the engine. "It feels like an achievement," Webster says, "and we did it in a healthy, sustainable way." Another noteworthy aspect is the infusion of youthful talent. While the studio’s leadership includes veterans from Criterion, many of the developers are newcomers, some even without prior game‑development experience.
Webster praises this fresh perspective: “They are smarter and more effective in many ways than I was at that age. Our success with young talent has exceeded what we achieved with some senior hires.” He argues that seasoned developers often prefer working alongside peers who need little guidance, but nurturing younger staff can be equally rewarding and energizing for the whole team. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalise an internship pipeline to cultivate the next generation of creators, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue and must prioritize immediate financial stability. He draws on Criterion’s historic intern programs as a model, acknowledging that developing talent comes with a cost but can pay dividends in long‑term innovation.
Reflecting on a period five or six years ago when the industry was flush with capital, Webster observes that many successful developers received funding to start their own studios, only to discover the reality was far tougher than expected. He criticises the industry’s lingering fixation on the myth of a single “creative visionary” and calls it “bullshit.” In his view, games are collaborative endeavors, built by teams rather than lone geniuses. As for Fuse’s future beyond *Galactic Racer*, Webster remains deliberately vague.
He notes that the launch is just the beginning and that the studio is open to exploring new opportunities, but stresses that independence requires flexibility and adaptability. "We have ideas about where we want to go next, but as an independent developer you have to stay nimble," he concludes.