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 working on iconic franchises such as Burnout and Need for Speed through Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004.
Yet in early 2023 he, along with former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant, decided to leave the corporate giant and launch an independent studio in the United Kingdom called Fuse Games. Three and a half years later the fledgling company is on the brink of releasing its debut title, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, which will be published by the newly autonomous label Secret Mode. Galactic Racer arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars racing experience – 2002’s Racer Revenge – and it does so at a time when the racing genre has generally slipped out of the mainstream spotlight.
The market has shown signs of contraction: Amazon recently cancelled a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for a forthcoming driving game called Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis explaining that the title didn’t seem to fit the current market demand. Meanwhile, Criterion, once a powerhouse of arcade‑style racers, has pivoted away from the genre to focus on the Battlefield franchise.
Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is still a viable audience for a Star Wars‑themed racing game. “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 people watching our videos and reading our articles suggests we’re not alone.” He points out that gaming trends are cyclical. After a period dominated by shooters, other genres inevitably re‑emerge as players look for fresh, compelling experiences they haven’t yet encountered. In his view, Galactic Racer is positioned to satisfy that hunger.
Fuse’s design philosophy embraces the instant gratification of classic arcade racers while also probing the possibilities that arise when developers are no longer tied to realistic tyres and tarmac. “We have tracks that climb the side of an active volcano,” Webster explains.
“It feels like a roller‑coaster at times.” Those high‑octane thrills are only part of the game’s ambition. Webster says the team deliberately set out to subvert long‑standing conventions of the racing genre, most notably the static car‑collection model that has persisted for roughly two decades. “Let’s rip that up and steal ideas from other genres,” he declares.
One of the most radical departures is the incorporation of meaningful consequences for player mistakes, a concept often muted in modern racers by the presence of rewind mechanics. In Galactic Racer, crashing carries weight.
Excessive crashes send the player back to the start of a run, though a portion of meta‑progression is retained, placing the racer in a slightly stronger position for the next attempt. This risk‑reward loop forces players to weigh each maneuver carefully, especially when they are down to their final allowed crash and the stakes feel palpable.
Webster draws inspiration from roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire, which are built around infinite replayability and procedural variation. “Racing thrives on replayability, so marrying it with roguelike principles creates a match made in heaven,” he says. The result is a game that encourages multiple playthroughs, each with subtle differences that keep the experience fresh and demanding. The timing of the launch also reflects strategic thinking.
Galactic Racer is slated for release on October 6, a comfortable window before the highly anticipated GTA 6, scheduled for November 19, yet after other major releases like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall on September 24. While some industry observers warned that September is a crowded month, Webster recalls that even in earlier eras, October was historically jam‑packed – the “murderers’ row” of releases. He acknowledges the competition but emphasizes Fuse’s “healthy confidence” tempered by a realistic outlook.
When asked about the wave of layoffs sweeping the sector, Webster reflects on his long tenure. He remembers a similar contraction about fifteen years ago and notes a recurring truth: great teams make great games, and great games find an audience. He argues that the industry’s current risk‑averse climate actually creates opportunities for developers willing to take calculated bets. “If you’re not willing to risk, you limit your chances,” he warns.
Starting an independent studio in 2023 has not been without hurdles. Securing financing proved difficult; many questioned the wisdom of launching a new studio in a turbulent market. Webster, who spent 32 years at EA, found the transition jarring but relied on core principles he’d learned: build a strong team, refine a clear creative vision, and maintain disciplined planning while staying adaptable.
He stresses that engaged, motivated talent is the engine of innovation. Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core team of around 75 people – modest for a title with AAA aspirations. This deliberate size avoids the industry’s typical “grow‑shrink‑grow” cycle.
Instead, Fuse supplements its internal staff with external partners, ranging from transactional outsourcing for asset creation to full co‑development arrangements where outside studios participate in daily stand‑ups, Slack channels, and even share 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 staff fresh and motivated. Webster believes this hybrid model – a small permanent core complemented by trusted external collaborators – could become a blueprint for sustainable AAA production.
“You can achieve AAA scope, scale and fidelity on a more sustainable budget this way,” he asserts, citing the rapid development of Galactic Racer as proof: Fuse was founded in January 2023, and in just three and a half years they built a studio, assembled a team, and delivered a game built on Unreal Engine 5 – a technology none of them had previously mastered. The studio’s talent mix also reflects a generational shift. Alongside veteran Criterion alumni, Fuse has recruited many younger developers, even hiring a producer who had never previously worked in games.
Webster praises this youthful energy, saying they often outperform older colleagues in both creativity and efficiency. He observes that seasoned developers sometimes prefer senior co‑workers who require minimal interaction, which can stifle mentorship. By contrast, nurturing young talent energizes the whole team, prompting Fuse to adjust its hiring strategy accordingly.
Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to further cultivate emerging talent, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue and must be cautious about the costs involved. He draws on Criterion’s successful intern initiatives as a model, emphasizing that any such effort must be entered with “eyes wide open.” Reflecting on a period five or six years ago when the industry was flush with capital, Webster recalls how many developers who rode the wave of a hit title were given funding to start their own studios, only to discover how difficult it truly is to succeed independently.
He criticizes the lingering industry fixation on a singular “creative visionary,” calling it “bullshit” and insisting that games are inherently collaborative endeavors. As for Fuse’s next steps, the future remains fluid. While the launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning, the studio is already exploring potential follow‑up projects and partnerships.
Webster emphasizes that independent developers must stay flexible and adaptable in a constantly shifting market, ready to seize opportunities as they arise.