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 contributing to iconic franchises such as Burnout and Need for Speed while working at Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004.
In early 2023, however, Webster decided to leave the corporate safety net. Together with former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant, he co‑founded the independent UK studio Fuse Games. Just three and a half years later the fledgling studio is preparing to ship its debut title, *Star Wars: Galactic Racer*, under the banner of the newly independent publisher Secret Mode.
The timing of the launch is noteworthy. The last Star Wars‑themed racing game, *Racer Revenge*, hit shelves in 2002 – a full 24 years ago.
Since then, the racing genre has struggled to maintain a high profile. Amazon recently cancelled a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for a new driving title called *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis stating that the market simply didn’t have room for another racer. Criterion itself has pivoted away from cars, devoting its resources to the *Battlefield* franchise instead. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced that a demand exists for a Star Wars racing experience.
“We definitely 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 – the comments we get on our videos and articles suggest many fans are hungry for something like this.” He points out that genres tend to be cyclical. After a period dominated by shooters, other types of games inevitably rise again. As more people around the world pick up video games, even the most niche interests can attract a sizable following.
Webster believes players are searching for "fun, interesting, compelling new experiences that they haven’t seen before," and he feels *Galactic Racer* delivers exactly that. The team set out to capture the instant gratification of classic arcade racers while also exploring what can be done when you’re no longer limited by realistic tires and tarmac. “We have tracks that climb the side of an active volcano,” he explains. “It feels like a roller‑coaster at times.” Beyond the high‑octane thrills, the game aims to subvert long‑standing conventions of the racing genre.
Traditionally, racing games revolve around collecting cars—a mechanic that hasn’t fundamentally changed in two decades. Webster wants to tear that formula apart and borrow ideas from other genres. One of the most radical changes is the introduction of meaningful consequences for crashes. In many modern racers, a “rewind” button eliminates any penalty for hitting the wall, but *Galactic Racer* brings the risk back.
If you crash too often, you’re sent back to the start of the run, though you retain some meta‑progression that makes you slightly stronger the next attempt. This risk‑reward loop forces players to weigh aggression against caution, 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*. Those games are built around infinite replayability, a quality that aligns naturally with racing’s competitive spirit.
By marrying the procedural, high‑stakes nature of roguelikes with the fast‑paced excitement of arcade racing, Fuse hopes to create a "match made in heaven" that keeps players coming back for more. Launching on October 6, *Galactic Racer* lands a month before the highly anticipated *Grand Theft Auto VI* (due November 19) and shortly after other major releases like *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall* (both September 24).
Webster acknowledges the crowded calendar but notes that the industry has weathered even busier windows before. “People used to call September ‘Murderer’s Row,’ and October was packed as well,” he says.
“We have a healthy confidence, but we also keep a realistic view of how things might turn out.” 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 emphasizes a timeless truth: great teams make great games, and great games find an audience. He argues that the current climate shows an aversion to risk, which in turn creates openings for studios willing to take calculated bets. “If you’re overly cautious, you limit opportunity,” he warns.
Funding an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy. Many people questioned the wisdom of starting a new studio after three decades at EA. Webster admits the learning curve was steep, but he leaned on principles he’d cultivated over his career: assemble a talented team, refine a clear creative vision, and maintain disciplined planning while staying adaptable. He stresses that motivation and engagement are the true engines of success; a well‑led team can achieve extraordinary results.
Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core—about 75 staff members—by design. Rather than expanding and contracting the internal roster, the studio relies heavily on external partners to fill gaps. This hybrid model blends transactional outsourcing for asset creation with deeper co‑development relationships where external studios attend daily stand‑ups, join Slack channels, and contribute directly to the codebase.
Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a key advantage, noting that today’s external studios are eager collaborators rather than reluctant contractors. According to Webster, this approach proves that a AAA‑scale title can be built on a sustainable budget when a small, permanent core team partners with trusted allies. The rapid development timeline of *Galactic Racer*—from Fuse’s founding in January 2023 to a launch in late 2024—demonstrates the model’s effectiveness. “We built a studio, a team, and a game on Unreal Engine 5, a tool none of us had mastered at the start,” he says.
“Doing it in a healthy, sustainable way feels like a real achievement.” Another noteworthy aspect of Fuse’s strategy is its emphasis on youthful talent. Alongside the veteran Criterion alumni, the studio has recruited many younger developers, even hiring a producer with no prior game‑industry experience. Webster praises this fresh perspective, claiming that the younger cohort often outperforms more seasoned hires in creativity and efficiency.
He observes that seasoned developers sometimes prefer working with peers of similar seniority, which can limit mentorship opportunities. By deliberately nurturing younger staff, Fuse hopes to build a pipeline of talent that will sustain future projects. Looking ahead, Webster envisions an intern program modeled after Criterion’s successful initiatives, though he cautions that the studio is still pre‑revenue and must manage costs carefully.
He reflects on a period five or six years ago when abundant funding allowed many successful developers to spin off their own studios, only to discover that running a company is far harder than building a hit game. He criticizes the industry’s lingering fixation on the “lone creative visionary” myth, calling it “bullshit.” In his view, games are always the product of collaborative effort, not solitary genius. As for Fuse’s next steps, the studio remains open‑minded. While the launch of *Star Wars: Galactic Racer* marks a major milestone, Webster says the team will evaluate opportunities as they arise and remain flexible in an ever‑changing market.
The combination of a focused core team, strategic external partnerships, and a willingness to experiment with genre conventions positions Fuse Games to continue pushing boundaries in the years to come.