Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He started at EA in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years contributing to iconic franchises such as Burnout and Need for Speed through Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004. However, 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.
Three and a half years later the fledgling company is poised to ship its debut title, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, under the banner of the newly autonomous 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 moment when the racing genre has generally lost some of its mainstream sparkle.
Recent industry headlines illustrate the shift: Amazon withdrew from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for the upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis noting the market didn’t appear to have a clear fit for the project. Meanwhile, Criterion, once a powerhouse of arcade‑style racers, has redirected its energies toward the Battlefield franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is a viable audience for a Star Wars racing experience. “We clearly think there’s a market 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 are cyclical. After a period dominated by shooters, other types inevitably resurface as the player base broadens. “As more people play games, even the tiniest niches find a bigger audience,” Webster explained.
Webster believes gamers are hungry for fresh, compelling experiences they haven’t encountered 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 the possibilities that arise when you are no longer constrained by realistic tyres and tarmac. “We have tracks that climb the side of an active volcano,” he said, describing a course that feels more like a roller‑coaster than a conventional circuit.
Beyond the high‑octane thrills, the game seeks to upend long‑standing racing conventions. Traditionally, racers revolve around a car‑collection model that has changed little for two decades. Webster wants to “rip that up” and borrow mechanics from other genres. One such mechanic is meaningful consequence for crashes.
In many modern racers, a rewind button erases penalties, but Galactic Racer re‑introduces risk: crashing repeatedly can send you back to the start, though you retain some meta‑progression that makes your next attempt slightly stronger. This design draws inspiration from roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire, which are built around infinite replayability. “Racing thrives on replayability, so pairing it with roguelike principles feels like a match made in heaven,” he noted.
The consequence system forces players to weigh risk versus reward, especially when they’re down to their final allowed crash. “When you’re on your last crash and systems are critical, you literally lean forward and think about the gamble you’re taking,” Webster described, emphasizing the tension that the mechanic introduces. Launching the game on October 6 places it a respectable distance from the blockbuster GTA 6 release slated for November 19, yet still within a crowded autumn window that includes titles like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall, both arriving on September 24.
Webster acknowledges the competitive calendar but points out that crowded release periods are nothing new. “People used to call September ‘Murderer’s Row,’ and October was always packed,” he recalled, adding that Fuse Games approaches the market with a “healthy sense of confidence” tempered by realism. When asked about the wave of layoffs sweeping the industry, Webster reflected on his long tenure.
He remembers a previous round of cuts about fifteen years ago and notes a persistent truth: great teams make great games, and great games find audiences. He warns that an aversion to risk is limiting opportunities, and that studios willing to take calculated bets can thrive.
Funding an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy. “People told me it was brave to start an indie studio now,” he said, recalling his 32‑year stint at EA as a protective bubble. The formula he follows is simple: assemble a talented team, sharpen a creative vision, build a disciplined plan (while accepting that plans are always imperfect), iterate, and stay true to core values.
Engaged and motivated talent, he argues, is the engine of great work. Fuse Games remains relatively small for a project of AAA scope, numbering roughly 75 staff members. This deliberate size avoids the industry’s typical “grow‑shrink‑grow” cycle.
Instead, Fuse relies on external development partners to fill capability gaps. “We’re not doing that constant scaling process,” Webster explained.
“Our model could become the standard for AAA development: a lean permanent core complemented by trusted partners who share our values.” External collaboration ranges from transactional outsourcing—where partners deliver specific assets—to deep co‑development, where outside studios sit in on daily stand‑ups, Slack channels, and even share the codebase. The UK, with its mature game‑development ecosystem, proves especially fertile for such partnerships. In the past, external studios were reluctant to help, preferring to protect their own IPs.
Today, many firms hire developers eager to work on diverse projects, keeping the talent pool fresh and enthusiastic. Webster is convinced this hybrid model works. He cites the rapid development timeline of Galactic Racer as evidence: “We started Fuse in January 2023. Three and a half years later we have a studio, a team, and a fully‑realized game built on Unreal Engine 5—a tool none of us originally mastered.
It feels like an achievement, and we did it sustainably.” A notable aspect of Fuse’s staffing is the blend of veteran Criterion alumni with a wave of younger developers, some of whom have never set foot in a game studio before. “Our young talent is smarter and more effective in many ways than I was at that age,” Webster praised. He observed that seasoned developers often prefer senior colleagues who need little guidance, but that approach can stifle growth.
By nurturing junior staff, Fuse has discovered a richer source of creativity and motivation. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to further develop young talent, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue. He points to Criterion’s historic success with internships as a model and acknowledges the cost of cultivating talent, but believes the investment pays dividends in innovation and culture.
Reflecting on the industry’s past excesses, Webster recalls a time when successful games generated abundant funding, prompting many creators to spin off their own studios. He argues that money was often funneled to “superstar” developers rather than to strong, collaborative teams.
He dismisses the myth of the lone creative visionary as “fucking bullshit,” insisting that games are fundamentally collaborative endeavors. As for Fuse’s next steps, Webster remains non‑committal. The launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning, and the studio is open to exploring new opportunities. “We have ideas about where we want to go, but as an independent developer you have to stay flexible and adaptable,” he concluded, underscoring the ever‑changing landscape of modern game development.