Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to remain within the walls of Electronic Arts. He started at EA in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years developing titles for the Criterion studio—renowned for Burnout and Need for Speed—until EA acquired Criterion in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster, together with former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant, decided to break away and launch an independent UK studio called Fuse Games.
Three and a half years on, Fuse is on the verge of releasing 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*. In the intervening decades, the racing genre has struggled to maintain mainstream appeal.
Amazon recently cancelled a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for a forthcoming driving title called *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis noting, “we didn’t see a real fit in the market for that game.” Meanwhile, Criterion, once a powerhouse of arcade‑style racers, has pivoted to the *Battlefield* franchise, signaling a broader industry shift away from pure racing experiences. Despite these trends, Webster remains convinced there is a viable audience for a Star Wars racing game. “Clearly we think there’s an audience for a Star Wars racing game,” he told GamesIndustry.biz. “We don’t think we’re the only ones.
The comments we get on our videos and articles suggest we’re not alone.” He points out that video‑game genres are cyclical. “Shooters dominated for a while, but that’s not the only genre that can capture players’ attention. As more people play games, even the tiniest niches find larger followings.” Webster believes gamers are hungry for “fun, interesting, compelling new experiences they haven’t seen before,” and he feels *Galactic Racer* delivers exactly that. The team aimed to capture the instant gratification of classic arcade racers while also exploring what can be done when developers are no longer bound by realistic tyres and tarmac.
“We have tracks that climb the side of an active volcano,” he explains. “Sometimes it feels like a roller‑coaster.” Beyond high‑octane thrills, the game deliberately subverts long‑standing racing conventions. Traditionally, racing titles revolve around car collection—a formula that hasn’t changed much in two decades. Webster wants to “rip that up and steal from other genres.” One of the biggest innovations is the introduction of meaningful consequences for crashes.
In many modern racers, a rewind button erases mistakes, reducing risk. Fuse re‑introduces risk by making crashes affect progress: too many crashes send the player back to the start, though some meta‑progression carries over, placing the player in a slightly stronger position.
This risk‑reward loop forces players to weigh each maneuver carefully, especially when they’re on their final allowable crash. The game’s structure draws inspiration from roguelike titles such as *Hades*, *Returnal* and *Slay the Spire*—games designed for infinite replayability.
“Racing thrives on replayability,” Webster notes, “so marrying it with roguelike principles feels like a match made in heaven.” The idea is to give each run its own narrative arc, encouraging players to experiment, learn from failures, and return stronger, much like a roguelike’s progression system. Releasing *Galactic Racer* on October 6 positions it between several high‑profile launches. Rockstar’s *GTA VI* is slated for November 19, while September 24 sees releases like *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall*.
Some industry observers warned that September is a crowded month, but Webster recalls that October has historically been a “murderer’s row” of releases. He acknowledges the competition but says Fuse approaches it with a “healthy sense of confidence” tempered by realism: “Good games will find a way,” he says, echoing a mantra that has guided him through industry downturns.
Speaking on the wave of layoffs that has swept the sector, Webster reflects on his own long tenure. He remembers a similar contraction fifteen years ago and notes a recurring truth: “Great teams make great games, and great games find an audience.” He argues that the current climate shows an aversion to risk, which actually creates openings for studios willing to take calculated bets. “If you’re not willing to risk, you limit opportunity,” he warns.
Starting a new studio in 2023 has not been without hurdles. Funding was hard to secure, and many questioned the wisdom of launching an independent studio in a volatile market.
Webster admits it felt “brave” to step out of his 32‑year EA bubble. He emphasizes a set of principles that guided Fuse: build a strong team, refine a clear creative vision, maintain disciplined planning (while accepting that plans are always provisional), and stay true to core values. Engaged, motivated talent, he believes, is the engine of great games. Fuse’s team is deliberately lean—about 75 people—far smaller than a typical AAA studio.
Rather than expanding and contracting staff, Fuse relies heavily on external development partners to fill skill gaps. This hybrid model blends transactional outsourcing (pure asset creation) with deep co‑development, where external studios join daily stand‑ups, Slack channels, and even the codebase. Webster highlights the UK’s mature game‑development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaboration, noting that today’s studios are eager to work on diverse projects rather than “gritting their teeth” to help a single partner. Webster is convinced this approach can deliver AAA‑level scope, scale and visual fidelity on a sustainable budget.
He points to the rapid development timeline as proof: Fuse was founded in January 2023, and by mid‑2026 the studio had built a team, learned Unreal Engine 5 from scratch, and produced a full‑featured Star Wars racer. “It feels like an achievement, and we’ve done it in a healthy, sustainable way,” he says. Another notable aspect of Fuse’s culture is its emphasis on younger talent. While the studio includes veteran Criterion alumni, many of its developers are fresh faces, some even new to the industry.
One producer, for instance, had never worked on a game before joining Fuse. Webster praises this infusion of youth, stating that younger staff often bring fresh perspectives and efficiency that can surpass seasoned veterans. He also observes that senior developers sometimes prefer working with equally senior colleagues who need little guidance, which can stifle mentorship. Fuse, by contrast, deliberately nurtures junior talent, seeing it as a two‑way motivator.
Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to further cultivate emerging talent, though he cautions that the studio is still pre‑revenue. He cites Criterion’s successful intern pipelines as a model and acknowledges the cost and effort required to develop new talent responsibly. Reflecting on a period five or six years ago when the industry was flush with cash, Webster recalls how many developers received funding to start their own studios after a hit title, only to discover that building a sustainable business is far harder than it appears. He criticizes the industry’s past fixation on a “single creative visionary,” calling it “bullshit.” In his view, games are always the product of collaborative effort, not solitary genius.
As for Fuse’s next steps, Webster admits the future is still being written. The launch of *Star Wars: Galactic Racer* is just the beginning. The studio is open to exploring new opportunities and ideas, but he stresses that independent developers must remain flexible and adaptable in an ever‑changing market. The combination of a tight core team, strategic external partnerships, and a willingness to experiment with genre conventions may well become a blueprint for sustainable AAA‑level development in the years to come.