Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He began his tenure at EA in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years developing iconic titles such as Burnout and Need for Speed through Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster, together with fellow Criterion alumni Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires, and Alan McDairmant, decided to step away from the corporate giant and launch their own independent studio in the United Kingdom, Fuse Games. Just over three years later, the fledgling studio is poised to ship its debut title, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, under the banner of the newly independent publisher Secret Mode.
The timing of Galactic Racer’s arrival is noteworthy. The last Star Wars‑themed racing game, Racer Revenge, hit shelves in 2002—more than two decades ago.
Since then, the racing genre has struggled to retain mainstream appeal. Recent industry news underscores this trend: Amazon withdrew from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for the upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis stating that the project did not fit the market. Meanwhile, Criterion itself has pivoted away from pure racing experiences to focus on the Battlefield franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced that a market exists for a Star Wars racing adventure.
“We clearly believe there’s an audience for a Star Wars racing game,” he told GamesIndustry.biz. “Our community, the people who watch our videos and read our articles, suggest we’re not the only ones with that belief.” He argues that gaming genres are inherently cyclical. “Shooters dominated for a while, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only viable genre.
As more people play video games, even the tiniest niche can grow into a sizable audience.” Webster says modern players are hungry for "fun, interesting, compelling new experiences 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 becomes possible 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 the high‑octane thrills, Galactic Racer aims to upend long‑standing conventions of the racing genre.
Traditionally, racers revolve around car collection—a formula that has remained largely unchanged for the past twenty years. Webster wants to tear that model apart and borrow mechanics from other genres. The game incorporates consequential decision‑making, especially around crashes.
In many modern racers, a rewind button eliminates any penalty for crashing, but Fuse wants to re‑introduce meaningful consequences. “If you crash too many times, you’re sent back to the start, but you retain some meta‑progression that puts you in a stronger position,” he says.
“When you’re on your last allowed crash, the risk feels real, and you have to weigh your choices carefully.” The design philosophy also draws inspiration from roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal, and Slay the Spire—games built for infinite replayability. "Racing thrives on replayability," Webster notes, "so merging roguelike loops with racing creates a match made in heaven." This hybrid approach encourages players to experiment, learn from failures, and keep returning for fresh runs, rather than simply grinding for new cars. Launching a new IP in a crowded calendar is a bold move, especially with heavyweight releases like GTA 6 slated for November 19.
Galactic Racer’s launch date of October 6 places it comfortably before the blockbuster, yet still within a busy period that includes titles such as Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall (both September 24). Webster acknowledges the competitive landscape but remains confident. “The market has always been busy—people used to call September ‘Murderers’ Row.’ October is always packed, too.
We have a healthy sense of confidence tempered by a realistic view of how things might turn out.” The interview also touches on broader industry trends, particularly the wave of layoffs that has swept through major studios. Webster, who has witnessed a similar downsizing period fifteen years ago, believes great teams produce great games, and great games find their audience. He warns that the current aversion to risk limits opportunities for innovative projects.
“If you’re unwilling to take calculated risks, you’ll miss the chance to push the envelope,” he says. Funding an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy. Webster recounts the skepticism he faced when announcing Fuse Games: “People told me I was brave to start an indie studio now.” After thirty‑two years at EA, he found himself navigating a new reality. He emphasizes a core set of principles: building a strong team, refining a clear creative vision, and maintaining disciplined planning—while accepting that plans will inevitably evolve.
“Engaged, motivated talent creates great things, so it’s our job to keep them inspired.” Fuse Games operates with a relatively small core team—around 75 people—for a title of AAA scope. This deliberate size avoids the industry’s typical “grow‑shrink‑grow” cycle. Instead, Fuse relies heavily on external development partners to fill gaps, ranging from transactional outsourcing for asset creation to full co‑development where external studios attend daily stand‑ups, participate in Slack channels, and share codebases.
Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a key advantage for such collaborations, noting that today’s studios are eager to work across multiple projects, keeping their workforce fresh and enthusiastic. Webster believes this hybrid model—small permanent core plus trusted external partners—offers a sustainable path to AAA‑level quality without the runaway budgets that have plagued many recent projects. The rapid development timeline of Galactic Racer illustrates the model’s efficacy: "We started Fuse in January 2023, and three and a half years later we have a fully built studio, a cohesive team, and a game built on Unreal Engine 5 that none of us originally knew inside‑out.
It feels like an achievement, and we did it in a healthy, sustainable way." The studio’s talent mix also reflects a generational shift. While veteran Criterion staff provide seasoned expertise, many younger developers—some with no prior game‑industry experience—have joined the project. One producer, for example, had never worked in games before.
"The young talent we’ve brought in is smarter and more effective in many ways than I was at that age," Webster says. He observes that senior developers often prefer to work with equally senior colleagues, limiting mentorship opportunities. By deliberately nurturing younger staff, Fuse has discovered a more dynamic and motivated workforce.
Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to further cultivate fresh talent, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue. He points to Criterion’s successful intern pipelines as a model and stresses the importance of recognizing the cost and commitment involved in developing new talent. Reflecting on a period when the industry was flush with cash, Webster recalls how many successful developers were handed funding to start their own studios, only to discover the challenges were far greater than anticipated.
He criticizes the lingering industry fixation on the myth of the “single creative visionary,” calling it "bullshit." In reality, games are collaborative endeavors, and success stems from strong teams rather than lone geniuses. As for Fuse’s future beyond Galactic Racer, Webster remains non‑committal but optimistic. The launch is just the beginning, and the studio is open to exploring new opportunities and ideas. However, he emphasizes that independence requires flexibility and adaptability in today’s market.
"We have ideas about where we want to go next, but as an independent developer you have to stay agile," he concludes.