Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within Electronic Arts. He started at the company in 1990 and spent almost twenty years on projects such as Burnout and the Need for Speed series while they were under Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster teamed up with former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant to launch an independent UK studio called Fuse Games.
Three and a half years later the fledgling team is on the brink of releasing its debut title, *Star Wars: Galactic Racer*, which will be published by the newly autonomous label Secret Mode. The new game arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars‑themed racing experience, 2002’s *Racer Revenge*. In the intervening years, the racing genre has lost some of its mainstream sheen. Amazon recently abandoned a publishing partnership with Maverick Games for the upcoming driving title *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis stating, “we didn’t see a real fit in the market for that game.” Meanwhile Criterion, once a powerhouse of arcade‑style racers, has shifted its focus to the *Battlefield* franchise.
Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is a viable audience for a Star Wars 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 adds that genre popularity tends to be cyclical. “Shooters dominated for a while, but that’s not the only genre that can thrive.
As more people play video games, even the tiniest niches find larger followings.” Webster believes gamers are hungry for “fun, interesting, compelling new experiences that they haven’t seen before,” and he feels *Galactic Racer* delivers on that promise. The studio set out to capture the instant‑gratification of classic arcade racers while also exploring what can happen when you remove the constraints of real‑world 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* seeks to overturn long‑standing conventions of the racing genre.
Most racing games have relied on a car‑collection model for the past two decades. Webster wants to rip that formula apart and borrow mechanics from other genres.
The game incorporates meaningful consequences for player actions, such as crashes. In many modern racers a rewind button erases penalties, but Webster wants crashes to matter. “When you crash too many times you’re sent back to the start, but you keep some meta‑progression that puts you in a stronger position,” he says.
“That risk feels real, especially when you’re on your last life and the systems are critical.” The design is also inspired by roguelike titles like *Hades*, *Returnal* and *Slay the Spire*, which prioritize infinite replayability. “Racing thrives on replayability, so merging it with roguelike ideas feels like a match made in heaven,” Webster notes. The game’s structure encourages players to make strategic decisions, accept the cost of failure, and learn from each run—an approach that contrasts sharply with the hand‑holding typical of many AAA releases. Timing the launch is another strategic decision.
*Galactic Racer* is slated for October 6, a comfortable gap before the highly anticipated *GTA 6* release on November 19, yet close enough to ride the wave of other major titles dropping in September, such as *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall*. Webster acknowledges the crowded calendar but points out that the industry has weathered even busier pre‑Christmas schedules in the past.
“People used to call September ‘murderers’ row,’ and October has always been packed,” he says. “We have a healthy confidence, tempered by a realistic view of how the market may respond.” When asked about the recent wave of layoffs across the industry, Webster reflects on his long tenure.
He recalls a similar downsizing period 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 aversion to risk creates opportunities for studios willing to take calculated bets.
“If you’re not willing to risk, you limit yourself,” he warns. Funding an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy. “People told me I was brave for starting an indie studio now,” Webster recalls. After 32 years at EA, he stepped out of his comfort zone and applied the principles he’d learned: build a strong team, refine a clear creative vision, and stay disciplined while remaining flexible.
“The plan is always wrong, but it’s the best version you have today. Review, adapt, and stay true to your values,” he advises.
Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core—about 75 people—by design. Rather than inflating and deflating staff numbers, the studio relies on external partners to fill gaps. This hybrid model blends transactional outsourcing for asset creation with deeper co‑development relationships where outside studios attend daily stand‑ups, share Slack channels, and contribute directly to the codebase.
Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a key advantage, noting that today many companies willingly collaborate across projects, keeping talent fresh and motivated. According to Webster, this approach proves that a AAA‑scale game can be built on a sustainable budget when a small permanent team is augmented by trusted partners who share the same values. The rapid development timeline—starting Fuse in January 2023 and delivering a full‑featured UE5 title in just three and a half years—demonstrates the model’s viability. A notable aspect of Fuse’s strategy is its emphasis on youthful talent.
Alongside the veteran Criterion alumni, the studio has hired many younger developers, even bringing on a producer with no prior game‑industry experience. “The young talent we have is incredibly smart and effective—often more so than I was at their age,” Webster says.
He observes that seasoned developers sometimes prefer senior colleagues who need little guidance, but nurturing younger staff creates a more dynamic and motivated environment. The studio hopes to formalize an internship program in the future, though it remains pre‑revenue and must first prove its financial footing. Reflecting on a period when the industry was flush with cash, Webster recalls how many successful teams received funding to spin off their own studios, only to discover the challenges of independence.
He criticizes the lingering myth of the “single creative visionary” as “bullshit,” insisting that games are always the product of collaborative effort. Looking ahead, Fuse Games does not have a fixed roadmap.
The launch of *Star Wars: Galactic Racer* is just the beginning, and the studio remains open to new opportunities and ideas. “As an independent developer, you have to stay flexible and adaptable,” Webster concludes. "We have ideas for what we want to do next, but we’ll let the market and our own growth dictate the path forward."