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 almost twenty years developing titles for Criterion, the studio behind Burnout and Need for Speed, which 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, Fuse Games.
Just over three 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. Galactic Racer arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars‑themed racing game, 2002’s Racer Revenge, and it does so at a time when the racing genre has generally slipped out of the mainstream spotlight. Recent industry moves illustrate this trend: Amazon abandoned a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for the upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis stating that the project didn’t fit the market. Meanwhile Criterion itself has shifted focus from pure racing experiences 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 a market for a Star Wars‑themed racer,” he told GamesIndustry.biz. “We’re not the only ones who feel that way – the response we get from our videos and articles suggests we’re not alone.” He points out that gaming genres tend to be cyclical. After a period dominated by shooters, other genres inevitably resurface as player tastes evolve.
“The more people play video games, the larger even the tiniest niche becomes,” Webster added. According to Webster, gamers are hungry for “fun, interesting, compelling new experiences they haven’t seen before,” and he believes 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 designers are no longer limited by realistic tyres and tarmac.
“We have tracks that climb the side of an active volcano,” he explained, describing courses that feel more like roller‑coasters than conventional circuits. Beyond the high‑octane thrills, Galactic Racer seeks to upend long‑standing conventions of the racing genre. Traditionally, racers have relied on a car‑collection model that has remained largely unchanged for two decades.
Webster wants to “rip that up and steal from other genres.” To that end, the game incorporates consequential decision‑making, using crash mechanics to re‑introduce risk. In many modern racers, a rewind button eliminates the penalty for mistakes; Galactic Racer instead makes crashes matter, sending players back to the start after too many failures, though some meta‑progression carries over to give a stronger foothold on subsequent attempts.
Webster cites roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire as inspirations for the game’s structure. Those games are built around infinite replayability, a quality that dovetails naturally with racing, which also thrives on repeated runs.
By blending the procedural, high‑risk‑high‑reward loop of roguelikes with the speed‑driven excitement of arcade racing, Fuse hopes to create a “match made in heaven.” The release window is also strategic. Galactic Racer is slated for October 6, positioning it comfortably before the anticipated launch of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, yet after other high‑profile releases like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall on September 24. Webster acknowledges the crowded pre‑holiday calendar but notes that the industry has weathered busier periods before.
“People used to call September ‘murderer’s row,’ and October was always packed,” he recalled, emphasizing that Fuse approaches the market with a “healthy sense of confidence” balanced by a realistic outlook. When discussing the broader industry climate, Webster reflects on the wave of layoffs that has swept through major studios. Having lived through a similar downturn fifteen years ago, he observes that great teams produce great games, and great games eventually find an audience.
He argues that the current risk‑averse environment creates opportunities for studios willing to take calculated bets. “If you’re not willing to risk, you limit yourself,” he warned. Funding, however, has not been a walk in the park for the new studio.
“People told me it was brave to start an independent studio in 2023,” Webster said, noting that after 32 years at EA he was stepping out of a comfortable bubble. He stresses the importance of building a solid team, refining a clear creative vision, and maintaining disciplined planning—while accepting that plans will inevitably evolve. Engaged and motivated talent, he believes, is the cornerstone of any successful project.
Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core team of around 75 people, a deliberate choice to avoid the boom‑and‑bust staffing cycles common in AAA development. Instead of scaling the internal team up and down, Fuse supplements its capabilities with external partners.
This hybrid model ranges from transactional outsourcing for asset creation to deep co‑development relationships where external studios attend daily stand‑ups, share Slack channels, and contribute directly to the codebase. Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaborations, noting that today’s external studios are eager to work on diverse projects rather than merely keeping the lights on.
Webster is convinced that this approach can deliver AAA‑level scope, scale and visual fidelity on a more sustainable budget. The rapid development timeline of Galactic Racer—just three and a half years from Fuse’s founding to a near‑complete UE5‑based product—serves as proof of concept. “We started Fuse in January 2023, and now we have a studio, a team, and a game built on an engine none of us previously knew,” he said, calling the achievement “healthy and sustainable.” A notable aspect of the studio’s composition is the infusion of young talent alongside veteran developers.
Some producers on Galactic Racer had never worked in games before joining Fuse. Webster praises the fresh perspective of these newcomers, stating that they often outperform older colleagues in speed and effectiveness. He argues that nurturing junior staff is more beneficial than relying on senior developers who may prefer minimal interaction.
This philosophy has even led Fuse to adjust its recruitment strategy to prioritize promising, less‑experienced candidates. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to establish a formal internship program to further cultivate emerging talent, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue and must be cautious with resources. He references Criterion’s successful intern pipeline as a model and acknowledges the costs associated with talent development. Reflecting on a period when the industry was flush with capital, Webster recalls how many developers who rode a hit title to fame were encouraged to start their own studios—only to discover the reality was far tougher than expected.
He criticizes the industry’s lingering fascination with the myth of a singular “creative visionary,” calling it “bullshit.” In his view, games are always collaborative endeavors, built by teams of individuals. As for Fuse’s next steps, the future remains open‑ended.
While the launch of Galactic Racer marks a major milestone, Webster says the studio will continue to explore new opportunities and remain flexible. “We have ideas about where we want to go, but as an independent developer you have to stay adaptable,” he concluded.