Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within Electronic Arts. He started at EA in 1990 and spent almost twenty years developing titles for the Burnout and Need for Speed franchise under Criterion, which 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 leave the corporate behemoth and launch the independent UK studio 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 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 racing games have generally slipped out of the mainstream spotlight. Amazon recently walked away from a publishing arrangement with Maverick Games for its 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 experience. “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 videos and articles suggests we’re not alone.” Webster points out that video‑game genres tend to be cyclical.
After a period dominated by shooters, other genres inevitably rise again. “As more and more people play video games, even the tiniest of niches find a bigger audience,” he explains.
Players, he says, are hungry for “fun, interesting, compelling new experiences that they haven’t seen before,” and he believes Galactic Racer delivers exactly that fresh promise. Fuse’s design philosophy embraces the instant‑gratification feel of classic arcade racers while also asking, “What can we do once we’re no longer limited by tyres and tarmac?” The answer, according to Webster, is tracks that climb the side of an active volcano, courses that feel like roller‑coasters, and other over‑the‑top set‑pieces that would be impossible in a realistic simulation. Yet the game is also meant to upend long‑standing racing conventions.
Most racing titles have relied on a car‑collection model for the past two decades. “Let’s rip that up and steal from other genres,” Webster says. One of the most radical departures is the introduction of meaningful consequences for crashing.
In many modern racers a rewind button erases mistakes, but Galactic Racer re‑introduces risk: too many crashes send the player back to the start, though some meta‑progression carries over, putting them in a stronger position for the next run. This risk‑reward loop is inspired by roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire, which are built around infinite replayability. “Racing thrives on replayability,” Webster notes, “so marrying it with roguelike mechanics feels like a match made in heaven.” Launching on October 6, the game lands well before the highly anticipated GTA 6 release slated for November 19, but after other major titles like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall, which dropped on September 24. Webster acknowledges the crowded pre‑Christmas window, recalling past industry chatter about “Murderer’s Row” in September and the notion that October is always packed.
Nevertheless, he says Fuse approaches the market with “a healthy sense of confidence” tempered by realism. “I was always told good games will find a way, so we’re hoping,” he adds. When asked about the wave of layoffs sweeping the industry, Webster reflects on his own long tenure and the layoffs that occurred about fifteen years ago. He observes that great teams produce great games, and great games attract audiences.
Yet he also notes a prevailing aversion to risk among publishers, which creates opportunities for studios willing to make calculated bets. “If you’re not willing to risk, you limit your chances,” he says.
Starting a new studio in 2023 has not been easy. Funding was scarce, and many questioned the wisdom of launching an independent studio at that time.
Webster describes the transition from a 32‑year stint at EA—where he operated in a protective bubble—to the uncertain world of indie development. He emphasizes core principles: building a strong team, refining a clear creative vision, and maintaining disciplined planning while staying flexible enough to adapt when the plan inevitably changes.
Fuse Games remains relatively small for a project of AAA ambition, with roughly 75 staff members. This size is intentional; the studio avoids the typical “grow‑shrink‑grow‑shrink” cycle by relying heavily on external partners.
Outsourcing handles transactional asset creation, while co‑development brings external studios into Fuse’s daily workflow—participating in stand‑ups, Slack channels, and even sharing the code base. Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaboration, noting that today’s studios are eager to work on diverse projects rather than being locked into a single title. The hybrid model, Webster argues, allows a studio to deliver AAA‑level scope, scale and visual fidelity on a sustainable budget. The rapid development of Galactic Racer—starting in January 2023 and reaching a launch‑ready state in just three and a half years—demonstrates the efficacy of this approach.
“We built a studio, a team, and a game on an engine none of us knew well (UE5) in a healthy, sustainable way,” he says. A notable aspect of Fuse’s workforce is the infusion of young talent. Many of the developers, including one producer who had never worked in games before, are fresh faces. Webster praises their ingenuity, stating they often outperform older colleagues in speed and effectiveness.
He observes that seasoned veterans sometimes prefer to work with peers who need little guidance, which can stifle mentorship. Fuse has therefore pivoted its hiring strategy to nurture younger creators, and Webster hopes to formalize an internship program in the future, despite the studio currently being pre‑revenue. Reflecting on the industry’s past excesses, Webster recalls a time when successful games generated enough cash for developers to launch their own studios, only to discover the reality was far tougher than expected. He criticizes the lingering myth of the “single creative visionary” as “bullshit,” insisting that games are collaborative endeavors.
As for Fuse’s next steps, Webster admits the future is still being charted. The launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning; the studio remains open to new opportunities, ready to stay flexible and adaptable in an ever‑changing market.