Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He started at EA in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years contributing to iconic franchises such as Burnout and Need for Speed while working at 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. Just over three years later, Fuse is preparing to release its debut title, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, under the banner of the newly independent publisher Secret Mode. The release of Galactic Racer comes roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars‑themed racing game—2002’s Racer Revenge—arrived on the market. In the intervening years, the racing genre has struggled to maintain mainstream appeal.
Amazon recently abandoned a publishing partnership with Maverick Games for its upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis noting that the project didn’t fit the current market landscape. Meanwhile, Criterion itself has shifted focus away from racing, devoting its resources to the Battlefield franchise.
Despite these trends, Webster is confident that a demand exists. “We clearly believe there’s an audience for a Star Wars racing game,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.
“We’re not the only ones who think that, and the response we get from people watching our videos and reading our articles suggests we’re not alone.” He argues that gaming genres are 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 can find a larger audience.” Webster says players are hungry for "fun, interesting, compelling new experiences that they haven’t seen before," and he feels Galactic Racer delivers exactly that.
The studio set out to capture the instant gratification of classic arcade racers while also exploring what’s possible when you’re no longer limited 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 arcade thrills, Galactic Racer deliberately subverts long‑standing racing conventions.
Traditionally, racing games revolve around car collection—a formula that hasn’t changed much in two decades. Webster wants to tear that model apart and borrow mechanics from other genres. The game emphasizes consequential decision‑making, especially around crashing.
In many modern racers, a rewind button erases the penalty for mistakes; Fuse instead re‑introduces risk, making each crash matter. “If you crash too often you’re sent back to the start, but you keep some meta‑progression that puts you in a stronger position,” he says.
“When you’re on your last allowed crash, you feel the pressure and have to weigh the risk of pushing harder.” The design is heavily inspired by roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire—games built for infinite replayability. "Racing thrives on replayability, so marrying it with roguelike principles feels like a match made in heaven," Webster notes. This approach also aligns with the studio’s broader philosophy of offering players a sense of agency rather than the hand‑holding that has become common in AAA releases.
Timing the launch is another strategic decision. Galactic Racer is slated for October 6, positioning it well before the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, yet after other major titles like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall, both arriving on September 24. Webster acknowledges the crowded pre‑holiday window but reminds us that the industry has weathered even busier schedules before. "People used to call September ‘murderers’ row,’ and October was always packed," he recalls.
"We have a healthy confidence tempered by a realistic view of how the market might respond." When asked about the wave of layoffs sweeping the industry, Webster reflects on his long tenure. He remembers a similar contraction fifteen years ago and points out a timeless truth: great teams make great games, and great games find audiences. He warns that today’s risk‑averse climate can stifle innovation, but also creates openings for studios willing to take calculated bets. "If you’re afraid to push boundaries, you miss the opportunities that come from daring experiments," he says.
Funding an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy. Webster admits that many questioned his decision to leave a secure EA position after 32 years. "People said, ‘You’re brave starting an indie studio now,’" he laughs. His guiding principles have remained the same: assemble a talented team, refine a clear creative vision, and maintain disciplined planning—while accepting that plans will inevitably change.
He stresses that motivated, engaged talent is the engine of great games, and that it’s the studio’s responsibility to nurture that motivation. Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core team of about 75 people—small for a AAA‑scale title. This size is intentional, allowing the studio to avoid the boom‑and‑bust hiring cycles that plague many large developers. Instead, Fuse relies on external partners to fill gaps, ranging from transactional outsourcing for asset creation to deep co‑development where external studios join daily stand‑ups, Slack channels, and even the codebase.
Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a key advantage, noting that today’s studios are eager to collaborate across projects, keeping their work fresh and their staff motivated. Webster believes this hybrid model—small permanent core plus trusted external collaborators—offers a sustainable path to delivering AAA‑level scope, scale and visual fidelity on a manageable budget. The rapid development timeline of Galactic Racer underscores the model’s viability.
"We launched Fuse in January 2023, and three and a half years later we have a studio, a team, and a fully‑realized game built on Unreal Engine 5, a tool none of us had mastered at the start. It feels like an achievement, and we did it in a healthy, sustainable way," he says. The studio’s talent mix is also noteworthy. While many veteran Criterion staff are present, Fuse has deliberately recruited younger developers, even hiring a producer with no prior gaming experience.
"The young talent we’ve brought in is incredibly smart and effective—often more so than I was at their age," Webster enthuses. He observes that seasoned developers sometimes prefer senior colleagues who need little guidance, which can limit mentorship opportunities. By focusing on nurturing junior staff, Fuse has discovered a dynamic that fuels both creativity and motivation.
Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program, drawing inspiration from Criterion’s successful intern pipelines. He admits the studio is still pre‑revenue, but believes investing in talent development will pay dividends in the long run. He also reflects on a period five or six years ago when abundant funding allowed successful teams to spin off their own studios, only to discover the challenges of independence. "Money should go to great teams, not just to superstar developers.
The myth of the singular creative visionary is nonsense—games are always collaborative endeavors," he asserts. As for Fuse’s next steps, the future remains fluid. The launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning, and the studio is open to exploring new opportunities while staying adaptable. Webster concludes with a pragmatic optimism: "Good games find a way.
We’re hoping ours does too."