Matt Webster appeared destined for a lifelong career at Electronic Arts. He first joined the company back in 1990 and spent almost twenty years contributing to the iconic Burnout and Need for Speed franchises while they were under the Criterion banner, a 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 strike out on their own and launch the independent UK studio Fuse Games. Fast‑forward three and a half years, and Fuse is on the brink of releasing its debut title, *Star Wars: Galactic Racer*, which will be published by the newly independent label Secret Mode. The timing is noteworthy. The last Star Wars‑themed racing game, *Racer Revenge*, hit shelves in 2002 – a full twenty‑four years ago.
Since then, the broader racing genre has struggled to maintain a prominent spot in the market. Amazon recently walked away from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for its upcoming driving title *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis bluntly stating that the project didn’t fit the market landscape. Meanwhile, Criterion itself has shifted its focus from racing 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 a market 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 points out that video‑game genres tend to be cyclical.
“We went through a phase where shooters dominated everything, but that’s just one part of the picture. As more people play games, even the tiniest niches can find a larger following.” Webster believes gamers are hungry for “fun, interesting, compelling new experiences they haven’t seen before,” and he feels *Galactic Racer* delivers exactly that.
The studio set out to capture the instant‑gratification feel of classic arcade racers while also exploring what can be done when you’re no longer bound by the constraints of real‑world tyres and tarmac. “For example, we have tracks that climb up the side of an active volcano,” he explains. “Sometimes it feels like a roller‑coaster.” Beyond the high‑octane thrills, the game aims to overturn long‑standing conventions of the racing genre.
Traditionally, racers have relied on a car‑collection model that has changed little for two decades. Webster wants to rip that formula apart and borrow mechanics from other genres.
One of the most radical changes is the introduction of meaningful consequences for player actions, such as crashing. In many modern racers, a rewind button eliminates risk, but *Galactic Racer* re‑introduces stakes. “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. “When you’re on your last allowed crash, you start to feel the pressure and think about the risk you’re taking.” The design philosophy draws heavily from roguelike titles like *Hades*, *Returnal* and *Slay the Spire*, which prioritize infinite replayability.
“Racing thrives on replayability, so marrying it with roguelike loops feels like a match made in heaven,” Webster notes. Launching the game on October 6 places it a comfortable distance from the highly anticipated *GTA 6* release slated for November 19, yet still close enough to the busy autumn window that includes major releases such as *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall* on September 24. Webster acknowledges the crowded schedule but remains confident.
“I’ve heard people say September looks busy, but I remember years ago people calling October ‘Murderer’s Row’ because it was packed with titles,” he recalls. “We have a healthy sense of confidence, balanced with a realistic view of how things might turn out.” His optimism is tempered by the reality of industry layoffs. Having lived through a wave of cuts fifteen years ago, Webster sees a pattern: great teams make great games, and great games find audiences.
He argues that the current climate is marked by an aversion to risk, which actually creates space for studios willing to take calculated bets. Funding, however, has not been easy. “People told me I was brave to start an independent studio in 2023,” he says.
“After 32 years at EA, I was used to a bubble. The new reality forced me to rely on core principles: build a great team, refine a clear creative vision, and stay disciplined while accepting that plans will always be imperfect.” Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core team of about 75 people—small for a AAA‑scale title.
This size is intentional. Rather than expanding and contracting staff in response to project phases, Fuse relies on external partners to fill gaps, creating a stable, permanent nucleus complemented by trusted collaborators. Webster distinguishes between two types of external work: outsourcing, which he describes as “more transactional asset creation,” and co‑development, where the partner studio becomes an extension of Fuse—participating in stand‑ups, Slack channels, and even sharing the code base. He highlights the UK as an ideal hub for such collaboration, noting the maturity of its game‑development ecosystem.
“In the past, other studios would only help you out grudgingly because they needed to keep their lights on,” he explains. “Now there are companies that actively hire people eager to work on diverse projects with different teams, keeping the talent pool fresh and motivated.” From Fuse’s perspective, this hybrid model makes it possible to deliver a AAA‑level experience—both in scope and visual fidelity—on a sustainable budget.
The rapid development timeline of *Galactic Racer* underscores the model’s effectiveness: “We started 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 technology none of us previously mastered. It feels like an achievement, and we did it in a healthy, sustainable way.” The studio’s roster blends veteran Criterion talent with a wave of younger developers, some of whom have never worked in games before. One producer, for instance, entered the industry straight from a non‑gaming background. “The young talent we’ve brought in is astonishingly smart and effective—often more so than I was at their age,” Webster says.
“We’ve actually had greater success with our younger developers than with some senior hires.” He observes that seasoned developers sometimes prefer senior colleagues who can work independently, which can limit mentorship opportunities. “Nurturing young talent engages and motivates both the mentor and the mentee,” he adds, noting that Fuse has adjusted its hiring strategy accordingly. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to establish an internship program to further cultivate emerging talent, though he acknowledges that the studio is still pre‑revenue.
“We haven’t made any money yet,” he admits. “But we remember how successful Criterion’s intern programs were, and we’d like to emulate that, even though we know it comes with costs.” Reflecting on the industry’s previous boom years, Webster recalls a time when successful game teams were handed funding to spin off their own studios, only to discover the challenges of independence.
He criticizes the lingering myth of the “single creative visionary,” calling it “bullshit.” In his view, games are always the product of collaborative effort. As for Fuse’s next steps, the future remains fluid.
“The launch of *Galactic Racer* is just the beginning,” Webster says. “We’ll be talking to partners about potential opportunities, and we have ideas about where we want to go next.
But as an independent developer, you have to stay flexible and adaptable.”