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 nearly twenty years contributing to the Burnout and Need for Speed franchises through Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster, alongside fellow Criterion alumni Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires, and Alan McDairmant, decided to strike out on their own and establish the independent UK studio Fuse Games. Three and a half years later the fledgling studio is poised to launch 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 the racing genre has generally slipped out of the mainstream spotlight. Amazon recently scrapped a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for the upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis noting, “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 that a demand still exists. “We clearly see an audience for a Star Wars racing game,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.
“Our community feedback—people watching our videos, reading our articles—suggests we’re not alone in that belief.” He argues that video‑game genres are cyclical. “We went through a phase where shooters dominated everything, but that’s not the only cycle.
As more people play games, even the tiniest niches can find a broader audience.” According to Webster, modern gamers 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 becomes possible when you are no longer bound by the physical constraints of 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 upend long‑standing conventions of the racing genre. Traditionally, racers revolve around a car‑collection model—a formula that has remained largely unchanged for two decades.
Webster wants to tear that model apart and borrow mechanics from other genres. One of the most radical changes is the introduction of meaningful consequences for crashing. In many modern racers, a rewind button nullifies any penalty, but Fuse wants to restore risk. "If you crash too often, you’re sent back to the start, though you retain some meta‑progression that puts you in a stronger position," he says.
"When you’re on your last allowed crash, the tension spikes and you start weighing every risk you take." This design philosophy draws inspiration from roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal, and Slay the Spire—games built around infinite replayability. "Racing thrives on replayability, so marrying it with roguelike loops feels like a match made in heaven," Webster adds.
Webster acknowledges that this approach is a bold departure from the hand‑holding that has become common in AAA releases. He also recognizes the timing challenges of launching a new IP in a crowded calendar year that includes the highly anticipated GTA 6. Galactic Racer is slated for an October 6 release, comfortably before GTA 6’s November 19 launch but after other major titles like Control: Resonant and Silent Hill: Townfall, both due September 24. "People always say September looks busy, but I remember the old ‘murderers’ row’ in October when the market was just as packed," he notes.
"We’re confident, but we keep a realistic view of how things might turn out." He sums it up with a mantra he’s heard often: "Good games will find a way." When the conversation turns to the wave of layoffs sweeping the industry, Webster reflects on his long tenure and the previous layoff cycle about fifteen years ago. He observes a pattern: great teams produce great games, and great games attract audiences.
"What we’re seeing now is a risk‑averse culture," he says. "That creates space for those willing to take calculated bets and push boundaries. If you shy away from risk, you limit opportunity." Yet, he concedes that starting an independent studio in 2023 has not been without obstacles.
Funding access was a major hurdle. "People told me I was brave to launch an indie studio now," he recalls. "After 32 years at EA, I was stepping out of a bubble.
The principles I’d learned—building a solid team, refining a clear creative vision, staying disciplined while knowing plans will change—became my compass." He stresses that an engaged, motivated team is the engine of any successful project. Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core team of roughly 75 people, a deliberate choice to avoid the industry’s typical pattern of rapid expansion and contraction. Instead, the studio relies heavily on external development partners to fill gaps. "We’re not doing the grow‑shrink‑grow‑shrink cycle," Webster explains.
"Our model—small permanent core plus trusted external partners—could become the new standard for AAA‑scale projects on sustainable budgets." The external collaborations range from pure outsourcing, which he describes as "transactional asset creation," to full co‑development where partner studios sit in on stand‑ups, Slack channels, and share the codebase. He highlights the UK’s mature game‑development ecosystem as particularly conducive to such partnerships, noting that today’s studios are eager to work on varied projects, keeping talent fresh and motivated. The speed of Galactic Racer’s development underscores the efficacy of this model. Fuse launched in January 2023; three and a half years later they have built a studio, assembled a team, and delivered a game built on Unreal Engine 5—a technology none of them had mastered at the outset.
"It feels like an achievement, and we’ve done it in a healthy, sustainable way," Webster says. Another notable aspect of Fuse’s journey is its blend of veteran expertise and fresh talent. While the studio includes several Criterion veterans, many of its developers are newcomers, and one producer had never worked in games before joining the project.
"The young talent we’ve brought in is astonishingly smart and effective—often more so than I was at that age," Webster remarks. He observes that seasoned developers sometimes prefer senior colleagues who can work independently, but that approach can stifle growth. "Nurturing young talent energizes both parties," he adds, explaining that Fuse has adjusted its hiring strategy to prioritize this dynamic. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to establish an internship program to further cultivate emerging talent, though he cautions that Fuse is still pre‑revenue.
He points to Criterion’s successful intern initiatives as a model and acknowledges the costs involved in developing talent. Reflecting on a period five or six years ago when the industry was flush with capital, he notes that many teams received funding based on the success of a single hit, only to discover how difficult it is to replicate that success independently.
"Money should go to great teams, not just superstar creators," he asserts, calling the myth of the lone visionary "complete bullshit." In reality, games are collaborative endeavors. As for Fuse’s next steps, Webster admits the future is still being charted.
"The launch is just the beginning for us. We’ll be talking to partners about potential opportunities and have ideas about where we want to go, but as an independent studio we need to stay flexible and adaptable," he concludes.
The ambition is clear: to prove that a small, well‑coordinated team, bolstered by strategic external partnerships, can deliver a AAA‑level experience without the financial excesses that have plagued many recent projects. The industry will be watching to see if Star Wars: Galactic Racer can indeed revitalize the racing genre and validate this new development paradigm.