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 the Burnout and Need for Speed franchise under Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster joined forces with fellow Criterion alumni Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant to launch an independent UK studio called Fuse Games. Three and a half years later the fledgling team is poised to release its debut title, *Star Wars: Galactic Racer*, which will be published by the newly independent label Secret Mode.
*Galactic Racer* arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars‑themed racing game, 2002’s *Racer Revenge*. In the intervening years the racing genre has lost much of its mainstream appeal. Amazon recently withdrew from a publishing agreement with UK studio Maverick Games for a forthcoming driving title called *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis stating, “we didn’t see a real fit in the market for that game.” Meanwhile Criterion itself has shifted focus away from racing and now works on the *Battlefield* franchise. Despite these signals, Webster is convinced there is still 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 reaction to our videos and articles suggests we’re not alone.” He argues that genres tend to be cyclical.
“We went through a phase where shooters dominated, but that’s not the only genre. As more people play video games, even the tiniest niches can find a larger audience.” 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 of an arcade‑style racer while also asking, “what’s possible when you’re not limited by tyres and tarmac?” The answer, according to Webster, includes tracks that climb the side of an active volcano and courses that feel like roller‑coasters, offering a blend of high‑octane thrills and imaginative design. Beyond arcade excitement, the game seeks to upend long‑standing racing conventions.
Traditionally, racing titles have relied on a car‑collection model that has remained largely unchanged for two decades. Webster wants to “rip that up” and borrow mechanics from other genres. One key innovation is the introduction of meaningful consequences for crashing. In many modern racers a rewind button eliminates penalty, but *Galactic Racer* reinstates risk: too many crashes send the player back to the start, though some meta‑progression carries over, placing the racer in a stronger position for the next run.
This risk‑reward loop forces players to weigh each maneuver carefully, especially when they’re on their final allowable crash. The design philosophy draws heavily from roguelike titles such as *Hades*, *Returnal* and *Slay the Spire*, which prioritize infinite replayability. “Racing thrives on replayability, so marrying it with roguelike principles feels like a match made in heaven,” Webster explains. Each run generates new challenges, encouraging players to experiment with different strategies and ship configurations, while the persistent progression system rewards perseverance.
Launching the game on October 6 positions it a respectable distance from the anticipated release of *GTA 6* on November 19, yet it still lands amid a busy fall window that includes high‑profile releases like *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall* on September 24. Webster acknowledges the crowded calendar but points out that the industry has weathered even busier pre‑Christmas schedules in the past.
“People used to call September ‘murderer’s row,’ and October was always packed,” he notes. “We have a healthy confidence tempered by a realistic view of how things might turn out.” When asked about the wave of layoffs sweeping the sector, Webster reflects on his long tenure. He recalls a previous round of cuts about fifteen years ago and emphasizes a timeless truth: “Great teams make great games, and great games find an audience.” He warns that the current climate is marked by an aversion to risk, which paradoxically creates opportunities for studios willing to take calculated bets. “If you’re not willing to risk, you limit your chances,” he says.
Funding an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy. “People told me I was brave for starting an indie studio now,” Webster recalls.
After 32 years at EA, he found himself navigating a new reality. He leaned on core principles: assemble a talented team, refine a clear creative vision, and maintain disciplined planning—while accepting that plans are always provisional. He stresses that engaged, motivated talent is the engine of success, and it’s the studio’s responsibility to nurture that enthusiasm.
Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core team of around 75 people, a deliberate choice to avoid the industry’s typical “grow‑shrink‑grow‑shrink” staffing cycles. Instead, the studio supplements its capabilities through external development partners.
These collaborations range from transactional outsourcing for asset creation to full‑scale co‑development, where external studios join daily stand‑ups, Slack channels and code repositories as if they were internal members. Webster highlights the UK’s mature game‑development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such partnerships, noting that today’s studios are eager to work across multiple projects, keeping their staff fresh and motivated. Webster believes this hybrid model—small permanent core plus trusted external partners—offers a sustainable path for AAA‑scale projects on a reasonable budget.
The rapid development of *Galactic Racer* illustrates the model’s efficacy: Fuse was founded in January 2023, and within three and a half years the team built the studio, assembled talent, and created a game on Unreal Engine 5—an engine none of them had previously mastered. “It feels like an achievement, and we did it in a healthy, sustainable way,” he says. A notable aspect of Fuse’s roster is the infusion of young developers alongside seasoned Criterion veterans.
Some producers have never worked in games before. “The young talent we’ve hired is often smarter and more effective than I was at that age,” Webster remarks. He observes that senior developers sometimes prefer working with equally senior colleagues who need little guidance, but that nurturing younger staff can be equally, if not more, rewarding. This insight has led Fuse to pivot its hiring strategy toward emerging talent, and Webster hopes to eventually launch an intern program, though the studio remains pre‑revenue at present.
Reflecting on a period five or six years ago when the industry was flush with capital, Webster recalls how many successful developers received funding to start their own studios, only to discover the challenges were far greater than expected. He argues that money should be allocated to strong teams rather than glorified individual visionaries. “The fixation on a single creative visionary is nonsense,” he says.
“Games are made by collaborations of individuals.” Looking ahead, Fuse Games remains flexible. While the launch of *Star Wars: Galactic Racer* marks a major milestone, Webster notes that the studio is already contemplating future projects and potential partnerships.
“For an independent developer these days, you have to be adaptable,” he concludes. "We’re excited to see where this journey takes us, and we hope the community enjoys the ride we’ve built."