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 developing titles for Criterion, the studio behind Burnout and Need for Speed, which 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, Fuse Games.
Just three and a half years later, Fuse is poised to release its debut title, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, under the banner of the newly independent publisher Secret Mode. Galactic Racer arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars racing game, 2002’s Racer Revenge, and it does so at a time when the racing genre has lost some of its mainstream momentum. Amazon recently walked away from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for a forthcoming driving title called Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis noting that the market didn’t appear to have a clear fit for the project.
Meanwhile, Criterion itself has shifted focus away from pure racing and now contributes to the Battlefield franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is a viable audience for a Star Wars‑themed racer. “We clearly see a demand for a Star Wars racing game,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.
“Our community, the people who watch our videos and read our articles, suggests we’re not the only ones who think this.” He points out that genres are cyclical. “We had a period where shooters dominated everything, but that’s only one part of the picture.
As more people play video games, even the tiniest niches can find a larger following.” Webster believes players are hungry for fresh, compelling experiences they haven’t encountered before, and he feels Galactic Racer delivers exactly that. The studio’s vision is to craft something novel while preserving the instant‑gratification feel of classic arcade racers.
One of the ways Fuse is doing that is by breaking free from the constraints of real‑world physics. “We wanted to explore what’s possible once you’re no longer bound by tyres and tarmac,” Webster explains. The result includes tracks that climb the side of an active volcano, courses that feel more like roller‑coasters than traditional circuits, and other over‑the‑top set‑pieces that would be impossible in a realistic driving sim. Beyond the arcade thrills, Galactic Racer aims to upend long‑standing genre conventions.
Most racing games have relied on a car‑collection model for the past two decades, a formula Webster describes as “stale.” He proposes ripping that structure apart and borrowing mechanics from other genres. For instance, the game incorporates consequential decision‑making inspired by roguelikes such as Hades, Returnal, and Slay the Spire. In those titles, every failure carries weight and influences future runs. Galactic Racer adopts a similar philosophy: crashing too often forces the player back to the start, though some meta‑progression carries over, allowing a slightly stronger position on the next attempt.
“When you’re on your last crash and the system is critical, you really feel the risk,” he says, emphasizing that the game restores a sense of stakes that rewind mechanics have often erased. This approach dovetails with the genre’s natural emphasis on replayability. Racing games thrive when players return to perfect lap times, experiment with new routes, or chase higher rankings.
By marrying that replay loop with roguelike persistence, Fuse hopes to create a “match made in heaven,” as Webster puts it. Releasing the game on October 6 positions it comfortably before the highly anticipated GTA 6 launch on November 19, yet still after several major September releases such as Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall. Webster acknowledges the crowded calendar but notes that the industry has always endured busy windows.
“People used to call October ‘murderers’ row,’ and it’s still packed. We just have a healthy confidence tempered by a realistic view of how things might turn out.” He adds that good games ultimately find their audience, a belief reinforced by his recollection of past industry layoffs and cycles. Webster also reflects on the broader risk‑averse climate in game development.
He argues that the current aversion to risk creates opportunities for studios willing to make calculated bets. However, launching an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy. Securing funding proved challenging; many questioned the wisdom of starting a new studio after a 32‑year tenure at EA. Webster’s answer was to lean on core principles: build a strong, motivated team; refine a clear creative vision; maintain disciplined planning while accepting that plans will evolve; and continuously adapt while staying true to values.
Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core team of about 75 people—small for a AAA‑scale title—but this is intentional. Rather than expanding and contracting staff repeatedly, the studio relies heavily on external partners for supplemental development work. This hybrid model blends transactional outsourcing for asset creation with deeper co‑development relationships where external studios attend daily stand‑ups, participate in Slack channels, and contribute directly to the code base. Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaborations, noting that today’s external studios are eager to work on varied projects rather than merely keeping the lights on.
According to Webster, this model proves that a AAA‑level game can be delivered on a sustainable budget when a small, permanent core team is augmented by trusted partners who share the same values. The rapid development timeline—starting Fuse in January 2023 and delivering a complete UE5‑based game in just over three years—demonstrates the efficacy of this approach. Another striking aspect of Fuse’s journey is its blend of veteran and youthful talent. While the studio benefits from Criterion alumni, it also employs many younger developers, some of whom have never worked in games before.
Webster praises this fresh perspective, saying the younger crew often outperforms more seasoned hires in creativity and efficiency. He observes that senior developers sometimes prefer to work with peers who require minimal guidance, which can stifle mentorship.
By focusing on nurturing junior talent, Fuse has cultivated an environment where both mentors and mentees stay motivated. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to further develop emerging talent, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue and must be cautious about the costs involved.
He draws inspiration from Criterion’s successful intern initiatives and stresses that any such effort must be entered with eyes wide open. Reflecting on a period five or six years ago when the industry enjoyed abundant funding, Webster recalls how many successful teams received capital to spin off their own studios, only to discover how difficult independent development can be. He argues that money should have been directed toward strong teams rather than idolizing “superstar” developers—a notion he calls “fucking bullshit.” In his view, games are always the product of collaborative effort, not the vision of a single creative genius.
As for Fuse’s next steps, Webster remains non‑committal. The launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning, and the studio is open to exploring new opportunities while staying flexible and adaptable—qualities he believes are essential for independent developers in today’s ever‑changing market.