Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within Electronic Arts. He started at the company in 1990 and spent almost 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 called Fuse Games.
Just over three years later, that fledgling studio is on the brink of releasing its debut title, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, which will be published by the newly autonomous label Secret Mode. Galactic Racer arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars‑themed racing game – 2002’s Racer Revenge – and it does so in a period when racing games have generally lost some of their mainstream shine.
Amazon recently walked away from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for the upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis explaining that the market simply didn’t seem to fit the project. Meanwhile, Criterion, once a racing powerhouse, has shifted its focus to the Battlefield franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains confident that a market exists for a new 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 we get from our videos and articles suggests we’re not alone.” Webster points out that genres tend to rise and fall in cycles. After a long era dominated by shooters, other types of games begin to re‑emerge as players look for fresh, compelling experiences they haven’t encountered before.
He believes Galactic Racer offers exactly that: a novel spin on the arcade‑racing formula that also pushes the boundaries of what a racing game can be when it isn’t tied to realistic tyres and tarmac. “We have tracks that climb the side of an active volcano,” he explains. “Sometimes it feels more like a roller‑coaster than a traditional circuit.” Beyond the high‑octane thrills, the game challenges long‑standing conventions in the racing genre.
Most racing titles have relied on a static car‑collection system for the past two decades. Webster wants to tear that model apart and borrow mechanics from other genres.
One such influence is the roguelike design philosophy seen in games like Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire, which prioritize infinite replayability and meaningful decision‑making. In Galactic Racer, crashes carry real weight.
While many modern racers offer a rewind button that erases mistakes, Fuse’s approach restores consequence: too many crashes send you back to the start, though you retain a portion of your meta‑progress, positioning you slightly stronger on the next run. This risk‑reward loop forces players to weigh each maneuver carefully, especially when they’re on their final allowable crash. Webster acknowledges that this design philosophy is a bold departure from the hand‑holding typical of many AAA releases, but he sees it as essential for standing out in a crowded market, particularly in a year that will see heavyweight launches such as GTA 6.
Galactic Racer is slated for an October 6 release, comfortably before GTA 6’s November 19 debut, yet close enough to other major titles like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall, both arriving on September 24. “September always looks busy,” Webster notes, recalling the industry’s historic “murderers’ row” of releases in October. He maintains a “healthy sense of confidence” tempered by realistic expectations, echoing the adage that good games eventually find their audience.
When discussing the wave of layoffs sweeping the industry, Webster reflects on his own long tenure and the earlier round of cuts fifteen years ago. He observes that great teams produce great games, and great games attract fans. He also warns that the current climate is risk‑averse, which can limit opportunities for bold ideas. Yet he believes that studios willing to take calculated risks can thrive, especially when they avoid over‑reliance on a single visionary figure—a notion he calls “bullshit.” Launching a new studio in 2023 has not been without challenges.
Securing funding proved difficult, with many questioning the wisdom of starting an independent studio after a 32‑year stint at EA. Webster’s response was to lean on core principles: assemble a talented team, clarify a creative vision, build a disciplined yet adaptable plan, and stay true to those values.
He emphasizes that an engaged, motivated workforce is the engine behind any successful project. Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core team of about 75 people, a deliberate choice to avoid the typical “grow‑shrink‑grow‑shrink” cycle many large studios endure. Instead, Fuse augments its capabilities through external development partners. These collaborations range from transactional outsourcing for asset creation to full co‑development arrangements where external studios join daily stand‑ups, Slack channels and even the code base.
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 talent fresh and motivated. This hybrid model, Webster argues, enables a studio to produce a AAA‑scale game with a sustainable budget.
The rapid development timeline of Galactic Racer—just three and a half years from Fuse’s founding to a near‑complete product built on Unreal Engine 5—demonstrates the viability of this approach. He proudly cites the achievement as evidence that a small, stable core team plus trusted external collaborators can deliver high‑quality experiences without the financial strain of massive in‑house staffing. An additional point of pride for Webster is the infusion of young talent into the project.
Many of the developers on Galactic Racer are early‑career professionals, and at least one producer had never worked in games before joining Fuse. Webster believes these newcomers often bring fresh perspectives and efficiency that can surpass the contributions of more senior hires. He observes that seasoned developers sometimes prefer working with peers who require minimal guidance, which can limit mentorship opportunities. By focusing on nurturing younger staff, Fuse aims to create a culture where both mentors and mentees grow together.
Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to further cultivate emerging talent, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue and must be cautious about the costs involved. He reflects on a period five or six years ago when the industry was flush with capital, and many successful developers received funding to start their own studios, only to discover the reality was far tougher than anticipated. He argues that money should be allocated to strong teams rather than to a mythic “single creative visionary,” a notion he dismisses as false. In his view, games are always the product of collaborative effort.
As for Fuse’s next steps, Webster remains open‑minded. The launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning, and while the studio has ideas for future projects, it recognizes the need for flexibility and adaptability in the independent space. The team’s confidence, combined with a willingness to experiment and a commitment to fostering new talent, positions Fuse Games to navigate the ever‑changing landscape of the video‑game industry.