Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He started at the company in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years contributing to the legendary Burnout and Need for Speed franchises while they were under the Criterion banner, which EA acquired in 2004. Yet in early 2023 Webster, together with former Criterion colleagues 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 the fledgling studio is on the brink of releasing its debut title, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, a project 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 at a time when the racing genre has largely fallen out of the mainstream spotlight. Recent industry headlines illustrate this shift: Amazon withdrew from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for its upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis noting that the market simply didn’t have room for another racer. Meanwhile, Criterion, once a powerhouse of arcade‑style racing, has redirected its efforts toward the Battlefield franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is a viable audience for a Star Wars racing experience.
“We clearly believe there’s a fan base for a Star Wars‑themed racer,” he told GamesIndustry.biz. “We’re not the only ones thinking that, and the response we get from our videos and articles suggests we’re not alone.” He points out that gaming trends are cyclical; while shooters dominated for a while, other genres inevitably rise again as the player base expands.
“The more people play video games, the more even the tiniest niches can find a larger audience,” he explained. Webster argues that gamers are hungry for fresh, compelling experiences they haven’t seen before, and he feels Galactic Racer delivers exactly that.
The team set out to capture the instant gratification of classic arcade racing while also exploring what’s possible when you’re not constrained by realistic tires and tarmac. “We have tracks that climb the side of an active volcano,” he said, describing courses that feel more like roller‑coasters than traditional circuits. Beyond the high‑octane thrills, Galactic Racer deliberately subverts long‑standing racing conventions.
Historically, racing games have centered on car collection—a formula that hasn’t changed much in two decades. Webster wants to tear that model apart and borrow mechanics from other genres. One such innovation is the introduction of meaningful consequences for crashing. In many modern racers, a rewind button erases the penalty of a mistake, but Fuse wants to re‑introduce risk.
“When you crash too often you’re sent back to the start, but you keep some meta‑progression that puts you in a stronger position,” he explained. “That last crash feels critical; you start weighing the risk versus reward.” The game’s design also draws inspiration from roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal, and Slay the Spire—games built around infinite replayability. “Racing thrives on replay value, so marrying it with roguelike loops feels like a perfect match,” Webster noted. This approach means each run can differ, encouraging players to experiment with different ships, upgrades, and strategies rather than simply grinding for a single ultimate vehicle.
Launching on October 6, Galactic Racer lands in a crowded calendar that includes heavyweight releases like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall on September 24, and the highly anticipated GTA 6 slated for November 19. Webster acknowledges the competition but reminds us that the industry has weathered busier periods before.
“People used to call September ‘Murderer’s Row,’ yet October has always been packed with big titles,” he recalled. He emphasizes that Fuse Games approaches the market with a “healthy confidence” tempered by a realistic appraisal of outcomes. “Good games find a way,” he said, echoing a mantra that has guided him through multiple waves of industry layoffs.
Speaking about layoffs, Webster reflects on his long tenure and the previous round of cuts fifteen years ago. He believes great teams produce great games, and great games attract audiences.
“There’s a current aversion to risk in the industry,” he observed, “which creates opportunities for those willing to take calculated bets. When you shy away from risk, you limit your chances.” Funding, however, has been a hurdle for the newly formed studio. “People told me it was brave to start an independent studio in 2023,” Webster recalled. After three decades at EA, stepping into a lean, bootstrap environment was a stark change.
He leaned on core principles: assemble a talented team, sharpen a creative vision, and maintain disciplined planning—while accepting that plans will inevitably evolve. “Engaged, motivated talent is the engine of great games,” he said, underscoring the importance of nurturing staff rather than merely managing them. Fuse Games remains relatively small for a title of AAA ambition, numbering around 75 core staff.
This size is intentional; the studio avoids the typical “grow‑shrink‑grow” cycle that plagues many developers. Instead, Fuse leverages external partners to fill capability gaps, creating a hybrid model where a permanent core team collaborates with trusted outsourcers and co‑development studios. “We’re not constantly scaling up and down,” Webster explained.
“We use partners who share our values, integrating them into our stand‑ups, Slack channels, and codebases.” The UK, with its mature game development ecosystem, serves as a fertile ground for such collaborations. In the past, external studios were often reluctant to assist, preferring to protect their own IP. Today, however, many companies actively seek varied projects to keep their talent fresh and engaged. This cultural shift has allowed Fuse to tap into a network of skilled developers who can contribute meaningfully without the friction of traditional outsourcing.
Webster believes this blended approach can deliver AAA‑level scope, scale, and visual fidelity on a sustainable budget. The rapid development timeline of Galactic Racer—just three and a half years from the studio’s founding to a near‑ready product built on Unreal Engine 5—demonstrates the model’s viability. “We started Fuse in January 2023, and now we have a polished game on an engine none of us previously mastered. It feels like an achievement, and we did it sustainably,” he said.
A notable aspect of Fuse’s workforce is the infusion of younger developers alongside veteran Criterion alumni. Some team members, including a producer, have never worked in games before. Webster praises this fresh talent, stating, “They’re often smarter and more effective than I was at their age. We’ve had greater success with young developers than with some senior hires.” He notes that seasoned developers sometimes prefer working with peers who require minimal mentorship, which can stifle growth.
By actively nurturing younger staff, Fuse creates a dynamic environment that benefits both mentors and mentees. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship pipeline to further develop emerging talent, though the studio remains pre‑revenue at present.
He cites Criterion’s successful intern programs as a model and acknowledges the costs involved in cultivating new talent. “You have to go in with eyes wide open and recognize the investment required,” he warned. Reflecting on the boom years five or six years ago, when well‑funded teams could spin off from successful titles, Webster observes that many of those spin‑offs struggled because they underestimated the challenges of independent development. He criticizes the industry’s lingering fixation on the myth of the singular creative visionary, calling it “bullshit.” In reality, games are collaborative creations, and success stems from strong teams rather than lone geniuses.
As for Fuse’s next steps, Webster admits the future is still being written. The launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning, and the studio remains open to exploring new opportunities while staying adaptable—a necessity for independent developers in today’s fast‑changing market.