Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He started at EA in 1990 and spent almost twenty years developing titles for the Burnout and Need for Speed franchise through Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster joined forces with former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant to launch an independent UK studio called Fuse Games.
Just three and a half years later the fledgling studio is poised to ship 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‑themed racing game—2002’s Racer Revenge—at a time when pure racing games have struggled to capture mainstream attention. Amazon recently walked away from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for its upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis noting that the market didn’t appear to accommodate the game. Criterion, once a racing powerhouse, has shifted its focus to the Battlefield franchise.
Yet Webster remains convinced there is still demand for a Star Wars racing experience. “We clearly see an audience for a Star Wars‑based racer,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.
“Our community of fans, the people who watch our videos and read our articles, tells us we’re not alone in that belief.” He argues that video‑game genres are inherently cyclical. After a period dominated by shooters, other categories inevitably re‑emerge. “As more people play games, even the tiniest niche can find a sizable audience,” Webster explained.
Players, he says, are craving "fun, interesting, compelling new experiences that they haven’t seen before," and he believes Galactic Racer delivers exactly that. The team set out to capture the instant‑gratification feel of classic arcade racers while also asking, "What could we do if we weren’t limited by tyres and tarmac?" The answer: tracks that climb the sides of active volcanoes, courses that feel like roller‑coasters, and other gravity‑defying set‑pieces that would be impossible in a realistic simulation. Beyond the high‑octane thrills, Galactic Racer seeks to upend long‑standing conventions of the racing genre.
Most racers rely on a car‑collection model that has changed little in two decades. Webster wants to rip that formula apart and borrow mechanics from other genres. One of the most radical ideas is to re‑introduce meaningful consequences for crashing.
In many modern racers a rewind button erases mistakes, but Fuse wants crashes to matter. When a player crashes too often they are sent back to the start of the run, though they retain a portion of meta‑progress that makes the next attempt slightly stronger. This risk‑reward loop forces players to weigh the danger of aggressive driving against the safety of a more cautious approach. The design philosophy draws heavily from roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire—games built around infinite replayability and procedural progression.
"Racing thrives on replayability," Webster notes, "so marrying it with roguelike principles feels like a match made in heaven." The result is a game where each run feels fresh, each decision carries weight, and the player is encouraged to experiment with different ship builds and strategies. Launching on October 6, Galactic Racer lands in a crowded calendar that includes heavyweight releases like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall (both September 24) and the highly anticipated GTA 6 slated for November 19. Webster acknowledges the competition but points out that release congestion is nothing new.
He recalls past industry chatter about a “murderers’ row” in September and notes that October has historically been packed with major titles. “We have a healthy confidence, tempered by a realistic view of how the market might respond,” he says. The conversation inevitably turns to the wave of layoffs sweeping the industry.
Having witnessed a similar contraction fifteen years ago, Webster believes that great teams still make great games, and great games will find an audience. He criticises the current aversion to risk, arguing that it creates opportunities for studios willing to take calculated bets. "If you shy away from risk, you limit your chances for breakthrough success," he asserts. Funding an independent studio in 2023 proved challenging.
After three decades at EA, Webster found himself navigating a new reality where investors were skeptical of indie ventures. He emphasizes the importance of core principles: building a talented, motivated team; refining a clear creative vision; and maintaining discipline in planning while staying adaptable.
"The plan is always wrong, but it’s the best version you have today," he says, underscoring the need for constant review and iteration. Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core of about 75 staff—a deliberate choice to avoid the boom‑and‑bust staffing cycles common in AAA development.
Instead of expanding and contracting, the studio leans on external partners for additional capacity. This hybrid model blends transactional outsourcing for asset creation with deep co‑development relationships where external studios attend daily stand‑ups, join 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 a cultural shift from reluctant, grudging assistance to enthusiastic, value‑aligned partnerships. Webster believes this approach demonstrates that a AAA‑scale game can be built on a sustainable budget when a small, permanent core is augmented by trusted external teams.
The rapid development timeline—starting Fuse in January 2023 and delivering a complete UE5‑powered title within three and a half years—serves as proof of concept. Another striking element of Fuse’s story is its infusion of young talent.
While the studio includes veterans from Criterion, many of its developers are newcomers to the industry; one producer had never worked on a game before joining the project. "The younger talent is often smarter and more effective than we were at that age," Webster observes, praising their fresh perspectives and adaptability. He notes that seasoned developers sometimes prefer senior colleagues who need little guidance, but nurturing junior staff can be equally motivating for both parties.
The studio plans to launch an internship program in the future, though it remains pre‑revenue and must first achieve financial stability. Webster cites Criterion’s successful intern pipelines as a model he hopes to emulate. Reflecting on the industry’s past excesses, Webster recalls a period when successful games generated ample funding for spin‑off studios, only for many founders to discover that running a studio is far harder than anticipated.
He argues that money should have been allocated to strong teams rather than idolising a single "creative visionary"—a notion he calls "fucking bullshit". In reality, games are collaborative endeavours, and no single individual can claim sole authorship. Looking ahead, Fuse Games remains open‑minded about its next steps. While the launch of Galactic Racer marks a major milestone, the studio is already contemplating future opportunities and potential directions.
"As an independent developer you have to stay flexible and adaptable," Webster concludes, expressing optimism that the combination of a focused core team, external partnerships, and a willingness to take creative risks will continue to serve Fuse Games well in the evolving landscape of video‑game development.