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 iconic titles such as Burnout and Need for Speed through Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004. In early 2023, however, 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.
Three and a half years later the fledgling studio is poised to release its debut title, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, under the banner of the newly autonomous publisher 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 generally lost some of its mainstream steam. Amazon recently abandoned a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for its upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis stating that the market simply didn’t have room for another racing experience.
Meanwhile, Criterion itself has shifted focus away from car games toward the Battlefield franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced that a viable audience exists for a Star Wars racing adventure. “We clearly see demand for a Star Wars racing game,” he told GamesIndustry.biz. “Our community feedback – video views, article reads – suggests we’re not alone in believing there’s appetite for this.” Webster argues that video‑game genres tend to be cyclical.
After a period dominated by shooters, other types inevitably resurface. “As more people play video games, even the tiniest niches can find a larger audience,” he explained. He believes gamers are hungry for fresh, compelling experiences that break the mold, and he sees Galactic Racer as a vehicle for that innovation.
The design philosophy behind the game embraces the instant‑gratification feel of classic arcade racers while also asking, “What can we do when we’re no longer bound by real‑world tyres and tarmac?” The answer, according to Webster, is to push the boundaries of track design: racers will zip up the side of an active volcano, navigate roller‑coaster‑like loops, and encounter environments that would be impossible in a conventional simulation. These over‑the‑top settings aim to capture the thrill of arcade play while delivering a distinctly Star Wars aesthetic.
Beyond the visual spectacle, Galactic Racer seeks to upend long‑standing genre conventions. Traditional racing games have relied on a car‑collection model for roughly two decades, a structure Webster wants to dismantle. He suggests borrowing mechanics from other genres, particularly roguelikes, to inject meaningful choice and consequence. “In most racing titles, a rewind button erases failure, making consequences feel shallow,” he noted.
“We want crashes to matter. Too many crashes send you back to the start, but you retain some meta‑progression, putting you in a stronger position the next run.” This risk‑reward loop mirrors the design of games like Hades, Returnal, and Slay the Spire, where each run is a fresh attempt, yet each failure contributes to long‑term growth. Webster acknowledges that this approach departs from the hand‑holding typical of many AAA releases, but he sees it as a necessary differentiation in a crowded marketplace, especially in a year slated for the launch of GTA 6.
Galactic Racer is set for an October 6 release, comfortably spaced from GTA 6’s November 19 debut yet still close to other major titles such as Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall, which drop on September 24. He notes that historically, even September has been a busy month for releases, citing the old industry term “murderer’s row.” Despite the competition, Fuse Games maintains a “healthy confidence” tempered with realistic expectations. The conversation shifts to the broader industry climate, particularly the wave of layoffs that has swept through major studios. Webster, who has witnessed a similar contraction fifteen years ago, believes that strong teams produce great games, and great games find their audiences.
He sees the current risk‑averse environment as a double‑edged sword: while it stifles bold experimentation, it also creates openings for studios willing to take calculated bets. “If you avoid risk, you limit opportunity,” he warned. Starting a new studio in 2023 has not been without obstacles.
Funding proved elusive, with many questioning the wisdom of launching an independent studio in a turbulent market. Webster reflects on his 32‑year tenure at EA, describing the transition as moving from a protective bubble into an unfamiliar arena. He emphasizes a set of guiding principles: assemble a talented, motivated team; refine a clear creative vision; craft a disciplined yet flexible plan; and continually adapt while staying true to core values.
He argues that engaged talent is the engine of innovation. Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core—about 75 staff members—by design. Rather than inflating and deflating the workforce, the studio leans on external development partners to fill skill gaps. This hybrid model blends transactional outsourcing for asset creation with deeper co‑development relationships where external studios join daily stand‑ups, Slack channels, and code repositories, effectively becoming extensions of the Fuse team.
Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as particularly conducive to such collaborations, noting a cultural shift from reluctant, profit‑driven outsourcing to enthusiastic, skill‑focused partnerships. According to Webster, this model demonstrates that a AAA‑scale game can be delivered on a sustainable budget when a small, permanent core is augmented by trusted external teams. The rapid development timeline of Galactic Racer—conceived in January 2023 and ready for launch just over three years later—serves as proof of concept. The team built the game on Unreal Engine 5 despite initially lacking deep expertise with the engine, a testament to their adaptability and collective learning.
A notable aspect of Fuse’s workforce is the infusion of youthful talent alongside seasoned veterans. Some producers on Galactic Racer have never worked in games before. Webster praises this fresh perspective, stating that many of the younger developers are “smarter and more effective in many ways” than he was at their age. He observes that senior developers often prefer working with peers who need minimal guidance, which can stagnate growth.
By contrast, nurturing junior talent creates mutual motivation and drives innovation. He envisions an intern program in the future, though he acknowledges that the studio is still pre‑revenue and must manage the costs associated with talent development. Reflecting on the industry’s earlier boom years, Webster recalls a period when successful games attracted easy funding for spin‑off studios—often leading to under‑prepared founders discovering that building a studio is far harder than anticipated.
He critiques the lingering myth of the “single creative visionary,” labeling it “bullshit” and insisting that games are fundamentally collaborative endeavors. Looking ahead, Webster admits that Fuse’s post‑launch roadmap is still taking shape.
The studio intends to treat the release of Galactic Racer as a springboard, remaining open to new opportunities and adaptable to market shifts. In his view, flexibility and a willingness to experiment will be the hallmarks of independent developers navigating the evolving gaming landscape.