Matt Webster appeared destined for a lifelong career at Electronic Arts. He started at the company in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years working on the Burnout and Need for Speed franchises after EA acquired Criterion in 2004. However, in early 2023 Webster, together with former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant, left to 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, 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—at a moment when the racing genre has generally lost steam. Amazon recently cancelled a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for its upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis explaining that the market simply didn’t have room for it.
Criterion, once a racing powerhouse, has shifted its focus to the Battlefield franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is still demand for a Star Wars‑themed racer. “We clearly see an audience for a Star Wars racing game,” he told GamesIndustry.biz. “Our community feedback suggests we’re not the only ones who think so.” He points out that 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,” Webster explained.
He believes gamers are hungry for "fun, interesting, compelling new experiences they haven’t seen before," and he feels Galactic Racer delivers exactly that. Fuse’s vision for the game is rooted in classic arcade gratification while also exploring what becomes possible when developers are freed from the constraints of realistic tyres and tarmac. “We have tracks that climb the side of an active volcano,” Webster said. “It’s almost a roller‑coaster at times.” Beyond the high‑octane thrills, the title aims to upend long‑standing racing conventions.
Most racing games rely on a static 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 those borrowed ideas is meaningful consequence. In many modern racers, a rewind button eliminates the penalty for crashing, making mistakes feel inconsequential.
Fuse wants to re‑introduce stakes: crashing too often forces the player back to the start, though some meta‑progression carries over, granting a stronger position on the next attempt. "When you’re on your last crash and the system is critical, you actually feel the risk," he noted. The design is also inspired by roguelike principles seen in games like Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire—titles built for infinite replayability. "Racing thrives on replayability, so mixing it with roguelike loops feels like a match made in heaven," Webster argued.
This hybrid approach encourages players to experiment, adapt and improve over successive runs, rather than simply grinding for new cars. Releasing the game on October 6 places it between several heavyweight launches. Grand Theft Auto VI is slated for November 19, while Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall hit shelves on September 24. Some industry observers warned that September would be crowded, but Webster recalled that October has historically been a busy window, citing the old “murderers’ row” of releases.
He acknowledges the competition but says Fuse approaches it with a “healthy sense of confidence” tempered by realism. "Good games will find a way," he said, echoing a mantra that has guided him through industry downturns. Speaking about recent waves of layoffs, Webster reflects on his long tenure. He remembers a previous wave of cuts about fifteen years ago and notes a pattern: great teams make great games, and great games attract audiences.
He argues that the current climate shows an aversion to risk, which paradoxically creates opportunities 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 hurdles. Funding proved difficult to secure; many questioned the wisdom of launching an independent studio in a turbulent market.
After 32 years at EA, Webster found himself outside his comfort zone. He leaned on core principles: assembling a talented team, sharpening a creative vision, and maintaining disciplined planning—while accepting that plans are always provisional.
"Engaged and motivated talent makes great things," he emphasized, noting that nurturing that talent is as important as the product itself. Fuse’s core team is relatively small for a AAA‑scale title—around 75 people.
This size is intentional, allowing the studio to avoid the typical “grow‑shrink‑grow‑shrink” cycle that plagues many developers. Instead, Fuse leverages external partners to fill capability gaps.
Outsourcing handles transactional asset creation, while deeper co‑development arrangements treat external studios as extensions of the internal team, participating in stand‑ups, Slack channels and code repositories. Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaborations, noting that today’s studios are eager to work across multiple projects rather than being locked into a single internal pipeline. The result, according to Webster, is a sustainable model for AAA‑level ambition on a modest budget.
He cites the rapid development timeline as proof: Fuse launched in January 2023, and three and a half years later they have built a studio, assembled a team, and delivered a UE5‑based game despite initially lacking engine expertise. "It feels like an achievement," he said, "and we did it in a healthy, sustainable way." A notable aspect of Fuse’s workforce is the blend of veteran Criterion alumni with a wave of younger developers—some of whom have never worked in games before. One producer on Galactic Racer came from outside the industry entirely. Webster praises the fresh perspective of this younger cohort, claiming they are often more effective and innovative than older hires.
He observes that seasoned developers sometimes prefer senior colleagues who require minimal interaction, which can stifle mentorship. By contrast, fostering young talent energizes both the newcomers and the veterans. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to nurture the next generation of creators, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue and must be cautious about the costs involved.
He references Criterion’s successful intern pipelines as a model worth emulating. Reflecting on the boom years five or six years ago, he notes that many well‑funded teams splintered into independent studios, only to discover that building a company is far harder than it appears. The industry’s past fixation on a single “creative visionary” has, in his view, been a myth. "Games are made by collaborations of individuals," he asserts, calling the lone‑genius narrative "bullshit." As for Fuse’s future beyond Galactic Racer, Webster says plans are still forming.
The launch is just the first step, and the studio remains open to new opportunities while staying flexible and adaptable—qualities he believes are essential for independent developers in today’s market.