Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He started at the company back in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years contributing to the Burnout and Need for Speed franchises while they were under the umbrella of Criterion, the studio EA acquired in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster decided to step away from the corporate behemoth. Together with fellow Criterion alumni Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant, he launched an independent studio in the United Kingdom called Fuse Games.
Just three and a half years later the fledgling studio is poised to release its debut title, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, which will be published by the newly independent Secret Mode. Galactic Racer arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars‑themed racing game—2002’s Racer Revenge. In the intervening decades, the racing genre has generally lost some of its mainstream appeal.
Amazon recently cancelled a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for the upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis commenting that the market simply didn’t seem to need another racer. Meanwhile, Criterion itself has shifted focus away from racing and is now working on the Battlefield franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is still a hungry audience for a 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 response we get from people watching our videos and reading our articles suggests we’re not alone.” He argues that video‑game genres are cyclical. “Shooters dominated for a while, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only genre that can thrive.
As more people play games, even the tiniest niches can find a sizable following.” Webster believes players are craving "fun, interesting, compelling new experiences that they haven’t seen before," and he feels 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 real‑world tyres and tarmac?” The answer, he explains, is tracks that climb the side of an active volcano, courses that feel like roller‑coasters, and other over‑the‑top environments that would be impossible in a traditional racing simulation. Beyond the high‑octane thrills, Galactic Racer attempts to upend long‑standing conventions of the genre. Most racing games have relied on a car‑collection model for the past two decades.
Webster wants to “rip that up” and borrow mechanics from other types of games. One key innovation is the introduction of meaningful consequences for crashing.
In many modern racers, a rewind button erases any penalty, 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 slice of meta‑progress that makes the next attempt slightly stronger. This risk‑reward loop is inspired by roguelike titles such as Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire, games built around infinite replayability. "Racing thrives on replayability," Webster notes, "so marrying it with roguelike structures feels like a perfect match." The design choice to punish crashes creates tension: when a player is on their final allowed crash, every decision feels weightier, and the player must weigh speed against safety.
This departure from the hand‑holding typical of many AAA releases reflects Webster’s belief that games should challenge players rather than simply guide them. Timing the launch is also a strategic move. Galactic Racer is slated for release on October 6, a comfortable window before the much‑anticipated GTA 6 drops on November 19, yet after other major titles such as Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall (both arriving September 24). Webster acknowledges that release calendars are always crowded—"September looks busy," he says—but points out that historically October has been a bustling month for launches, citing the old industry term "murderers' row." He remains realistic about the competitive landscape, describing Fuse Games’ outlook as a blend of confidence and pragmatism.
"Good games will find a way," he says, echoing a mantra he’s heard throughout his long career. This optimism is tempered by an awareness of recent industry layoffs and the broader risk‑averse climate that many publishers exhibit.
Webster argues that this aversion actually opens doors for studios willing to take calculated risks and push boundaries. Funding an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy. Webster recalls colleagues questioning his decision to start a new studio after three decades at EA.
"People were like, ‘you’re brave doing an independent studio in 2023,’" he recalls. He emphasizes that the core principles he learned at EA—building a strong team, refining a clear creative vision, and staying disciplined while remaining adaptable—are still essential. "The plan is always wrong, but it’s the best version you have today," he says, underscoring the need for continuous review and iteration. Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core team of about 75 people, a deliberate choice to avoid the boom‑and‑bust staffing cycles common in larger studios.
Instead of expanding and contracting the internal staff, Fuse supplements its capabilities with external partners. These collaborations range from pure outsourcing (transactional asset creation) to full co‑development, where external studios attend daily stand‑ups, participate in Slack channels, and share codebases. Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such partnerships, noting a cultural shift where companies now willingly collaborate rather than reluctantly “help out” for cash flow reasons. According to Webster, this hybrid model demonstrates that a AAA‑scale game—both in scope and visual fidelity—can be produced on a sustainable budget when a small permanent team is bolstered by trusted external contributors.
The rapid development timeline of Galactic Racer illustrates the efficacy of this approach: Fuse was founded in January 2023, and within three and a half years the studio has built its own team, learned Unreal Engine 5 from scratch, and delivered a full‑featured title. A noteworthy aspect of Fuse’s workforce is the infusion of young talent. While the studio includes veterans from Criterion, many of its developers are newcomers to the industry, and one producer had never worked on a game before joining. Webster praises this fresh perspective, stating that younger staff often bring more agility and innovative thinking than some seasoned hires.
He believes nurturing junior talent is mutually beneficial, fostering motivation for both mentors and mentees. Looking ahead, he hopes to establish a formal internship program, though he admits the studio is still pre‑revenue and must first achieve financial stability. Reflecting on the earlier era when abundant funding allowed successful teams to spin off their own studios, Webster cautions that money alone does not guarantee success. He criticizes the industry’s lingering fascination with the myth of the singular creative visionary, calling it “bullshit.” In reality, he argues, games are the product of collaborative effort among many individuals.
As for Fuse’s future beyond Galactic Racer, Webster says the studio remains open‑minded. The launch is just the beginning, and while they have ideas for subsequent projects, they recognize the need for flexibility as an independent developer in a fast‑changing market. The overarching message is clear: by embracing risk, leveraging a balanced mix of internal and external talent, and daring to reinvent genre expectations, Fuse Games hopes to carve out a lasting place in the ever‑expanding world of video games.