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 nearly twenty years developing iconic franchises such as Burnout and Need for Speed while working at 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 founded the independent UK studio Fuse Games. Just over three years later the fledgling studio is poised to launch its debut title, *Star Wars: Galactic Racer*, 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*. In the intervening decades, the racing genre has generally receded from the spotlight. Amazon recently withdrew from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for its upcoming driving title *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis stating, “we didn’t see a real fit in the market for that game.” Meanwhile, Criterion itself has shifted focus away from racing to concentrate on the *Battlefield* series. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is still a viable 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 articles suggests we’re not alone.” He points out that gaming genres tend to be cyclical.
“We went through a phase where shooters dominated, but that’s not the only genre that can thrive. As more people play video games, even the tiniest niches can find a larger audience.” Webster believes players are hungry for “fun, interesting, compelling new experiences they haven’t seen before,” and he feels *Galactic Racer* delivers exactly that. The team’s vision is to create something fresh, combining the instant gratification of arcade racing with imaginative, physics‑defying tracks that would be impossible in a realistic setting.
“We have courses that climb the side of an active volcano,” he explains. “Sometimes it feels like a roller‑coaster.” Beyond the thrill rides, *Galactic Racer* seeks to upend long‑standing conventions of the racing genre. Traditionally, racing games have relied on a car‑collection model that has remained largely unchanged for two decades. Webster wants to “rip that up” and borrow mechanics from other genres.
One of the most radical changes is the introduction of meaningful consequences for crashing. In many modern racers, a rewind button eliminates penalty, but Fuse wants to re‑introduce risk: “If you crash too many times, you’re sent back to the start, though you retain some meta‑progression that puts you in a stronger position.” This creates tension, especially when a player is on their final allowed crash and must weigh the risk of pushing harder. The design draws inspiration from roguelike titles such as *Hades*, *Returnal* and *Slay the Spire*, games built around infinite replayability.
“Racing thrives on replayability, so pairing it with roguelike loops feels like a match made in heaven,” Webster notes. Each run can yield different upgrades, shortcuts, or challenges, encouraging players to experiment and improve over successive attempts.
Launching on October 6, *Galactic Racer* lands well before the highly anticipated *GTA 6* (scheduled for November 19) yet after other major releases like *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall* on September 24. Webster acknowledges the crowded calendar but reminds us that the industry has weathered busier windows before.
“People used to call September ‘murderer’s row.’ October has always been packed, too. We have a healthy confidence tempered by a realistic view of how things may turn out.” When asked about the wave of layoffs sweeping the industry, Webster reflects on his long tenure. He recalls a similar downsizing period fifteen years ago and emphasizes a timeless truth: great teams make great games, and great games find audiences.
He warns that risk‑averse attitudes can stifle innovation, but also sees opportunity for studios willing to take calculated bets. Funding an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy.
“People told me it was brave to start an indie studio now,” he says. After 32 years at EA, Webster had to adapt his principles: build a strong, motivated team, refine a clear creative vision, and remain disciplined while accepting that plans will evolve.
He stresses that engaged talent is the engine of success. Fuse Games operates with a relatively small core team—around 75 people—for a project of AAA scope.
This deliberate size avoids the industry’s typical “grow‑shrink‑grow” cycle. Instead, Fuse leverages external development partners to fill gaps, ranging from transactional asset outsourcing to full co‑development where external studios attend daily stand‑ups, share Slack channels, and contribute directly to the codebase. Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaboration, noting that today’s external studios are eager to work on varied projects rather than merely keeping the lights on. Webster believes this hybrid model—small permanent core plus trusted external partners—offers a sustainable path to AAA‑level quality without ballooning budgets.
The rapid development timeline of *Galactic Racer* supports this claim: Fuse was founded in January 2023, and three and a half years later the team has built a studio, assembled a team, and delivered a game on Unreal Engine 5, a technology none of them initially mastered. An important element of Fuse’s success is its infusion of young talent. Many of the developers on *Galactic Racer* are newcomers to the industry, and one producer had never worked in games before joining the project.
“The younger talent we’ve hired is often smarter and more effective than I was at their age,” Webster admits. He observes that seasoned veterans sometimes prefer senior co‑workers who need little guidance, which can limit mentorship opportunities. By focusing on nurturing junior staff, Fuse has cultivated a dynamic, motivated environment. Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program to further develop emerging talent, though he cautions that the studio is still pre‑revenue.
He points to Criterion’s historic intern initiatives as a model and acknowledges the cost of talent development, but believes the long‑term payoff outweighs short‑term expenses. Reflecting on the industry’s past excesses, Webster recalls a time when successful studios received generous funding to spin off new studios, only to discover the challenges of independence. He argues that money should be allocated to strong teams rather than idolized “single creative visionaries,” a notion he calls “fucking bullshit.” In his view, games are always collaborative creations.
As for Fuse’s next steps, Webster remains open‑ended. The launch of *Star Wars: Galactic Racer* is just the beginning. He hints at future projects and potential collaborations but stresses that independent developers must stay flexible and adaptable in a rapidly shifting market.
The studio’s confidence, combined with its innovative design philosophy and commitment to nurturing fresh talent, positions it to navigate whatever comes next.