Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He first joined EA back in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years immersed in the world of Criterion, the studio behind the Burnout and Need for Speed franchises that EA acquired in 2004.
Yet, in early 2023, Webster, together with former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant, chose to step away and launch their own independent studio in the United Kingdom, Fuse Games. Three and a half years later the fledgling studio stands 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‑themed racing game, 2002’s Racer Revenge, and it does so at a time when the racing genre has generally slipped out of the limelight. Amazon recently walked away from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for a forthcoming driving title called Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis remarking that the market simply didn’t have a clear home for the project.
Meanwhile, Criterion itself has largely abandoned pure racing in favour of the Battlefield franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced that a market exists for a Star Wars‑flavoured racer. “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 points out that video‑game genres are cyclical. After a period dominated by shooters, other types inevitably return to popularity.
“As more people play video games, even the tiniest niches find a bigger audience,” Webster said. He believes players are craving “fun, interesting, compelling new experiences that they haven’t seen before,” and he feels Galactic Racer delivers exactly that fresh experience.
Fuse’s design philosophy for Galactic Racer is rooted in the instant‑gratification feel of classic arcade racers, but the team also wanted to explore what becomes possible when you free yourself from the constraints of real‑world tyres and tarmac. “We have tracks that climb up the side of an active volcano,” Webster explained. “Sometimes it feels like a roller‑coaster.” Those over‑the‑top environments are meant to capture the thrill of arcade racing while also pushing the boundaries of what a racing game can look like. Beyond the visual spectacle, the game seeks to overturn long‑standing genre conventions.
Most racing titles have relied on a car‑collection model for the past two decades—a system Webster describes as “static” and ripe for disruption. He wants to borrow mechanics from other genres, particularly roguelikes, to inject meaningful consequences into each run. In many modern racers, the presence of a rewind button eliminates real risk; Galactic Racer, by contrast, re‑introduces stakes.
Crashing too often forces the player back to the start, though some meta‑progression carries over, giving a sense of forward momentum despite setbacks. “When you’re on your last crash and your systems are critical, you actually start to feel the weight of each decision,” he said. The game’s structure draws inspiration from titles such as Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire—games built around infinite replayability.
Racing, by nature, thrives on repeated attempts, making the marriage of roguelike loops and high‑speed competition a “match made in heaven,” according to Webster. This design choice also aligns with a broader industry shift away from the overly‑hand‑holding approach that has become commonplace in many AAA releases.
Timing the launch is another strategic decision. Galactic Racer is slated for release on October 6, positioning it well before the anticipated arrival of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, yet after other major releases like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall on September 24.
Webster acknowledges the crowded pre‑holiday window but notes that historically, September and October have always been busy periods—“the old ‘murderers’ row’ of releases.” He believes Fuse can stand out because the team maintains a “healthy sense of confidence” tempered by a realistic view of market outcomes. When asked about the wave of layoffs sweeping the industry, Webster reflects on his long tenure.
He recalls a similar contraction a decade and a half ago and emphasizes a timeless truth: great teams make great games, and great games find an audience. He argues that the current climate shows an aversion to risk, which paradoxically creates opportunities for studios willing to take calculated bets. “If you’re not willing to risk, you limit your chances,” he warned. Funding an independent studio in 2023 has not been easy.
“People told me I was brave to start an indie studio now,” Webster recalled. After 32 years at EA, he was stepping out of a protective bubble. He leaned on principles he’d learned over his career: assemble a talented team, sharpen a creative vision, devise a disciplined plan (while accepting that the plan will inevitably evolve), and stay true to core values. Engaged, motivated talent, he believes, is the engine behind any successful project.
Fuse Games operates with a relatively lean core—around 75 staff members—by design. Rather than scaling up and down in waves, the studio relies heavily on external partners to fill capability gaps. This hybrid model blends transactional outsourcing for asset creation with deeper co‑development relationships where external studios attend Fuse’s stand‑ups, join Slack channels and contribute directly to the codebase. Webster highlights the UK’s mature development ecosystem as a fertile ground for such collaborations, noting that today’s external studios are eager to work across diverse projects, keeping their teams fresh and enthusiastic.
Webster is convinced that this small‑core‑plus‑partners approach can deliver AAA‑level scope, scale and visual fidelity on a sustainable budget. The rapid development cycle of Galactic Racer—starting Fuse in January 2023 and delivering a polished UE5‑based title within three and a half years—serves as proof of concept. "We built a studio, a team, and a game on an engine none of us previously knew," he said, describing the achievement as both “healthy” and “sustainable.” A notable aspect of Fuse’s workforce is the infusion of youthful talent. Many of the developers on Galactic Racer are newcomers to the industry; one producer, for example, had never worked on a game before joining the project.
Webster praises this fresh perspective, claiming that younger staff often outperform more seasoned veterans in creativity and efficiency. He observes that seasoned developers sometimes prefer senior colleagues who require minimal interaction, a mindset that can stifle mentorship. By deliberately nurturing younger talent, Fuse hopes to create a virtuous cycle of growth and innovation. While the studio is still pre‑revenue, Webster envisions an internship program modeled after Criterion’s successful initiatives, acknowledging that developing talent comes with upfront costs.
Reflecting on the boom years when studios received abundant funding, Webster criticizes the industry’s past fixation on “singular creative visionaries.” He calls the myth of the lone genius “bullshit,” insisting that games are fundamentally collaborative endeavors. The money, he argues, should have been directed toward strong teams rather than a handful of celebrity developers.
Looking ahead, Fuse Games remains open‑ended about its next steps. The launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning, and while the studio has ideas for future projects, Webster emphasizes the need for flexibility and adaptability in today’s independent development landscape. The team is ready to explore new opportunities, but will continue to prioritize sustainable growth, collaborative creation, and the empowerment of the next generation of game developers.