Matt Webster’s career once seemed destined to stay within the walls of Electronic Arts. He started at EA 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, a studio EA acquired in 2004. In early 2023, however, Webster and several fellow Criterion alumni—Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires, and Alan McDairmant—decided to strike out on their own and launch the independent UK studio Fuse Games. Fast forward three and a half years, and Fuse is poised to release its debut title, *Star Wars: Galactic Racer*, a project published by the newly independent label Secret Mode.
The timing of *Galactic Racer* is noteworthy. It arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars racing game, 2002’s *Racer Revenge*, and it does so during a period when traditional racing games have struggled to capture mainstream attention. Recent industry moves underscore this trend: Amazon withdrew from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for the upcoming title *Clutch*, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis remarking that the market simply didn’t have room for another conventional racer.
Meanwhile, Criterion itself has shifted focus away from racing to concentrate on the *Battlefield* franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced that a demand exists for a Star Wars‑themed racing experience. “We clearly believe there’s an audience for a Star Wars racing game,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.
“We’re not the only ones thinking that, 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 tend to be cyclical. While shooters dominated the market for a while, other genres inevitably re‑emerge as player tastes evolve. “As more people play video games, even the tiniest niches find a bigger audience,” Webster added. Webster argues that gamers are hungry for fresh, compelling experiences that they haven’t seen before, and he feels *Galactic Racer* delivers exactly that.
The studio 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 tyres and tarmac?” The answer, he says, is tracks that climb the sides of active volcanoes, courses that feel like roller‑coasters, and a sense of freedom that traditional racing titles rarely provide. Beyond the arcade thrills, *Galactic Racer* seeks to upend long‑standing genre conventions. Most racing games have relied on a car‑collection model for the past two decades.
Webster wants to rip that formula apart and borrow mechanics from other genres. One such mechanic is meaningful consequence.
In many modern racers, a rewind feature eliminates any penalty for crashing, eroding tension. *Galactic Racer* re‑introduces risk: crashing too often sends you back to the start, though you retain some meta‑progression that makes your next attempt slightly stronger.
This creates a strategic layer where each mistake feels weighty, especially when you’re on your final allowed crash and must decide whether to push the limits or play it safe. The game’s design is also inspired by roguelike principles found in titles such as *Hades*, *Returnal*, and *Slay the Spire*. Those games are built around infinite replayability, a quality that dovetails naturally with racing, a genre that thrives on repeated runs and incremental improvement. By marrying roguelike progression with high‑speed competition, Fuse hopes to craft a “match made in heaven” that keeps players returning for more.
Releasing *Galactic Racer* on October 6 places it in a crowded autumn window, sandwiched between blockbuster releases like *Control: Resonance* and *Silent Hill: Townfall* (both September 24) and the highly anticipated *GTA 6* slated for November 19. Webster acknowledges the competitive landscape but notes that the industry has faced even busier pre‑Christmas schedules before.
“Someone once told me September looked busy, but I remember the ‘Murderer’s Row’ era where October was jam‑packed with releases,” he recalled. Fuse approaches the market with a “healthy sense of confidence,” tempered by a realistic view of how the launch might unfold. The conversation inevitably turns to the wave of layoffs sweeping the industry.
Webster, a veteran of more than three decades, remembers a similar contraction fifteen years ago. He sees a pattern: great teams produce great games, and great games find an audience. Yet today, he observes an aversion to risk that can stifle innovation. “When studios shy away from calculated risks, they limit opportunity,” he says.
“Those willing to take those bets can carve out space for themselves.” Starting a new studio in 2023 has not been without challenges. Securing funding proved difficult; many investors balked at the idea of an independent studio in a turbulent market. Webster reflects on his transition from a 32‑year tenure at EA—where he operated within a comfortable bubble—to the uncertain world of indie development.
He emphasizes core principles: building a strong, motivated team; refining a clear creative vision; and maintaining disciplined, adaptable planning. “A plan is always wrong, but it’s the best version you have today,” he notes, underscoring the importance of iteration and staying true to values.
Fuse Games remains relatively small for a project of AAA scope, employing around 75 people. This size is intentional. Rather than inflating and deflating staff numbers—a common industry practice—Fuse relies heavily on external development partners to fill capability gaps.
The studio distinguishes between transactional outsourcing (pure asset creation) and co‑development, where external teams become extensions of the core, participating in stand‑ups, Slack channels, and shared codebases. The UK’s mature game‑development ecosystem makes it an ideal hub for such collaboration, offering a pool of studios eager to work on diverse projects rather than being locked into a single title.
Webster believes this hybrid model—small permanent core plus trusted external partners—offers a sustainable path to delivering AAA‑level scope, scale, and visual fidelity without the budget overruns that have plagued many large‑scale projects. The rapid development timeline of *Galactic Racer* illustrates the model’s viability: Fuse launched in January 2023, and three and a half years later they have a finished product built on Unreal Engine 5, an engine none of the team had mastered at the outset.
Another noteworthy aspect of Fuse’s approach is its emphasis on young talent. While the studio includes seasoned Criterion veterans, many of its developers are newcomers, with at least one producer who had never worked in games before joining the project. Webster praises this fresh perspective, stating that younger team members often bring smarter, more effective solutions than he could have imagined at their age.
He argues that nurturing young talent is more beneficial than relying solely on senior developers who may prefer minimal interaction. This philosophy has even prompted Fuse to adjust its recruitment strategy to prioritize emerging creators.
Looking ahead, Webster hopes to formalize an internship program, drawing inspiration from Criterion’s successful intern pipelines. Although Fuse remains pre‑revenue—no money earned from *Galactic Racer* yet—the studio is optimistic about the long‑term payoff of investing in talent development. He reflects on a period five or six years ago when the industry was flush with cash and many successful developers received funding to launch their own studios, only to discover the reality was far tougher than anticipated. Webster criticizes the industry’s lingering fixation on the “single creative visionary” myth, calling it “bullshit.” He insists that games are collaborative endeavors, built by teams rather than lone geniuses.
As for Fuse’s future beyond *Galactic Racer*, Webster admits plans are still fluid. The launch will mark the beginning of a new chapter, and the studio remains open to exploring additional opportunities and ideas. However, he emphasizes that independence in today’s market requires flexibility and adaptability. The studio’s journey—from a handful of Criterion alumni to a lean, externally‑augmented team delivering a Star Wars‑themed racing game—illustrates a possible blueprint for sustainable, innovative game development in an era where risk‑averse funding and crowded release windows dominate the landscape.