"As more people play games, even the tiniest niches find a bigger audience" – Why Matt Webster is convinced people want Star Wars: Galactic Racer

Fuse Games is about to ship Star Wars: Galactic Racer, its first release since spinning out of EA in early 2023. The UK studio was founded by Matt Webster and several Criterion alumni, and the game is set to arrive on October 6 through Secret Mode, newly independent itself. For racing teams, it’s a notable attempt to make the genre feel fresh again rather than chase the same car-collection loop that has dominated for years.

Webster is pitching Galactic Racer as an arcade racer with real consequences: crash too many times and you’re sent back to the start, but with meta progression carried forward. The structure borrows from roguelikes like Hades, Returnal, and Slay the Spire, aiming for replayability without the safety net of rewind mechanics. Fuse is also leaning into Star Wars fantasy with tracks that climb active volcanoes and other vertical, gravity-defying set pieces.

The launch window is crowded, but the studio is deliberately avoiding the late-year pileup around GTA 6, which is due on November 19. Webster argues that as the audience for games keeps growing, even niche genres can find enough players if the hook is strong enough. That’s a useful reminder for teams trying to justify unusual genre blends or riskier design bets in a market that has become more conservative.

Fuse is also using the project to test a smaller AAA production model. The core team is around 75 people, with external development used for both outsourcing and deeper co-development. Webster sees that as a more sustainable way to build high-fidelity games without the usual grow-shrink staffing...