Fuse Games, a studio founded by former Burnout and Need For Speed developer Criterion's Matt Webster, is preparing to launch Star Wars: Galactic Racer. The game aims to deliver what Webster describes as "the purest expression of gaming," centering on the concept of consequence, particularly through impactful crashes. This approach is integrated into a roguelite, or "runs-based," structure where failure is a core mechanic.
"Racing is crying out for a bit of consequence," Webster stated. "Crashing is consequence - not just the visual and the audio spectacle of it; we learn something from it. It's tough to have consequence when you've got a rewind button."
The developers have embraced the destructible nature of podracing, drawing inspiration from the brutal and "rough and tumble" universe of Star Wars. "A race should feel like a bar fight," remarked Kieran Crimmins, Fuse Games' creative director and another former Criterion alumnus. "Elbows out racing, putting someone into the wall is the way you get ahead…"
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is designed as an arcade racer with immediate mechanics, emphasizing spectacle and aggression. The game actively encourages an aggressive playstyle, where ramming opponents and causing crashes are not only possible but are built into the core gameplay. "I would say we've designed this game for aggressive racing, so it isn't something you can mess up the game with. It's part of the mechanics, it's part of the abilities that you can have, it's a legitimate playstyle that actually makes that kind of play really, really fun," Crimmins explained.
The campaign's roguelite structure challenges players to progress as far as possible within the Galactic League. Each attempt begins with a race token, which can be lost by finishing outside the top three or by crashing out entirely. Players typically have a few "lives" within a race, allowing for multiple crashes before a run ends. The rewards earned are dependent on finishing position and completion of side objectives, which can then be spent on ship upgrades. Randomised events and a branching path progression system, similar to FTL: Faster Than Light, add replayability to each run, though the planet order remains fixed.
This campaign design is seen by the developers as a significant return for a well-utilized mode. "It's Galactic Conquest! A casual single-player mode that gives individual, replayable scenarios a sense of consequence and meaning beyond the bout itself," the developers noted, comparing its impact to that of the original Star Wars Battlefront games. This structure is intended to encourage players to become more invested in each race, as demonstrated by Webster observing players leaning forward during gameplay due to the added consequence of crashing.
Fuse Games' ambition extends to pushing the racing genre forward, much like they did with Burnout Paradise. "When we were making Burnout games, we were always trying to push something forward, do something new," Webster said. "How do we push the genre forward? What's missing? Consequence is missing." The team has focused on incorporating consequence not only in crashing but also in player decision-making, particularly concerning vehicle builds.
The game features a deep customisation system with a vast number of potential vehicle builds, promising "trillions" of combinations. Players can combine parts, upgrades, and abilities, alongside 14 different "racer styles" and various vehicle types including landspeeders, speeder bikes, podracers, and a new vehicle called a skim speeder. This skim speeder can shift from a horizontal to a vertical orientation, allowing for more aggressive cornering or passage through narrow gaps. "I've not talked about builds [in a racing game] like I have in this game since I think Gran Turismo 2," Webster remarked.
Beyond the campaign, Star Wars: Galactic Racer offers four other modes, including Arcade mode and online multiplayer. Podracing, a staple from the classic Star Wars Episode I Racer on N64 and Star Wars Racer Revenge on PS2, is featured prominently. "A lot of the DNA of that game we translated into this game, particularly the pod events, the way they do their boost mechanic, some of the sense of speed that they got from those vehicles," Crimmins said, highlighting the influence of those earlier titles.
The developers believe that arcade racing, with its immediate gameplay and accessible yet deep mechanics, represents a "purest expression of gaming." They aim for Star Wars: Galactic Racer to embody this by offering approachability and quick fantasy fulfillment without sacrificing depth. The environments are designed for readability, allowing players to quickly identify paths, shortcuts, and obstacles. "We want people to hit people. We want them to crash in amazing ways. We want to make failure fun. All of that stuff we learned in Burnout," Crimmins concluded. "Crashing and visceral spectacle are in the DNA of the studio."