Fuse Games is gearing up to bring a bold new entry to the Star Wars universe with Star Wars: Galactic Racer, an upcoming arcade-style racing title that promises to push boundaries beyond traditional racing mechanics. The game, developed by a team featuring veterans from franchises like Need for Speed, Burnout, and Star Wars Battlefront, aims to deliver high-stakes, high-thrill experiences set in the iconic galaxy far, far away.
Fuse Games founder and CEO Matt Webster recently had an interview with The Game Business, and according to him, the team has always prioritized pushing creative limits in their projects. "Every time we've made a game, we've tried to innovate," Webster said. "If you sort of zoom out a bit, it's a genre that's crying out for some fresh new ideas, and to steal from some other genres as well."
This philosophy is central to Star Wars: Galactic Racer, which positions itself as more than a simple revival of classic Star Wars racing titles like the beloved Star Wars Episode I: Racer. Webster emphasized that while high-speed competition remains core, the game incorporates broader elements to create deeper engagement. Races form only one part of the overall experience, with opportunities for players to step outside their vehicles and explore narratives unfolding in the surrounding world.
"When we're looking at a racing game, particularly one that we feel is ripe for a bunch of innovation, 'where do we want to innovate?,'" added Webster. "It's a Star Wars racing game, so Star Wars fans crave immersion in that galaxy. They crave a story to be told, and characters to fall in love with. And beautiful locations that we know and love. That is a really fertile ground for us when we think about the second-to-second experience, but then more broadly in the sphere of Star Wars storytelling."
The game's setting places it in a post-Empire era, where the galaxy is rebuilding and an underground, unsanctioned racing circuit known as the Galactic League has emerged. Syndicates fund the chaos, and racers compete in high-risk events to rise through the ranks and claim championship status. This runs-based structure draws inspiration from survival-oriented gameplay, blending intense track-based arcade racing with consequential decisions on vehicle choices, upgrades, and event paths.
Fuse Games has collaborated closely with Lucasfilm to ensure authenticity, including the introduction of a brand-new vehicle, the Skim Speeder, designed specifically for the title. The emphasis on track-focused design—eschewing open-world exploration—allows for concentrated thrills, incorporating elements reminiscent of vehicular combat and high-octane action from the developers' past projects. This approach revives the sense of speed and danger that made earlier Star Wars racers memorable, while expanding into storytelling and character development to heighten immersion.
The racing genre has seen shifts toward open-world formats in recent years, but Webster and his team believe the time is right for a return to structured, adrenaline-fueled tracks infused with Star Wars lore. By integrating narrative depth, beloved locations, and innovative mechanics borrowed from other genres, Star Wars: Galactic Racer seeks to address what the developers see as a need for evolution in racing games. The result is a premium, self-contained experience featuring a campaign mode, arcade options, and multiplayer components, built on Unreal Engine 5 for stunning visuals.
You can watch the official gameplay trailer below:
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is set to release later this year for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
