Fuse Games unveiled its roguelite racer Star Wars: Galactic Racer during a hands-on session at Summer Game Fest in Los Angeles. The title emphasizes crashing as a core gameplay feature with limited progression between runs. Former Burnout developers Matt Webster and Kieran Crimmins discussed the project's design goals.
The game combines arcade racing mechanics with a runs-based campaign structure. Players receive a race token from a mechanic character and lose it upon crashing out or finishing outside the top three. Rewards from successful runs fund ship upgrades, while randomized events and branching planet paths add variety.
Developers highlighted inspiration from classic titles like Star Wars Episode I Racer on N64 and Star Wars Racer Revenge on PS2. Four modes are planned, including arcade and online multiplayer options featuring podracing. New vehicle types such as the skim speeder allow dynamic transformations during races.
Webster, Fuse Games founder and CEO, stressed the importance of consequence in racing. "Racing is crying out for a bit of consequence," he said. Crimmins added that the studio aims to make failure enjoyable through spectacular crashes and aggressive playstyles.
