Star Wars: Galactic Racer is finally on its way, and it arrives with a pedigree that suggests it knows exactly what it is trying to do. The game, from Fuse Games, comes out October 6 on PS5, Xbox and PC. It is the first outing from a studio founded by people who made the Burnout series, and it is built around podracing and familiar Star Wars locations like Tatooine.
The wait for a new Star Wars racing game has lasted 24 years. The last big one was 2002’s Racer’s Revenge. Now, the team behind Galactic Racer says the game simply felt inevitable.
The Team Behind Galactic Racer
Fuse Games was founded by Matt Webster, the studio’s CEO and founder, and Kieran Crimmins, its creative director. They are former leaders of the Burnout franchise, and their history with arcade racers shows in the design.
The game is also set in the Star Wars universe, which is a natural fit. The franchise has a long history with racing, including earlier games that borrowed from Twisted Metal and other racing titles. But the genre faded from the mainstream Star Wars lineup for a while.
Why It Took So Long
In an interview with IGN, Webster explained why the team settled on a racing game for its debut. “Okay, why hasn’t there been a Star Wars racing game for so long?” he told the outlet, describing the question the team kept asking itself as it planned its first project.
Crimmins confirmed that Lucasfilm was not the obstacle. “It was fairly obvious that [a Star Wars racing game was] probably going to be the best game we could make for our first game,” he said. “It would just be the best game that we could make, full stop.”
He then described the studio’s pitch to Lucasfilm. “We took that to our partners in Lucasfilm, because we worked with them before, we know them, so we could say, ‘Hey guys, what do you think of this thing?’ And they basically said the same thing back to us, where they were like, ‘Yeah, we are really excited about this stuff. We love that stuff that you’re doing. That absolutely makes sense for us.'”
What The Game Actually Plays Like
Kotaku‘s own Ethan Gach has played the game and reported on it. His preview suggests Fuse Games has understood the assignment well. The game features podracing and iconic planets like Tatooine, and it includes roguelike elements in its campaign mode.
Players will have to make hard choices as they win races and upgrade their vehicle. The goal is to reach the grand championship. That twist adds variety to a game that otherwise relies on racing the same tracks over and over.
The roguelike system might also change how players approach danger. A risky slam into an opponent could cost upgrades or progress, so players may think twice before they go for the big move.
The Release Schedule
| Game | Platform | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Star Wars: Galactic Racer | PS5, Xbox, PC | October 6 |
| Star Wars Zero Company | N/A | Just before Galactic Racer |
The timing is notable. Galactic Racer arrives just a few short weeks after Star Wars Zero Company, a tactical strategy game that drew praise despite technical flaws. That game offered an XCOM-like experience with Star Wars characters like clones, droids and Jedi, and it proved that Star Wars games do not have to be shooters or third-person action titles.
A Broader Trend
The writer wants more of this. Star Wars can support all kinds of genres, and there was a time when the franchise offered a wide assortment of games. Today, the range has narrowed. But the arrival of Galactic Racer and Zero Company suggests that era might be ending.
The wish list is long. The writer hopes for:
- A Star Wars narrative-driven game like Mixtape
- A sports game
- A survival horror game set in the Star Wars universe
- A city builder
- A comedy game where the player runs a small diner as Dexter Jetster
These are not pipe dreams. The writer is making the case that Star Wars has enough material to support almost any genre, and that the games that try something different often succeed.
The Bottom Line
Star Wars: Galactic Racer looks like it could be special. The team behind it has a strong history with racing, and Lucasfilm seems fully on board. The roguelike campaign mode adds a layer of replayability that earlier Star Wars racers lacked.
The game arrives at a moment when Star Wars gaming is showing signs of opening up. After 24 years without a major racing title, the franchise is finally moving forward.
Whether Galactic Racer lives up to the hype will depend on how well it balances its Burnout roots with its Star Wars setting. The early signs are promising, and the writer is excited to find out.
Source material: “Star Wars: Galactic Racer Looks To Continue The Best Trend In Star Wars Gaming In Years,” Kotaku.
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