"We wanted to capture the chaos and skill of Burnout, but put it in the cockpit of a Star Wars speeder. The first time you take down an opponent in slow motion, you'll feel it."
A new arcade racing game set in the Star Wars universe, titled "Star Wars: Galactic Racer," is scheduled for release on October 6, 2025. The game is being developed by Fuse Games, a studio composed of former developers from the Need for Speed and Burnout series, and published by Lucasfilm.
Overview and Setting
The game is set in the Outer Rim during the New Republic era, following the fall of the Empire. Players assume the role of a helmeted pilot named Shade, who participates in a renegade racing circuit. The narrative goal is to eventually confront an enemy identified as Kestar Bool. Between races, players can walk from their spaceship to a garage area, where rival racers may initiate conversations or invite the player to special events.
Game Modes
"Star Wars: Galactic Racer" features four primary modes:
- Campaign: A roguelite structure where players earn League Tokens to progress. Losing in specific Eliminator races can restart the current run. The mode is organized as a run-based season with a flow chart for selecting races, which includes time trials and special stages.
- Scenario
- Challenge
- Versus
A standalone Podracing mode is also available in an Arcade mode.
Vehicles and Customization
Players can choose from several vehicle types, each with distinct handling characteristics:
- Blade (middleweight): Capable of drifting and tilting to corner on its side. Has a lower top speed.
- Landspeeder (car-shaped): Offers more stability when colliding with other racers and maintains speed better through contact.
- Skimspeeder: Gains a speed burst when accelerating out of tight corners.
- Podracer: Available in Arcade mode.
- Speeder bikes are also listed as a vehicle type.
Players can customize their character and vehicles with cosmetic and gameplay-affecting upgrades. Performance upgrade parts (improving cornering, top speed, and Ramjet capacity) are earned by placing high in races and can be installed using in-game credits.
Game Mechanics
Boost Systems:
- Afterburner: A safe, gradual refill that provides a mild speed boost.
- Ramjet: A riskier, more powerful boost that heats the engine to a "Redline" point. Staying in this state too long causes an explosion.
Race Start:
- Ignition Sequence: A timed button sequence at the start of a race provides bonuses, such as a primed afterburner or a charged shield.
- Starting Surge: A throttle control mechanic (similar to Mario Kart) allows for a boost at the race's start.
Combat and Abilities:
- Players can use shields, hacking abilities, and status effects that may disable an opponent’s boosting.
- Takedowns: Players can perform takedowns on opponents, which are presented with slow-motion camera angles, similar to the Burnout series.
Drifting: Drifting is described as crucial for navigating turns and accessing shortcuts.
Environmental Hazards: Different planetary environments affect gameplay:
- Acidic rivers require the use of shields.
- Icy planets (such as Ando Prime) allow for longer Ramjet use and feature heating tunnels.
- Molten planets (such as Lantaana) require careful boosting.
- The planet Jakku also appears as a track setting.
Crashes: In most races, a player is allowed three crashes before being eliminated, with a respawn mechanic reminiscent of the Burnout series.
Reception
Based on a 45-minute preview session, the game received positive initial feedback for its incorporation of Burnout-style mechanics and the roguelite progression system. The AI difficulty was noted as being challenging.
Release Platforms and Date
"Star Wars: Galactic Racer" will be released on October 6, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.