Star Wars: Galactic Racer Launches on Xbox Series X|S

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is now available on Xbox Series X|S. This new racing game is developed by Fuse Games, a studio staffed by veterans of the Burnout series, and published by Secret Mode. Its core design philosophy turns the traditional penalty for crashing into a fundamental part of the game's progression loop.

Gameplay and progression systems

The game is built around a runs-based campaign. Crashing is not a setback but a path to rewards. This system encourages players to experiment with new vehicle builds and learn from failures to make better decisions in future attempts. Even when a run ends in a wreck, players earn permanent tuning points, new parts, and carryover racer styles and favors. Permanent progression exists outside of individual tours, including stat upgrades and unlockable parts that persist. Players can upgrade Racer Styles to unlock new ways to play.

Creative Director Kieran Crimmins explained the studio's approach. "We've got a history of trying to make failure fun," he said. Co-founder Steve Uphill added that "failure is fuel, which is where our runs-based mechanic comes into play."

Vehicle customization and build variety

Players begin by choosing from three speeder types, each with distinct handling and a special ability. They then select a Racer Style to guide their build strategy. After each race, players can select from randomly rewarded abilities, parts, and upgrades to complement their chosen style. Hundreds of parts are available for vehicle customization. Some legendary parts introduce severe, risky trade-offs, such as a slipstreaming ability that can freeze the vehicle.

Risk, failure, and penalty mechanics

Despite the rewards for failure, crashing carries significant consequences that raise the stakes. Players are allowed a limited number of crashes per race in certain events. Using all permitted crashes results in 'wrecking out' and forces a restart of the current tour. Losing high-stakes races can also cost a player a League Token, a key progression currency. In one described scenario, a racer was shoved into a boulder just three corners from the finish line, ending a tour that had taken 23 races to build and tune the vehicle, and forfeiting their League Token.

Financial rewards earned from races can be spent at shops between planets. The game's presentation uses scene-wipe transitions to evoke the Star Wars aesthetic. A procedural camera system adapts to each crash to create a unique, cinematic impact, though these sequences are limited to eight seconds to maintain gameplay flow. During review on PS5, the game ran at a smooth 60 FPS with no performance issues. The game also includes a Deluxe Edition and features multiplayer with a runs-based system culminating in a final knockout event for XP and character unlocks. Players can gain XP even without winning by voting on the predicted winner.

Players can upgrade Racer Styles to unlock new ways to play, as part of the game’s permanent progression system.