Star Wars: Galactic Racer Studio Avoided Open World For “Expanding Replayability Loop” With Tracks

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I was so excited when they announced Star Wars: Galactic Racer at The Game Awards last year! Honestly, it feels like forever since we’ve had a really good Star Wars racing game – the last one I loved was Star Wars Episode 1: Racer. There was a huge gap in the market for something like this, and the fact that it’s bringing back pod racing? Perfect! It’s exactly what I’ve been hoping for.

So, the team making this game is actually from Criterion, the folks who did Burnout – they really know open-world stuff. And even though tons of racing games are going for huge open worlds like Forza Horizon, they decided to keep things more focused on actual tracks. They felt it just fit the Star Wars vibe better, and more importantly, it lets them keep adding content and keeping us playing for a long time.

So, we built the game with tracks specifically because we want players to keep coming back and improving over time. We really want people to learn the ins and outs of each track, get comfortable with how the cars handle, and genuinely get better with practice. We didn’t want it to just be a huge collection of stuff to mess around with – we wanted a real sense of progression and mastery, a feeling of getting better the more you play.

The game offers significant choices with lasting impact, encourages multiple playthroughs, and allows players to create unique, memorable experiences you wouldn’t find elsewhere. We believe adding an open world would introduce a completely different set of difficulties that could compromise those core elements.

Studio CEO and founder Matt Webster also pointed out that racing is already a well-established part of the Star Wars universe. From the podracing in Episode 1 and the riot racing in The Bad Batch, to the starfighter races in Star Wars Resistance, the idea of racing as a sport fits naturally within the franchise. Importantly, fans want compelling characters and a good story, and that’s what they’ll get with this new racing league within the Star Wars world.

We also wanted to approach this from a character perspective, focusing on the experience of being a racer rather than just playing a racing game. We’ve made many games where you’re simply an anonymous driver, but this time, you’ll play as Shade, a brand-new, official Star Wars character. As you can see in the trailer, you’ll experience the world through Shade’s eyes, like walking down the ramp of your ship and into the racing paddock.

This new paddock area is a great addition because it provides a relaxed space where fans can connect with the Star Wars elements of the experience. It allows us to develop the story, showcase characters, and offer a calm environment that contrasts with the fast-paced racing. This distinction is key as we’re building a racing adventure, not just a race.

Shade is recruited by Darius Pax, the founder of the Galactic League, to stop Kestar Bool, who is currently in the lead and generally considered a villain. Shade also has a personal reason to oppose Bool, and we’ll probably learn what that is as the story unfolds.

Players will race on tracks set in places like Sentinel One, Ando Prime, and Jakku. You can pick from several vehicle classes, but a big part of the game is customizing your vehicle to fit your style.

Get ready to race through the galaxy! Star Wars: Galactic Racer is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC later this year. You can watch the first gameplay trailer now.

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2026-02-16 21:12