IDEAS THAT CHANGE THE WORLD
Star Wars Galactic Racer arrives on 6 October 2026. A new era has begun inside and outside the Star Wars universe, so this spiritual successor to the earlier podracing games needed substantial new ideas and features to stand apart. Fortunately, Fuse Games—a studio founded by Burnout veterans—seems to know how to refresh the game while retaining the speed, danger and sheer excitement of earlier Star Wars racers.
Star Wars Galactic Racer: the famous franchise’s new game is coming
With an announcement scheduled for late 2025 at the latest Game Awards, Lucasfilm Games, publisher Secret Mode and developer Fuse Games quickly confirmed plans to release Star Wars: Galactic Racer by the end of 2026, in line with expectations.
It will launch on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Windows), through Steam and the Epic Games Store. As this console generation nears its end, big-budget projects like this have moved beyond previous-generation machines. Using Unreal Engine 5, the team aims for cutting-edge visuals at high speeds. A future Nintendo Switch 2 version is not ruled out, but none has been officially announced.
Let’s talk about the trailer
Thankfully, there was not a long wait between the reveal trailer for Star Wars: Galactic Racer. and a second trailer offering a closer look at gameplay and more drivers, including a couple of podracing legends.
The release-date trailer arrived on 30 April, showing more gameplay and all exclusive drivers and skins included in the Deluxe edition.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a highly competitive arcade racer
Casual players will also find it accessible, like the two earlier Star Wars podracing games from over 20 years ago: Episode I – Racer (1999) and Racer Revenge (2002). The main difference is that this new era allows multiple vehicle classes, not just podracers. There will be landspeeders, small speeder bike and even new skim speeder competing against old-school podracers.
Players enter the Galactic League, “an underground racing circuit born in the lawless Outer Rim”, through a single-player campaign with a traditional storyline that forms a fundamental part of the game. We can also expect online player-versus-player multiplayer modes supporting cross-play between consoles and PC for up to 12 players. Vehicle customisation is confirmed, though the system has not been shown in action.
Veterans may immediately think of Burnout, but Galactic Racer seems to draw heavily from Evolution Studios’ MotorStorm. The focus is on unpredictable races and the mayhem of mixed vehicle classes, with off-road racing rather than clearly defined circuits. Takedowns are integral: you can force rivals out to climb the rankings.
When is the game set?
Star Wars: Galactic Racer takes place in the New Republic era, just after the fall of the Empire, which banned podracing and other dangerous motor competitions organised by criminal syndicates and governments in the Outer Rim.
With the Empire gone and the New Republic struggling to maintain order across inhabited systems, “gambling, entertainment and glory” fuel a rising underworld. While stories such as The Mandalorian focus on lingering threats and complex politics, Galactic Racer explores a lawless frontier demanding the return of high-speed racing.
Five planets have appeared in trailers and promotional material: Jakku, Tatooine, Sentinel One, Lantaana and Ando Prime. Fans know the first two; toxic volcanic Sentinel One and lush Lantaana were created for this game. Snow-covered Ando Prime previously appeared in Episode I – Racer.
The characters of Star Wars Galactic Racer
Star Wars: Galactic Racer follows “lone racer” Shade as he challenges the villainous Kestar Bool. He dominates the Galactic League, an “unsanctioned racing league” created and organised by Darius Pax. Fearing he may lose control of his creation, Pax persuades Shade to eliminate Kestar.
The branching campaign includes a varied supporting cast, including mechanic Hibi, who helps Shade with upgrades and tools. The troublesome Sebulba and even the beloved but unlucky Ben Quadinaros also return triumphantly, though whether they play major story roles or simply join the playable roster outside the campaign remains unclear.
