Star Wars: Galactic Racer is leaning further into simulation than we expected. It’s not just going to be a fast-paced pod racer, but it has realistic elements to give you a sim-like experience. In an interview with IGN, Fuse Game CEO Matt Webster went into detail about the different simulation aspects of the game.
Here is what Star Wars Galactic Racer is adding to make the game more immersive and realistic.
Heat Management Core Mechanics
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Star Wars Galactic Racer is bringing a unique boost mechanic. Instead of just pressing a button to go fast, it works a bit differently.
Boosting is split into two phases. There’s a normal boost for that extra bit of speed, then there is the second phase, called the ramjet. The ramjet can give you even more speed, but there is a big catch: massive heat buildup. The more you use the ramjet, the hotter your vehicle gets, and if you don’t pay attention, your pod basically goes kaboom.
Planets are also more than just places you race; they have impact heat management. On Hoth, the icy tracks sustain ramjets longer, thanks to the cold. On the other hand, hot planets like Jaku will cause your pod to get hot faster because of the planet’s temperature.
Lantaana shakes things up with both lava rivers and cold waters, letting you warm up the engine over magma or cool it over streams for longer runs. It’s not random at all, and the track layout is designed in a way for you to read the environment and balance out heat or risk failure.
Why It Feels Sim-Like Already
It already feels more of a sim than previous Star Wars racers. Episode I Racer mostly tied cooling to just power-ups. Galactic Racer ties heat to physics and world design, following something you’d see in modern sims like iRacing, where you have to manage your tires.
There’s plenty of sim depth beyond just racing gameplay. You get paddock areas to walk around crafts. Every class of repulsorcraft drives with unique handling, and you can tune your build before each race. Tracks have branching paths and dynamic risks, so memorizing lines pays off like in GT or iRacing.
On top of that, the story mode also makes the game feel more immersive. The story mode follows pilot Shade trying to build a career post-Return of the Jedi — the lore is built right into the gameplay.
Other Sim Elements To Double Down On
The game is already sounding great, but there’s still serious potential for the game to push for full simulation. Fuel management could be introduced, where the ramjet would drain it, tying into boosts for endurance events beyond sprints.
Multi-class races would add depth. Small “scout racers” could dart through traffic, heavyweights could take damage but overheat on long boosts. All of these are great ideas that would make the game more fun, and realistic.
Set to launch for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X | S late 2026, Galactic Racer is shaping up to be much better than expected.
Published: Apr 8, 2026 04:30 pm