New Star Wars Game Is a Sequel I’ve Been Waiting 25 Years For

The newest Star Wars game is exactly what I’ve spent the last quarter-century waiting for. The Star Wars franchise is a massive and varied space, which makes it ideal for gaming. Different developers have mined the iconic galaxy for all sorts of titles, ranging from in-depth RPG experiences to action-centric hack-and-slash adventures. There have been strategy games, flight sims, and even a few fighting titles in the mix.

One of the best (and rare) genres for the franchise to play with has been the racing game. Star Wars has some in-universe racing elements and touches, like the iconic podracing elements from 1999’s Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. That concept led to one of the best arcade-style games in the franchise, and now it seems like it’s getting the ideal spiritual successor in the form of a new racing title — and I couldn’t be more excited.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer Looks Great

Announced during the Game Awards, Star Wars: Galactic Racer is the exact game I’ve been waiting decades for. Developed by Fuse Games, Galactic Racer is currently set for a 2026 release date on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The game will put players in all sorts of vehicles, with a level of customization to allow players the chance to reinvent their ride in whatever way they want. While there will be a single-player campaign mode (seemingly bringing back Sebulba, the vicious rival of Anakin in The Phantom Menace‘s pod-racing scene and one of the stars of this year’s VR Star Wars release, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge), the real draw of the title will likely be the online multiplayer.

The trailer for the title, released during the Game Awards, indicates that the title will take place sometime after the fall of the Empire. This opens up plenty of opportunities for the story mode to explore the storytelling space currently occupied by the likes of The Mandalorian, with a plot focused on new efforts to reinstitute a galactic racing league. The sheer scope of the Star Wars franchise makes it perfect for this genre, as there can be all sorts of innovative and vivid tracks for players to race on.

The trailer indicates that the action will take place in some familiar-looking locales like the deserts of Jakku from The Force Awakens and the frozen tundra of Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back, but don’t be surprised if other new worlds or locations are introduced. It seems like a fun and fairly grounded way to approach a franchise most often seen for its bombastic adventures and brightly colored fights, focusing on racers who want to achieve riches and glory instead of trying to restore balance to the universe.

I Love Podracing, And I Can’t Wait For It To Be Back

Galactic Racers quietly seems like the ideal follow-up to Star Wars Episode I: Racer. Released in 1999 for the Nintendo 64, Racer was a riff on the podracing from the first Star Wars prequel that included many of the maps and vehicles featured in that film. Well-received by critics and fans alike, the game got a memorable arcade port the following year that incorporated a large podracing seat that made players feel like they were genuinely piloting one of the craft instead of just driving around with a control stick.

It was a personal favorite growing up, a challenging racing game that felt like a great expansion of the new Star Wars landscape set up by the prequels. While there was a sequel on the PS2 a few years later in the form of Star Wars Racer Revenge and some modern remasters, it never felt like LucasArts (now known as Lucasfilm Games) was able to replicate that magic for a new title. That’s why I’m so excited for Galactic Racers, which embraces modern graphics and tech to deliver on the promise of the game. The campaign mode promises to give players a new chance to explore the galaxy from a racer’s perspective, potentially leaving a lot of room open for creative new arcs and character trajectories.

The inclusion of different types of vehicles also feels like a great tweak on the formula, with the trailer’s speeder bikes and larger speeders setting up different racing mechanics to play with and experiment with. While there aren’t any podracers seen in the trailer, Sebulba’s distinctly large vehicle can be seen in the logo of the game, suggesting that it will be a vehicle option as well. The idea of customization in a game like this is something I’ve wanted since I got Star Wars Episode I: Racer as a kid, and now I’ll get to make that dream game experience come true.

By fusing the racing mechanics with the Star Wars universe, the development team has a lot of options to play with — and a potentially blank canvas with which they can flesh out a corner of the Star Wars franchise that hasn’t been as deeply mined as other parts of the galaxy. While there were other games revealed at the 2025 Game Awards that have me more intrigued or excited from a critical perspective, Star Wars: Galactic Racers scratched a gaming itch I’ve had since I was a kid, and might finally give me a true follow-up to one of my favorite Star Wars gaming experiences.