Star Wars: Galactic Racer has a lot more Slay the Spire DNA than I expected, because its ex-Burnout devs wanted to add ‘real consequence’ to each race
Star Wars: Galactic Racer, developed by veterans of the Burnout franchise, blends high-speed racing with roguelike progression mechanics in a new take on Star Wars racing games. Despite featuring podracing’s iconic characters and courses, the developers emphasize it is not a sequel to 1999’s Episode I Racer, but rather a distinct game exploring multiple racing types within the Star Wars universe.
The game’s campaign mode draws heavily from Slay the Spire’s design philosophy, incorporating roguelike unlock systems and permanent consequences for race outcomes. According to its creators, this design choice was intentional—ex-Burnout developers sought to add meaningful stakes to each race, moving beyond traditional arcade racing by giving player decisions lasting impact throughout a campaign run. The combination of high-speed action and strategic roguelike progression is wrapped within a Star Wars narrative framework.