Split-screen multiplayer was a staple of the original Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer, letting two players live the fantasy of racing head-to-head in podracers at home.
Launching this October, Star Wars: Galactic Racer marks the first racing game set in the galaxy far, far away in over 20 years, with podracers making a triumphant return alongside three distinct vehicle classes.
However, unlike the original fabled Episode 1: Racer, the new instalment won’t feature local split-screen multiplayer. Speaking to Traixon, Fuse Games CEO Matt Webster revealed that implementing local multiplayer was a “stretch too far” technically.
While many modern racing games support split-screen multiplayer, optimising it often comes at the sacrifice of visual fidelity and performance. This wasn’t worth the trade-off for Fuse Games, as the team wanted to recreate the “big screen” experience.
“We want that frame rate, that fidelity, that immersion,” Webster explained. “The compromise to get to those was a stretch too far for us.”
Webster confirmed that split-screen multiplayer wasn’t considered from the outset of Galactic Racer’s development.
Discussion
This is one of the worst “explanations” I have ever read. That frame rate, that fidelity and that immersion would still be there as long as you play single or network. Losing some of that to be able to play split screen once in a while would be no problem at all. The real problem is all the extra work and money they need to spend.
Boo this decision. Booooo. Way to isolate everyone. We need more person to person interaction and couch co-op is preferred. How am I supposed to play with my son?