I didn't think I could be more excited for Star Wars Galactic Racer — then its State of Play trailer confirmed the return of podracing

A podracer in Star Wars: Galactic Racer zooming towards the camera.
(Image credit: Lucasfilm / Secret Mode)

  • Star Wars: Galactic Racer got a new trailer at the PlayStation State of Play
  • It confirms the return of podracing
  • The chaotic racer is scheduled to launch sometime this year

Be still, my racing game loving heart; Star Wars: Galactic Racer is looking every bit the unhinged love letter to genre classics like Burnout, F-Zero, Wipeout, and of course the wider Star Wars universe itself.

While initially revealed at The Game Awards, the recent February 12 State of Play gave us an all-new look at Star Wars: Galactic Racer that really emphasized the chaotic nature of its races. Speeders bumped into and destroyed one another, the speed of it looked appropriately tense, and there were even hints of a story mode with growing rivalries within.

It helps that visually, the game looks utterly breathtaking, and appears to run at a clean and stable 60 frames per second - crucial for any arcade-style racer, if you ask me.

Perhaps best of all, the new trailer confirms the return of Episode 1's podracers. There's even a return of an iconic Star Wars weirdo in Ben Quadinaros, as we see right at the end of the trailer.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer - Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games - YouTube Star Wars: Galactic Racer - Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games - YouTube
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Thankfully we've learned a few more tidbits about Star Wars: Galactic Racer beyond its trailer, thanks to the updated Steam page. There will be a main story, in which we play as a mysterious racer known as Shade. We'll also be able to pilot various types of iconic Star Wars vehicles, such as landspeeders, skim speeders, and podracers.

Players will also get to "build a ride that showcases your style," hinting at vehicle customization and potentially livery and paint job design. "PvP grudge matches" are also confirmed, seemingly hinting at the game's multiplayer elements which may also include a ranked mode.

Personally, I'm already sold. Star Wars Episode 1: Racer is perhaps my favorite Star Wars game outside of the Rogue Squadron series, and I'm ecstatic to see the franchise return to the racing game genre for the first time in what feels like forever.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer launches sometime in 2026. Hopefully sooner rather than later, because I can't wait to get my hands on it.

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Rhys Wood
Hardware Editor

Rhys is TRG's Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for over four years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.

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