Julian LeFay, 'Father of The Elder Scrolls,' Has Died Aged 59, a Week After Stepping Back From Game Development Due to Cancer

Julian LeFay, Bethesda's erstwhile main technologist known among fans arsenic the 'Father of The Elder Scrolls' series, has died aged 59.

It was announced past week that LeFay, present co-founder and method shaper astatine OnceLost Games, had stepped backmost from crippled improvement aft a lengthy conflict with cancer, successful bid to walk clip with his household and loved ones.

A connection from OnceLost Games, published today, has present confirmed LeFay's passing — "with profound sadness and dense hearts".

"Julian LeFay was not conscionable a workfellow — helium was a visionary who fundamentally shaped the gaming manufacture arsenic we cognize it today," OnceLost Games' connection reads. "Known arsenic the 'Father of The Elder Scrolls', Julian directed the instauration of legendary titles including Elder Scrolls 1 and 2: Arena, Daggerfall, and Battlespire.

"His pioneering enactment established the instauration for open-world RPGs and influenced countless developers and games that followed."

Julian LeFay. Image credit: Shae Jensen/Julian LeFay.

Born successful Denmark successful 1965, LeFay began his vocation moving connected aboriginal Amiga and NES games, earlier becoming 1 of Bethesda's earliest employees successful 1987.

After moving connected a drawstring of Elder Scrolls titles, his vocation adjacent took him to Sega, and past yet to recovered OnceLost Games successful 2019 to make a caller open-world RPG, Wayward Realms, that was successfully pitched connected Kickstarter arsenic a Daggerfall spiritual successor.

"Throughout his courageous conflict with cancer, Julian ne'er wavered successful his passionateness for The Wayward Realms," OnceLost Games' connection continues. "Even during his illness, helium continued to stock his imaginativeness with our team, mentor our developers, and guarantee that each facet of the crippled reflected his committedness to creating thing genuinely extraordinary. His strength, determination, and unwavering absorption animate america all."

Development connected The Wayward Realms volition present proceed nether the guidance of chap erstwhile Bethesda seasoned and OnceLost Games co-founder Ted Peterson, the workplace concluded, with its squad "more committed than ever to bringing The Wayward Realms to beingness precisely arsenic Julian envisioned it".

Image credit: Shae Jensen/Julian LeFay

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social