Julian LeFay, the “father” of The Elder Scrolls and one of the key figures in Bethesda’s early days, dies at 59

Today, the sad news of the passing of an important figure in the world of video games was announced: Julian LeFey, considered the “father” of The Elder Scrolls for his decisive role in the early stages of the saga as Chief Engineer at Bethesda, which he joined shortly after its founding.

The news was announced through the independent studio he co-founded, OnceLost Games, which had previously announced that its Technical Director had had to leave his day-to-day work to focus on treatment for cancer, which he was ultimately unable to overcome.

“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we inform our community of the passing of Julian Lefay, our beloved Tehnical Director,” reads the official statement from OnceLost. “Julian Lefay was not just a colleague - he was a visionary who fundamentally shaped the gaming industry as we know it today.”

LeFay was a central figure in the early years of Bethesda Softworks. He led the development of The Elder Scrolls: Arena (1994), Daggerfall (1996), and Battlespire (1997), laying the groundwork for what would later become one of the most influential sagas in video games. His focus on open worlds, player freedom, and dynamic role-playing systems inspired an entire generation of developers.

In recent years, LeFay had returned to video game development as part of OnceLost Games, where he led The Wayward Realms, an ambitious RPG that aspires to be “the great role-playing game” that recaptures the essence of the genre in the past. Despite his illness, he remained actively involved in the project. “Throughout his courageous battle with cancer, Julian never wavered in his passion for The Wayward Realms,” the studio noted. “Even during his illness, he continued to share his vision with our team, mentor our developers, and ensure that every aspect of the game reflected his commitment to creating something truly extraordinary.”

The god Julianos returns to his kingdom

In The Elder Scrolls mythology, the Imperial Pantheon consists of the Nine Divines, six gods and three goddesses. One of them is Julianos, god of wisdom and logic, a figure created in homage to LeFey himself. It was he, with tremendous ambition and technical knowledge, who set Bethesda on the path to prominence as a studio capable of creating worlds that impressed with their scale and possibilities. His work as Lead Programmer on The Elder Scrolls: Arena and Project Lead on Daggerfall make him an essential figure in the history of the series.

May he Rest In Peace.

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